Sspd_chapter1_modern physics-foundation of solid state physics_part  (Page 2/5)

In all these stages and in all these civilizations ,we were dependent on empirical knowledge. We observed ,we learnt and we used it. We never tried to theorize.

In Greek Era, for the first time why, how and whereof questions were raised regarding events, processes and systems. Socrates played the most crucial role in questioning the prevailing dogmas.

In the Greek Era, the prevailing World View was the Ptolemaic World View where our Earth was at the centre of the Universe known as Geo-centric Model and where heart was at the centre of the Human Body known as Cardio-centric Model .

The Greek Era was followed by the Roman Era. King Constantine in 300AD proclaimed Christanity as the State Religion and almost whole of Europe gradually converted to Christanity. On the other hand in 600AD in Arab countries there was the dawn of Islam and Prophet Muhammad was proclaimed 40th Prophet and the last Prophet. Islam spread to whole of Europe where a new resistance started against the spread of Islam in form of Christian Crusades. By 1200AD crusaders managed to push back the Islamic forces back to Arabian Peninsula. Until 15th century Europe remained divided. During this period barbarian Goths, Vandals and Huns swept down on Europe from North and East. They destroyed many fine buildings and works of art that had existed during Roman times. This period was referred to as the dark ages of Medieval Era.During this period knowledge survived only in Monastaries. Progress in Science and Technology came to a stand still.. Whole of Europe was plunged in the dark ages of the Early Medieval Era.

14 ^th Century saw the dawn of the Age of Reasoning. This was the Age of Voltaire.

14 ^th Century also saw the Gutenberg Revolution, the second Information Revolution.***. This century witnessed the Protestant Movement and subsequent rise of Martin Luther as the most significant dissident within the Christian Religion.

The Protestant Movement signaled the Age of Renaissance. The Industrial Revolution of 18 ^th Century catalyzed the Bourgeoisie Democratic Revolution which swept through Europe, USA and Japan. This Revolutionary Movement overthrew the Monarchies and Oligarchies and established the rule of Pluralistic Democracy in the leadership of Bourgeoisie Party. In France this Party was known as Jacobins, in USA it was known as Democratic Party, in Germany it was under the leadership of Junkers and in Japan it was under the leadership of Meiji Oligarchs.

[* Benjamin Franklin made a systematic and scientific investigation of lightening during the second half of 18 th Century through his legendary ‘Key and Kite’experiment. In a Pennsylvania thunderstorm in 1752, he flew a kite with a key tied to the string just beside the kite. The electric charges induced on the thunderclouds were attracted by the key and provided a short circuit path to the ground through the body of Franklin. In the process he received electric shocks which could have proved fatal. But this electric shock established the nature of electricity as well as the charge of electricity which in this case was negative. Thus electricity’s discovery was made and this was to play the same role in human society as the discovery of fire was to play in the hominid society when hominid society was fruit and root gatherer as well as scavenger about a million years before.