Scientific Revolution & Enlightenment Key Figures

Bio: Greek philosopherMajor Works: not relevantHistorical Significance: Provided Europeans with an understanding of motion and matter until the mid-sixteenth century; concepts accepted by the church

Bio: Hellenized Egyptian, scholarMajor Works: not relevantHistorical Significance: Proposed that planets moved in small circles, called epicycles

Bio: (1473-1543) Polish cleric, Scientific RevolutionMajor Works: On the Revolutions of the Heavenly SpheresHistorical Significance: Agreed with the ancient Greek idea that the sun was at the center of the universe, which goes against the hierarchy created by the church

Bio: (1546-1601) Danish astronomer, Scientific RevolutionMajor Works: Rudolphine TablesHistorical Significance: Meticulously observed the stars and planets with the naked eye, compiling much more complete and accurate data than ever; agreed with Copernicus

Bio: (1564-1642) Florentine scientist, mathematician, Scientific RevolutionMajor Works: The Sidereal MessengerHistorical Significance: Formulated the law of inertia and used a telescope to find new evidence for the Copernican theory

Bio: (1642-1727) English scientist, mathematician, devout Christian, Scientific RevolutionMajor Works: Principia MathematicaHistorical Significance: Proposed the three laws of motion and the law of universal gravitation; believed the universe was governed by mechanical principles created by God

Bio: (1578-1657) English royal physician, Scientific RevolutionMajor Works: not relevantHistorical Significance: Discovered the circulation of blood through the veins and arteries; explained that the heart worked like a pump

Bio: (1571-1630) Tycho Brahe's assistant, German mathematician, Scientific RevolutionMajor Works: The New AstronomyHistorical Significance: Developed the three laws of planetary motion

Bio: (1623-1662) French mathematician, theologian, Scientific RevolutionMajor Works: not relevantHistorical Significance: Invented the Pascaline, an early calculator

Bio: (1594-1650) French philosopher, mathematician, Scientific RevolutionMajor Works: not relevantHistorical Significance: Used deductive reasoning to explain that all substances were either made of "matter" or "mind," a concept known as Cartesian dualism

Bio: (1561-1626) English politician and writer, Scientific RevolutionMajor Works: not relevantHistorical Significance: Advocated for the new experimental method, formalizing the theory of inductive reasoning known as empiricism

Bio: German mathematician, philosopher, Scientific RevolutionMajor Works: not relevantHistorical Significance: Contested Isaac Newton for the invention of calculus; outraged at Newton's law of universal gravitation

Bio: (1516-1564) Flemish physician, experimentalist, Scientific RevolutionMajor Works: On the Structure of the Human BodyHistorical Significance: Studied the anatomy of human bodies by dissecting executed criminals; created 200 precise drawings of human anatomy

Bio: (1627-1691) Irish chemist, scientist, Scientific RevolutionMajor Works: not relevantHistorical Significance: Helped found the modern science of chemistry, created the first vacuum, and discovered Boyle's law

Bio: (1647-1706) French Protestant, refugee in the Dutch Republic, EnlightenmentMajor Works: Historical and Critical DictionaryHistorical Significance: Demonstrated that human beliefs are often varied and mistaken; concluded that nothing can ever be known beyond all doubt, a view known as skepticism