The Scientific Revolution

The Scientific Revolution began roughly from 1540 to 1690, and was the cause of a new world-view. During this time period scientists started to challenge old ideas and developed new methods to prove their own new ones. The discoveries made by these scientists were spread throughout Europe, and helped new ideas come about. Of these scientists, Galileo, Descartes, and Newton were very influential. They discovered things that altered the traditional interpretation of nature and questioned the traditional authority on these topics.

Galileo was a brilliant scientist who achieved many things. For many years Aristotle's theory on a geocentric universe was widely accepted and enforced by the Church, as it supported the Christian doctrines by placing a spot for God that transcended the planets orbiting the motionless earth. Galileo made discoveries using his "experimental method." After looking through a telescope that he invented, Galileo was able to see flaws in Aristotle's theory as he discovered Jupiter's moons. This was treacherous ground, as he was challenging the age-old institutions of the Church. The church had already previously declared Copernicus' works false involving the same topic. However, Galileo published his book Dialogue on the Two Chief Systems of the World in 1632 which criticized the ideas of Aristotle. Publishing this book was clear proof that he was questioning the traditional authority. Galileo's discovery of the law of inertia also disproved some ideas of Aristotle, as Galileo proved that rest was not the natural state of objects.

Descartes was a philosopher who also made new discoveries and was known as the father of modern rationalism. Descartes was able to recognize a relationship between algebra and geometry. This lead to him creating coordinate geometry. He also implemented a method of deductive reasoning. "Cogito ergo sum" meaning " I think, therefore I am" was an