MODERN SCIENCE AND

TECHNOLOGY
 MODERN ERA

•A period of LEARNING and

UNLEARNING
•Fundamental assumptions are critiqued
and challenge.
 The Scientific Revolution
&
The Enlightenment

THE AGE OF REASON

The Scientific Revolution: Phase I
Before The Heliocentric Theory
The Biblical Conception of the universe
1. Waters above the firmament
2. Storehouses of snows
3. Storehouses for hail
4. Chambers of winds
5. Firmament
6. Sluice / windows of heaven
7. Pillars of the sky
8. Pillars of the earth
9. Fountain of the deep
10. Navel of the earth
11. Waters under the earth
12. Rivers of the nether world

A view of the universe as understood in the

Old Testament and influenced by the
ancient Babylonians. A flat earth supports
pillars which support the heavens and the
waters above. Below the earth is Sheol –
the domain of the dead – and the water
below the earth.
 The Scientific Revolution: Phase I
Before The Heliocentric Theory

● Whatcould be the other reasons why

people believed that the earth is at the
center of the universe?
The Scientific Revolution: Phase I
Before The Heliocentric Theory
One geocentric
universe, please
– all dressed.

Claudius Ptolemy
(c.100-c.178)
Ptolemy’s
Universe
 The Scientific Revolution: Phase I
Before The Heliocentric Theory
● Thus the geocentric theory was supported by
religion, by the ancient Greeks and by
common sense.
● Despite all this, it was overturned and
replaced by the heliocentric theory in the
modern period.
The Scientific Revolution: Phase I
Before The Heliocentric Theory

Nicholaus Copernicus (1473-1543).

Note the sun like wand with the sun in
the center, of course
 The Scientific Revolution: Phase I
The Heliocentric Theory

Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)

The Scientific Revolution: Phase I
The Heliocentric Theory
 The Scientific Revolution: Phase I
The Heliocentric Theory
Galileo pioneered the experimental method
Galileo’s famous
experiment
supposedly made
from the leaning
tower of Pisa. Here
two balls of different
mass are dropped at
the same time; which
will land first?
The next, even more
famous experiment,
compares the fall of
1 kilo of feathers and
1 kilo of bricks;
which will land first?
The Scientific Revolution: Phase I
The Heliocentric Theory
 The Scientific Revolution: Phase I
The Laws of Motion
Yes, this
is my
natural In England another
hair
colour great scientist arose
who confirmed
heliocentrism and
showed how
powerful and
accurate the new
science could be.
The Scientific Revolution: Phase I
The Laws of Motion

Legend has it that

Newton came up with
the idea of gravity
after an apple fell on
his head
 The Scientific Revolution: Phase I
The Laws of Motion
But besides gravity,
Newton figured out the
laws of motion for all
bodies on the earth or
in space.

Newton’s most famous book, The

Principia otherwise known as the
Mathematical Principles of Natural
Philosophy (published 1707)
 The Scientific Revolution: Phase I
The Laws of Motion

…the motion of
planets around
the sun…
Or the motion of the moon
around the earth
The Scientific Revolution: Phase I
The Laws of Motion

To the motion of
projectiles of all sorts
(inlcuding missiles and
canonballs).
Including the
Galileo
spacecraft and
all other
satellites and
spaceships…
 The Scientific Revolution: Phase I
The Laws of Motion

To the motion of the tides…

The Scientific Revolution: Phase I
The Laws of Motion

And the fall of

any object on
the earth!
 The Scientific Revolution:
Reactions to the Scientific Revolution

Another
philosopher
enthusiastic about
the advancement
of Science was
Francis Bacon
(1561-1626)
Scientific Method-
Bacon urged the
Bacon was famous for his wise
value of empirical
sayings like “Knowledge is
research
power”.
 New knowledge
INDUSTRIAL
Technical
REVOLUTION
know-how

Complex STEAM ENGINE

TECHNOLOGIES
address more specific needs
Humans, animals and power
from nature were not
enough to cope with the
demands for energy.
 FARMING

Done by Animal
Mechanized
hands power

STEAM ENGINE

FOSSIL
COAL
FUEL
 EFFECTS OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY

•CAPITALISM
•Mass production of goods
•Countries with machines found themselves in a privileged
position to exploit resources
•Poor countries struggled
•Wars – modern technologies intend to outdo the
enemies
•Computers, internet, lasers and other military technology