History of Science and the Universe: The Scientific Revolution
The sequence of inventions in Europe, causing the emergence and growth of advanced science encompasses the Scientific Revolution. “Scientific Revolution” is a term coined by Alexandre Koyre and amplified by Butterfield in the 20th century to describe the phenomena that marked the changes. Scientific Revolution occurred in the older modern times wherein growth and invention in disciplines such as biology, chemistry, mathematics, astronomy and physics medicine and industry held an attribute in changing society’s perception of nature.
Although the beginning of the revolution journey has remained contentious by various scientists and researchers, a strong belief is linked to 1543 concerning Copernicus’s production “On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres”. The occurrence of the revolution acted as a transition from the renaissance of the older pre-modern traits. It is assumed to have taken a wide period estimated to be from the 16th-18th century as expressed by Jean Bailly’s publication. During this face, events were earmarked by the dismissal of old myths and beliefs to newly empirical concepts of life-based on the rapid inventions. The success of the revolution is equally believed to have exhibited itself via Isaac Newton’s grand synthesis Principia of 1697.
The importance of the Scientific Revolution
With the professed appreciation of the resultant outputs from the revolution posited by Francis Bacon’s trust, the evolution of the scientific societies, several disciplines remain critical in the testimony of the impacts of the entire investigation. These fields include astronomy, mathematics, biology, chemistry, and physics at large.
The revolution bolstered the aspects of empiricism in the obtaining of more accurate conclusions and assumptions. With the emergence of philosophies, scientific research and employment of both deductive and inductive means in establishing reality, the actual revolution changed the concept of “truthfulness” from mere belief to derivable and measurable aspects and evidence-based theories. For example, the definition of the human mind as a medieval tabula rasa that majorly relied on records and storage of information for future decoding.
Towards the end of the 17th century, the prime period of the revolutions, the employment of mathematics by the scientist became overwhelming on different aspects of life (Wittgenstein, 1967). As evident, the arch proponents of the revolution, Galileo came to influence the understanding of the earth through the quantification as circular and triangular aspects.
The medical sector similarly recorded a robust change and development through the revolution. The understanding of the human and botanical concepts majorly agreed with the new findings and changes, causing relative changes in the medical approach. For example, the understanding of the human heart setup was revamped William Harvey as elaborated in the De Motu Cordis publication. Blood flow and shaping of organs were done. The improvement of the understanding of the human bone was equally made and promoted understanding from the previous assumption Galen did on the human bone by the dynamic revelations done by Vesalius.
Did it fit into Thomas Kuhn’s model of a paradigm shift?
The paradigm shift was inception carried out by Thomas Kuhn, an America Physicist. The critical drive for the paradigm, the shift was the alteration of the basic analogies and tradition of experiments of sciences (Kuhn, 2012). A paradigm shift is characterized by pronouncing standing paradigms, and concepts inconsistent regarding the prevailing changes in society or discipline undergoes.
Scientific revolution and paradigm shifts marinated in some conspicuous respects. With a coefficient of providing more deductive results and conclusions touching to various fields, the scientific revolutions have led to the rapid improvement in mechanization and bulk production of raw materials and products. As believed by Kuhn’s alumni, Giovani Dosi, the paradigm shift and the scientific revolutions have championed for reasonable economic growth due to convenience in production.
With the scientific revolution paying attention to the earth structure and shape via the Galileo’s effort and curiosity towards the discipline, there exists an absolute relationship with Kuhn’s paradigm shift philosophies. Evident by his students on Earthrise images, the understanding of the earth and planet is simplified and clear; a factor that plays a critical role in the world of astronomies.
Equivalently, paradigm shift and the revolution enjoy a correlation in the ultimate fundamental goal of providing more relative and coherent conclusions against aspects. The paradigm shift on the perspective expressed a great understanding of the prevalent situations likely to affect the social setups and education at large, thereby provoking the insightful approaches to problems. Equally, the proponents in the scientific revolution capitalized on empiricism and research about the variables touching on the human concepts of life, thereby creating ideal resolution and potential countermeasures.
According to Kuhn (2012), the analogy by Galileo, Aristotle’s observation and Franklin’s approach never expedited an advanced scientific dimension. He argues that the methodologies applied by the mentioned characters were merely normal sciences not worthy “revolution”. He argues that no reasonable data was used in measurement and interpretation.
Analytically, while both the scientific revolution and the paradigm shift wished to provide more reliable aspects of events and phenomena, the former proves more concise and adequate to modern scholars and researchers. Adequate energy and empiricism were involved in the scientific revolutions that saw sharp knowledge reliable to the state of events. On the flip side, as Martin Cohen insinuate, the paradigm shift is a mere assumption marked with little empiricism and research. It, therefore, looks like an unsubstantial radical opinion and assumptions lacking evidence of research.
There exists an outright incoherence between the scientific revolution and the Kuhn’s philosophies of reasonability. The key here is the concept of transition and period of change. The fact that the scientific revolution embedded on gradual changes taking up to over three centuries to establish an argument comes in contrary to Kuhn’s approaches that barely took a century. It is empirically believable that Kuhn was unbelievably rapid in his conclusions and approaches hence undermining the concept of empiricism emphasized on the revolutionists’ school
What was the relationship between the Copernican and scientific revolutions?
The Copernican Revolution, adrift from the Ptolemaic model, elaborates that at the center of the universe is the earth while the sun exists in the middle of the solar system. Copernicus provided a clear depiction of the model of the heliocentric back from 1514. The revolution was among the resultant efforts made due to the unreliability and weaknesses identified from the Ptolemaic astronomy.
In some capacity, the two revolution schools are regarded to involve a significant amount of radicalism and rapid transformation. Arguably, the scientific revolution lacked some orderly and progression in the definition of subjects, thus lacking the evidential impacts making it mere “myth”. Furthermore, that falls short of Gerbino’s definition that includes erudition (Wakefield, 2010) — considering the compromised experiment of the universe done by Hobbes. It looks like very little commitment was done leading to as it involved simple manual observation of the sky and creating conclusion (Wittgenstein, 1967). Similarly, Copernican has been a victim of accusations of lacking empiricism and logical definition of conceptual developments and reborn about the earth. He is accused of placing mere arguments and deficient theories against his arguments.
The two revolutions delved adequately on the earth and planet system in relative measure. The understanding of the solar system has become more convenient as a result of the new theories deducted from experimental concepts. This follows the efforts put in place by Tycho and Galilei in the by providing more approximate observation and magnifies presentations of the system.
In both cases, the scientific revolution acknowledged the significance of mathematics in the creation of a deductible valid data conclusion. As evident, Galileo’s described the universe by use of geometric terminologies (Wakefield, 2010). Proportionately, Copernicus appreciated the purpose of mathematic in his course of study. It is believed that he greatly utilized mathematical concepts, and specifically the algebraic equations, products of al-Khowarizmi.
Do you think the scientific revolution paved the way for future technological and economic development in Europe?
The scientific revolution was the route to enormous changes in the environment and human activities in various capacities. The impact bears both negative and positive changes and advancements in the aspects of life.
The theories of electricity and magnetism propagated by William Gilbert between 1540 and 1564 has regarding the great magnets of the earth provided a pilot platform in the creation of magnetic concepts (Wise, 1989). The invention of magnetically instigated machines such as magnetic trains and others with sound production has experienced tremendous improvement.
The improvement of chemistry as a discipline thriving during the era has seen great achievements in chemical manipulation and the productions of subsequent results. Energy is currently obtained from the nuclear elements by the guidance of chemistry knowledge. The medical industry is a simultaneous beneficiary of the chemistry knowledge due to the concepts employed in obtaining standard and appropriate content.
The works of Galileo and Antoine Leeuwenhoek on the telescopes and lenses have facilitated a foundation for the creation of more powerful observation technologies (Mark, 1993). High definition cameras, telescopes, and periscopes are developed with borrowed concepts of the initial inventions.
The solar and magnetic knowledge that followed the revolutions have seen the utilization in tapping sun rays into energy. The solar panels have been developed with various borrowed concepts to source energy (Mark, 1993). As a result, countries like China and Saudi Arabia are using the energy to drive their production industry, hence bolstering their economic growth.
The efforts of Abraham Darby1 through to 1717 played a critical role in economic growth. His technics of obtaining first-grade iron from the furnace. The iron was thereby cardinal in productions of plants and other essential engines largely used in propelling the industrial revolution. This revolution marked the current pilot production and economic dynamics.
The invention and improvement of industrial machines such as the steam engine propagated by Thomas Savery created the path for the development of irrigation and water pump machines (Wise, 1989). Such ideas have remained strong and advanced in the realization of the current farming and operation of some engines.
The transport sector notwithstanding has recorded inspiring progress in the entire sector. Migrating from the basic use of nao and caravel as the first-grade sailor ships in the mid-15th century (Mark, 1993) the revolution saw the coming of advanced steamships and subsequent innovations.
Work Cited
Kuhn, Thomas S. The structure of scientific revolutions. University of Chicago Press, 2012.
Mark, Robert. “Architectural technology up to the scientific revolution.” The Art and Structure of Large-Scale Buildings (1993).
Wittgenstein, L., & Rhees, R. Remarks on the Foundations of Mathematics. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press (1967).
Wise, M. N., & Smith, C. Work and waste: political economy and natural philosophy in nineteenth-century Britain (I). History of Science, 27(3), 263-301 (1989).
Wakefield, A. Leibniz and the wind machines. Osiris, 25(1), 171-188 (2010).
Gonzalez, G. A. Energy and Empire: The Politics of Nuclear and Solar Power in the theUnited States. SUNY Press (2012).
Hall, A. R., & Dunstan, G. The Scientific Revolution, 1500-1800: The formation of the modern scientific attitude (No. 29). London: Longmans, Green (1954).
Wrigley, E. A. Continuity, chance, and change. Cambridge Books (1990).
Pomeranz, K. The great divergence: China, Europe, and the making of the modern world economy (Vol. 28). Princeton University Press (2009).
Palmer, R. R. Frederick the Great, Guibert, Bülow: From Dynastic to National War. Makers of Modern Strategy, 95-99 (1986).
Nayyer, L., Patel, K. H., Esmaeili, A., Rippel, R. A., Birchall, M., O' Toole, G., … & Seifalian, A. M Tissue engineering: revolution and challenge in auricular cartilage reconstruction. Plastic and reconstructive surgery, 129(5), 1123-1137. (2012).
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