Science in the Enlightenment

Quick Facts: Who was Science in the Enlightenment?

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Science in the Enlightenment

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The era when empirical reason and scientific method challenged ancient authority across Europe.

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Origins & Early Life

The history of science during the Enlightenment traces developments in science and technology as Enlightenment ideas and ideals were being disseminated across Europe and North America. Generally, the period spans from the final days of the 16th- and 17th-century Scientific Revolution until roughly the 19th century, after the French Revolution (1789) and the Napoleonic era (1799–1815). The scientific revolution saw the creation of the first scientific societies, the rise of Copernicanism, and the displacement of Aristotelian natural philosophy and Galen's ancient medical doctrine. By the 18th century, scientific authority began to displace religious authority, and the disciplines of alchemy and astrology lost scientific credibility. While the Enlightenment cannot be pigeonholed into a specific doctrine or set of dogmas, science came to play a leading role in Enlightenment discourse and thought.

Career & Major Achievements

Many Enlightenment writers and thinkers had backgrounds in the sciences and associated scientific advancement with the overthrow of religion and traditional authority in favour of the development of free speech and thought. Broadly speaking, Enlightenment science greatly valued empiricism and rational thought, and was embedded with the Enlightenment ideal of advancement and progress. As with most Enlightenment views, the benefits of science were not seen universally; Jean-Jacques Rousseau criticized the sciences for distancing man from nature and not operating to make people happier. Science during the Enlightenment was dominated by scientific societies and academies, which had largely replaced universities as centres of scientific research and development. Societies and academies were also the backbone of the maturation of the scientific profession.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Another important development was the popularization of science among an increasingly literate population. Philosophes introduced the public to many scientific theories, most notably through the Encyclopédie and the popularization of Newtonianism by Voltaire as well as by Émilie du Châtelet, the French translator of Newton's Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica. Some historians have marked the 18th century as a drab period in the history of science; however, the century saw significant advancements in the practice of medicine, mathematics, and physics; the development of biological taxonomy; a new understanding of magnetism and electricity; and the maturation of chemistry as a discipline, which established the foundations of modern chemistry. The number of universities in Paris remained relatively constant throughout the 18th century. Europe had about 105 universities and colleges by 1700.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1700: 1700 Milestone — Europe had about 105 universities and colleges by 1700.
2. 1789: 1789 Milestone — Generally, the period spans from the final days of the 16th- and 17th-century Scientific Revolution until roughly the 19th century, after the French Revolution (1789) and the Napoleonic era (1799–1815).

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Science in the Enlightenment

True or False: “During the Enlightenment, universities were always the primary centers for groundbreaking scientific research.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Scientific societies and academies often surpassed universities in leading the development of new scientific knowledge during this period.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Arabanoo — Historical peer (Died in 1789) (1789): Eora man forcibly taken by British colonists, becoming a key figure in early interactions.
• Augustin-Louis Cauchy — Historical peer (Born in 1789) (1789): Pioneered real and complex analysis, fundamentally shaping modern mathematics.
• Alexander Pushkin — Historical peer (Born in 1799) (1799): Founder of modern Russian literature and a towering figure of the Romantic era.
• Amos Bronson Alcott — Historical peer (Born in 1799) (1799): Pioneering American educator, philosopher, and advocate for human spiritual perfection.
• Ada Lovelace — Historical peer (Born in 1815) (1815): Pioneering mathematician recognized as the first computer programmer.
• Adolph Menzel — Historical peer (Born in 1815) (1815): Pioneering German Realist master, celebrated for his detailed etchings and genre scenes.
• André Le Nôtre — Historical peer (Died in 1700) (1700): Master French landscape architect, famed for the formal gardens of Versailles.
• Anna Renzi — Historical peer (Died in 1700) (1700): Pioneering Italian soprano, celebrated for her dramatic vocal artistry in the 17th century.

Frequently Asked Questions about Science in the Enlightenment