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The Scientific Revolution

Samuel Baker

Samuel Baker

7 min read

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🔬 The Scientific Revolution: A Night-Before Review 🚀

Hey there, future AP Euro historian! Let's make sure you're feeling super confident for tomorrow. We're going to break down the Scientific Revolution into bite-sized pieces, focusing on what's most important for the exam. Let's do this!

💡 New Ideas and Methods

The Scientific Revolution was all about challenging old ideas with new methods based on logic and observation. Think of it as a giant 'fact-check' on the universe! 🧐

  • Individualism and reason fueled this intellectual shift.

  • Scholars began to question classical texts, leading to experimentation.

Key Concept

Key Point: The emphasis shifted from relying on ancient authorities to using empirical observation and logical reasoning.

The Scientific Method

  • Francis Bacon (1621): Formalized the scientific method – a step-by-step process of hypothesis, testing, and conclusion.

  • Empirical Theory: Knowledge comes from observation and sense-based information.

  • Inductive Reasoning (Bacon): Making generalizations based on limited evidence.

Memory Aid

Memory Aid: Bacon = Bottom-up (Inductive) - starts with observations and builds to a conclusion.

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  • Rene Descartes (1637): Used the scientific method but emphasized deductive reasoning.

  • Deductive Reasoning: Starts with general principles and applies them to specific cases.

Memory Aid

Memory Aid: Descartes = Downward (Deductive) - starts with a general idea and narrows down to specifics.

Common Mistake

Common Mistake: Confusing inductive and deductive reasoning. Remember, inductive goes from specific to general, and deductive goes from general to specific.

Example:

  • Inductive: "Every swan I've seen is white, therefore all swans are white." (Bacon)
  • Deductive: "All birds have feathers. A robin is ...

Question 1 of 12

The Scientific Revolution is best characterized by its emphasis on 🧐:

A. Accepting traditional knowledge without question

B. Relying solely on the wisdom of ancient philosophers

C. Using logic and observation to challenge existing ideas

D. Promoting spiritual revelations over scientific inquiry