Bacon, Descartes, and the Scientific Revolution

 

Science is now being applied to man.

Acquisition and Application of Knowledge

 

Scholasticism!

• Medieval approach to knowledge
• Based on assumption that all knowledge has been discovered by authorities like Aristotle—Now it only has to be defended
• Sought to reconcile Classical thinking with Catholic dogma—Faith always took precedence over reason
• No need to actually observe world

 

Common Goals of Bacon and Descartes

• Both asked, “How do we know something is true?”
• Rejected Scholasticism
• Believed man must establish truth for himself
• Both established new systematic methods for acquiring knowledge and establishing truth

 

Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626) “The Godfather of Science”

• The Scientific Method (modern)
• “Many will pass through and knowledge will be increased.”

Inductive Reasoning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Empiricism = collection of data using our senses
• Uses data to search for patterns/connection
• Then hypothesize general laws – if they withstand tests of experimentation, they become Laws of Nature
• **Moves from Specific è General**
• Ex: Keplar’s Laws of Planetary Motion

 

“Knowledge is Power” – Sir Francis Bacon

 

Rene Descartes (1596-1650)

—One BIG math geek—

 

Descartes and the Senses

• Seeing is NOT believing
• “I resolved to pretend that anything that had ever entered my mind was no more than a dream.” –Descartes
• Descartes only knew ONE thing for certain…
• “Cogito, ergo sum”
• “I AM DOUBTING”
• “I AM THINKING”
• therefore, “I EXIST”

 

Descartes’ Deductive Method

• One must start with self-evident truths (rules, laws, principles, etc.)
• Based on these rules, one is able to predict outcomes and arrive at new truths using reason along (RATIONALISM)
• Observations are useful only to confirm that our deductions are accurate
• **Moves from General è Specific**
• Ex: Use to predict motion of planets by Keplar and Newton

• He then asked, How do I know my ideas are accurate?
• GOD EXISTS!

1.      I can conceive God, a perfect being

2.      Idea of perfection can only have come from a perfect being

3.      A perfect being, God, exists

·        Circular Thinking??

 

I can perceive of a perfect God      

 

                                                                                          God Exists

 

                                         

 

 

                                          God ensures that my ideas are accurate