1 The Scientific Revolution Introduction The Scientific Revolution was a period of research and discovery in the fields of science, mathematics, physics, astronomy, biology and chemistry that resulted in major changes in the European world. The revolution was spearheaded by scientists such as Galileo Galilei who made significant discoveries in astronomy and Isaac Newton who made advances in the laws of gravity. Essentially, the Scientific Revolution was a period of significant change because it caused a shift in how people conceptualized the world and paved the way for modern science. Causes of the Scientific Revolution Human beings are naturally curious and always find ways to explain the events around them, and to build on their knowledge. The Scientific Revolution occurred at a time when religion and myths formed the basis of people’s beliefs; therefore, there was a sense of turmoil due to the sense of mystery about the universe (Wootton, 2015). During this period, people began to realize that religion and superstitions could not answer every answer about the universe, therefore, scholars tried to find the reason for certain events, and the solution to problems.
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The Revolution is thought to have begun towards mid-16th century and continued until the end of the 18th century and was restricted to Western Europe for the first 200 years, spreading to the rest of the world gradually through trade and exploration (Teich, 2015). It was characterized by a rapid development in science that had not been experienced in the world before. Before the Scientific Revolution began in Europe, the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians Arabs and Persians had made several scientific discoveries that Western European scholars borrowed from. The Revolution was accelerated by financial support from governments, religious institutions and aristocrats who were interested in seeing the society advance. Impact of the Scientific Revolution The Scientific Revolution was a period of immense advancement and development that transformed how people hypothesized the world around them. Before the Revolution mysterious phenomenon was explained through superstition. For instance, certain illnesses were considered to be a curse and as a result, people would die from illnesses that were preventable or curable. The Revolution was therefore prompted by the social, economic and religious problems that Europe was experiencing. People were curious about the universe, medicine and nature, and needed more concrete and non-superstitious answers to their dilemmas. The Scientific Revolution is important because it created a sense of order and a deeper understanding of why the world functioned as it did. The Scientific Revolution led to advancements in technology, chemistry, construction, education and medicine, among others, thus resulting in an economic boom in Europe. These discoveries created immense entrepreneurship opportunities which widened the middle and
3 upper class in Europe, thus reducing social class disparities through more equal distribution of wealth. The Revolution also improved communication and transport amongst countries, as a result, leading to enhanced international trade (Ede, & Cormack, 2016). The trade facilitated an exchange of cultures, beliefs and innovations that opened up people’s minds to an even more advanced understanding of the universe. Conclusion Several modern scientific advancements such as medicine and astronomy can be attributed to the Scientific Revolution. The Revolution created a deeper understanding of the word, thus reducing people’s reliance on the supernatural and superstitious beliefs. It caused economic stability in Western Europe and its trade partners and created opportunities for further scientific advancements.
4 References Ede, A., & Cormack, L. (2016). A History of Science in Society, Volume II: From the Scientific Revolution to the Present, Third Edition. University of Toronto Press. Teich, M. (2015). The scientific revolution revisited. Cambridge: Open Book Publishers. Wootton, D. (2015). The invention of science. Penguin Books Limited.