Scientific Revolution

Quick Facts: Who was Scientific Revolution?

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Scientific Revolution

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The profound shift in human understanding of nature from ancient thought to modern science.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Scientific Revolution of the 16th and 17th centuries in Europe was an irreversible break with the natural philosophy that had preceded it, fundamentally changing how the natural world was investigated and understood. The New Science that emerged departed from previous Greek conceptions and traditions, was more mechanistic in its worldview and more integrated with mathematics, and was focused on the acquisition and interpretation of new evidence. The Scientific Revolution is a convenient boundary between ancient thought and modern science. While the period is frequently said to have begun in 1543 with the printings of De humani corporis fabrica (On the Workings of the Human Body) by Andreas Vesalius and De Revolutionibus (On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres) by Nicolaus Copernicus, the SN 1572 supernova has also been suggested as its beginning. The period culminated with the publication of the Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica in 1687 by Isaac Newton.

Career & Major Achievements

The word "revolution" has been used to describe scientific upheaval since at least the 18th century. In 1747, the French mathematician Alexis Clairaut applied it to Isaac Newton. In the 19th century William Whewell chose it to label "the transition from an implicit trust in the internal powers of man's mind to a professed dependence upon external observation; and from an unbounded reverence for the wisdom of the past, to a fervid expectation of change and improvement." In the 20th century, Alexandre Koyré used the term "scientific revolution" to describe a "mutation" in human intellect. The term was popularized by the historian and philosopher of history Herbert Butterfield in his Origins of Modern Science who provocatively asserted that "it outshines everything since the rise of Christianity" in European history. The Scientific Revolution is widely understood by scholars as synonymous with the emergence of "modern" science.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

While the Scientific Revolution is frequently said to have begun in 1543 with the printings of De humani corporis fabrica (On the Workings of the Human Body) by Andreas Vesalius and De Revolutionibus (On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres) by Nicolaus Copernicus and to be complete in the "grand synthesis" of Isaac Newton's 1687 Principia, other historians have proposed 1572, when Tycho Brahe observed the 1572 supernova, as an alternative starting date. The period saw a fundamental transformation in scientific ideas across mathematics, physics, astronomy, and biology in institutions supporting scientific investigation and in the more widely held picture of the universe. The Scientific Revolution led to the establishment of several modern sciences. In 1984, Joseph Ben-David wrote: Rapid accumulation of knowledge, which has characterized the development of science since the 17th century, had never occurred before that time. The new kind of scientific activity emerged only in a few countries of Western Europe, and it was restricted to that small area for about two hundred years.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1543: 1543 Milestone — While the period is frequently said to have begun in 1543 with the printings of De humani corporis fabrica (On the Workings of the Human Body) by Andreas Vesalius and De Revolutionibus (On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres) by Nicolaus Copernicus, the SN 1572 supernova has also been suggested as its beginning.
2. 1687: 1687 Milestone — The period culminated with the publication of the Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica in 1687 by Isaac Newton.
3. 1747: 1747 Milestone — In 1747, the French mathematician Alexis Clairaut applied it to Isaac Newton.
4. 1984: 1984 Milestone — In 1984, Joseph Ben-David wrote: Rapid accumulation of knowledge, which has characterized the development of science since the 17th century, had never occurred before that time.

Notable Quotes by Scientific Revolution

“[The] new Philosophy calls all in doubt, / The Element of fire is quite put out; / The Sun is lost, and th'earth, and no man's wit / Can well direct him where to look for it.”

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Scientific Revolution

True or False: “The Scientific Revolution was entirely a sudden break from all preceding Greek philosophical traditions.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): While revolutionary, the period built upon foundations laid by scholars who recovered and assimilated ancient learning, such as those studying at medieval universities.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Scientific Revolution