Newton,+Descartes+and+Galileo

By Kendra Witt

Analyze how Galileo, Descartes, and Newton altered traditional interpretations of nature and challenged traditional sources of knowledge.


 * Thesis:** Newton, Galileo and Descartes pioneered a new view of the world with Galileo’s discoveries in the workings of the universe, Newton’s new understanding of the laws that govern the universe and Descartes introspection of the human mind itself, all of which were challenged by the church.

Ptolemy Geocentric Universe Perfectly circular rotations of planets Planets=perfect and incorruptible
 * Galileo:**
 * Beliefs before:**

…Telescope Mountains and craters on moon à Planets made of same stuff as earth //The Starry Messenger// made Europeans more aware of universe Condemned by church for Copernicism //Dialogue// Principle of Inertia

Invented calculus Composition of light Gravity //Principia// Newton’s world machine
 * Newton:**

//Discourse on Method// Idea of perfection could only come from god Cartesian Dualism Mind vs. Matter Matter is dead and inert and can be viewed with reason Modern rationalism I think, therefore I am Index of Forbidden books
 * Descartes:**