This document summarizes key figures and ideas from the development of new science and politics in the 16th-17th centuries. It discusses Copernicus who proposed a heliocentric model of the solar system, challenging the geocentric Ptolemaic system. It also discusses Giordano Bruno who was burned at the stake for his scientific and pantheistic views. Other figures mentioned include Francis Bacon who is considered the founder of the scientific method, Thomas Hobbes who developed social contract theory, and Niccolò Machiavelli who argued rulers should pursue power through any means necessary. The document traces how these new scientific and political philosophies challenged traditional Aristotelian views and the authority of the church.

1. Introduction to Philosophy
Lecture 9
New Science and Politics

2. Questions
• Prop 30 -
http://spartandaily.com/82856/academic-senate-pass
• Calvin and Hobbes relation?
• Neo-Platonism: Focus on Plato and Plotinus. A
combination of Plato’s philosophy and Jewish
theology
• Egalitarian: “An egalitarian favors equality of
some sort: People should get the same, or be
treated the same, or be treated as equals, in
some respect. Egalitarian doctrines tend to
express the idea that all human persons are
equal in fundamental worth or moral status.”
• http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/egalitarianism/

3. Questions 2
• Heresy: opinion or doctrine at variance
with the orthodox or accepted doctrine,
especially of a church or religious system.

4. Figures
• Nicolus (Nicolaus?) Copernicus (1473 –
1543)
• Giordano Bruno (1548-1600)
• Francis Bacon (1561-1626)
• Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)
• Niccolo’ Machiavelli (1467-1527)

5. Nicolus (Nicolaus?) Copernicus
(1473 – 1543)
• Polish
• Religion and reason  Religion and
science
• Founder of modern astronomy
• Heliocentric – The earth revolves around
the sun.
• Against Christian Doctrine -Ptolemaic
system

6. Nicolaus (Nicolus?) Copernicus
(1473 – 1543) continued….
• Condemned for heresy
• Famous work: De revolutionibus orbium
caelestium (1543)
• On the Revolution of the Heavenly Orbs

7. Ptolemaic System
• Claudius Ptolemaeus (c.90-168 AD)
• Based on Plato and Aristotle
• The earth is the fixed center of the
universe
• 7 spherical shells surround the earth
• Account for the paths of the stars
• Last 8th sphere accounts for fixed stars

8. Ptolemaic
• Model
• “7th heaven” – angels

9. Giordano Bruno (1548-1600)
• Italian philosopher & once a Dominican friar
• Burnt at the stake in 1600
• Scientific views had serious consequences
• Championed Copernicans belief
• Extreme Pantheism: God is the unifying
substance from which all things in the universe
are derived
• Neither the sun or the earth was the center
because the universe is infinite

10. Giordano Bruno (1548-1600)
continued…
• Different from Nicholas of Cusa (1401-
1464) – who influenced him – the universe
could afford no genuine knowledge of the
divine.
• Also advocated Hermeticism
– 17 Core text: Corpus Hermeticum
– Deal mainly with occult matters (including
astrology, magic, and alchemy)
– Gnostic and neo-platonic

11. Heresy
• Later Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) was
asked to retract his Copernican view or
face a punishment similar to Bruno
• Conflict between reasonable arguments
and political power of religion
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=w1awvC1l7mM&feature=related

12. Aristotle and Religion
• Aristotle was adopted at official doctrine of
the church
• Aristotle was the foundation of science but
not a full manifestation
• E.g. Assumptions for Aristotle: Flies had
four legs
• Observation in the new science became of
paramount importance

13. Aristotle and religion continued….
• 15th century Aristotle was still accepted
• After the 15th century “common sense”
came into question
• A healthy dose of skepticism

14. Francis Bacon (1561 – 1626)
• Lawyer, statesman, and philosopher
• Recognized as the official founder of
modern science
• Insisted we start over
• Theorist rather than scientist – philosophy
of science
• Theorist about science rather than a
scientist
• Created the original “Scientific Method”

15. Francis Bacon (1561 – 1626)
continued
• Not knowledge for its own sake
• Knowledge must be Practical/useful
• Known for the Phrase “Knowledge is power”
• Anyone can do science and discover truth
(different today)
• Knowledge is not exclusive to religious powers
• Objects move based on natural/causal laws not
teleological laws as in Aristotle

16. Thomas Hobbes (1588 – 1679)
.

17. Thomas Hobbes (1588 – 1679)
• Machiavelli came first (why Solomon order? – no
idea).
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=BCvTq5Dgd7o
• Political philosophy
• The English Civil War broke out in 1642
• Main work: Leviathan (1651)
• Life is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short”
• State of nature (opposed to Aristotle's social
animal)

18. Thomas Hobbes (1588 – 1679)
• Social contract form state (central
authority – sovereign) – explanatory myth
• Not between citizens and the ruling power
(as with Locke and Rousseau)
• Made by citizens to obey such ruling
power
• After contract citizens have no political
power

19. Thomas Hobbes (1588 – 1679)
• Not utopian but it is a way to secure a
better life than in the state of nature
• Rebellion is not allowed with the exception
of self preservation

20. Hobbes Continued
• He considered his work De Cive (1642) –
On the Citizen – his most scientific work.
• All men are naturally equal – instinct to
self preservation

21. Nature vs. Nurture
• To what extent does our nature play a part
in who we become?
• What about our family, culture, laws?

22. Niccolo’ Machiavelli (1467-1527)
• .

23. Niccolo’ Machiavelli (1467-1527)
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s25kX24j250
• Civil war – Italy vs. the venicians (backed by the
French) – called for uniform Italian power.
• Florentine political philosopher, historian,
playwright, regarded as the first sociologist
• Il Principe (1512) – The Prince
• Discorsi (1516) – Discourses
• Brought a new realism to political philosophy
• Idealistically ruler should be and embodiment of
virtue and honor
• Machiavelli rejects the above

24. Machiavelli continued
• Given the way the world is, the successful
ruler is only the one who acts effectively
without regard to the conventional morality
of action.
• Sees political organizations as organic
entities subject to their own laws of
development which are independent from
moral order.

25. Machiavelli Continued…
• Condones the use of force
• Condones omissions from public
knowledge
• Immoral actions are fine
– as long as it prevents internal or external
disruption of the state and promotes the
welfare of its citizens (in so far as it is needed
to stabilize the princes rule)

26. Machiavelli - What is left?
• Publicly-spirited citizens would put the common
good above the exclusive pursuit of selfish
interest with its inherent corruption and venality
• Civic Virtues
– Vitality
– Genius
– Pride
– Varity
– Success

27. Summary
• Both Hobbes and Machiavelli are
nationalistic
• Both would reject American exporting over
seas
• International relations is in a state of
nature
• Men are anti-social
• Both philosopher were effected by the fact
they their society was in a civil war

28. Looking forward
•

29. Descartes (1596–1650)
• Methodological doubt
• Dream argument
• Mind/body distinction
• “cogito, ergo sum,” or “I think, therefore I
am”