The Rise of Mechanical Science in the 17th Century: Discovering New Worlds and Relinquishing Old Beliefs

Summary

In the 17th century, the world was abuzz with new discoveries, technologies, and philosophies. In this time, Sir Francis Bacon and Nicolaus Copernicus hoped their respective works would inspire discovery and progress. Bacon hoped his work would advance new knowledge, while Copernicus hoped to provide a solution to discrepancies between Aristotle’s and Ptolemy’s accounts of motion. Giordano Bruno explored the possibility of a universe with infinite worlds. Galileo Galilei initially kept his Copernicanism to himself, but after many years, he published his findings in The Starry Messenger, leading to controversy with the authorities. Despite Galileo’s trial for heresy, his scientific contributions continued to gain popularity and reshape the world’s view of machinery and scientific advancement. Mechanical objects, such as clocks, played a crucial role in Europe’s global relations and Christianity. Descartes’ offered a mechanist approach to the world constructed around the laws of motion and impact, which revolutionized how we understand the universe.

Table of Contents

• Sir Francis Bacon and Nicolaus Copernicus’s Contribution
• Giordano Bruno: Exploring the Possibility of a Universe with Infinite Worlds
• Galileo Galilei: The Starry Messenger and Controversy
• The Role of Mechanical Objects in the Global Landscape
• Descartes’ Mechanist Approach to Universe

Q&A

1. What was Sir Francis Bacon’s hope with publishing The Proficience and Advancement of Learning in 1605?

   Sir Francis Bacon hoped that his work would inspire discovery and progress in the scientific field. He wrote that learning should “tend to use, to benefit, and to delight” and believed that knowledge should be valued more than “riches, honors, or health.”

2. How did Copernicus’ works pose a problem for the Church?

   Copernicus placed his system at odds with Aristotelian physics, Holy Scripture, and daily experience, which caused problems for the Church. Few people accepted the physical truth of the Copernican theory before 1600, but it was used to create the more accurate Gregorian Calendar in Rome.

3. Who was Giordano Bruno, and what was he known for?

   Giordano Bruno was the Dominican who explored the possibility of a universe with infinite worlds. He made no secret of his Copernicanism and was known for his unorthodox views that contradicted the Church’s teachings.

4. What did Galileo Galilei initially do when he started promoting his Copernicanism beliefs, and what happened later?

   Galileo Galilei initially kept his Copernicanism to himself during his temporary post at the University of Pisa in 1589. However, by August 1597, he wrote a letter to Johannes Kepler, expressing his admiration for the cosmographic mysteries. Galileo’s fascination with the concept of relativity of movement led him to investigate the path of a projected object, eventually concluding that it described a symmetrical curve. Later, he published his findings in The Starry Messenger that led to controversy with the authorities.

5. What role did mechanical objects play in European global relations and Christianity?

   Mechanical objects, such as clocks, played a crucial role in European global relations. For example, clocks were commissioned as tribute for the Ottoman Sultan and were fascinating to Japanese and Chinese scholars. The clocks, in a way, stood as models for the universe of God.

Conclusion

The rise of mechanical science in the 17th century marked a significant shift in how people understood the world. Figures like Sir Francis Bacon, Nicolaus Copernicus, Giordano Bruno, and Galileo Galilei paved the way for new discoveries and progress. The role of mechanical objects, such as clocks, also played an important role in global relations. Furthermore, Descartes’ mechanist approach to the world revolutionized the understanding of the universe, constructing the foundation for mechanical science and cementing the path for a more modern world.