Principe 4
antique watch
Assignment for Wed.: propose a paper topic

Write a 4-5 page double-spaced typed paper (in a 12 point font) discussing an idea from the Principe book and comparing Principe's example with an outside past or present-day example. Note that you are required to use this structure: half your paper explaining specifics from the book and half based on research into a material not covered by the book on a related topic, past or present.  You must discuss the method or character or philosophical underpinnings or world view of science during the scientific revolution, not just facts and specific theories.

Principles to keep in mind while reading this book:

Religion and science

The sublunar world:

In Aristotelian physics earth and water naturally fall towards the center of the earth, air and fire naturally rise, and quintessence (the material of the heavenly bodies) naturally goes in circles
illustration
                from Gilbert
structure of the earth

Galileo worked on laws of motion

Air pressurebarometer

Guericke's experiment

Alchemy

Mechanical philosophy

During the scientific revolution there was not a dominant world view, but many competing ones.  One thing that was broadly changing is that experiment was becoming more important

Early modern natural philosophers did not yet agree on how to find and prove answers to their questions