The Rise of Modern Science: Philosophy and Science in 17th & 18th C

This essay explores the rise of modern science during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, focusing on the contributions of Enlightenment philosophers and the impact of scientific reasoning on cultural development. It discusses how philosophers utilized reasoning to understand the natural world, challenging the dominance of the church. The essay highlights the role of rational thought in improving humanity and altering conceptions of the origin and limits of human knowledge. It examines the elements of scientific reasoning, including observation, data collection, interpretation, and inference, and how these elements led to social reforms and a shift from traditional authority to empirical research. The era fostered optimism and a belief in the power of knowledge to influence nature and improve society. Desklib provides more resources for students.

Running head: PHILOSOPHY AND SCIENCE
PHILOSOPHY AND SCIENCE
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Question selected: Consider the rise of modern science during the seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries.
During the seventeenth and eighteenth century a rapid development was observed upon
reasoning. While there was dominance of church that ruled conclusively on number of truths
regarding the natural world, there were few philosophers who began to utilize reasoning for
worthwhile knowledge about the natural world (Nisbet, 2017). The rise of modern science during
these centuries without exception looks upon it and this essay does the same. The essay aims to
discuss the rise of modern science in the seventeenth and eighteenth century along with the
enlightenment philosopher’s contribution to cultural development. The essay discusses the way
alteration of conceptions of the origin and human limits were done through scientific reasoning.
Contribution Enlightenment philosophers: The approach to science in the seventeenth
and eighteenth century had an profound impact on the rise of not only modern science but also of
technology, social thoughts and philosophy. That began from Renaissance, a beginning of
reasoning, self-consciousness and intellectual clarity came to be known widely as
Enlightenment. The age of reason was a philosophical movement that took place in the Europe.
The participants of the movements were illuminating human intellect as well as culture after the
dominance of church was eliminated (Matthews, 2014). Various contributors of the age made
new scientific discoveries that understanding of the natural world was changed. Enlightenment
philosophers believed on rational thoughts and knew it would lead to improvement of human.
They were possessed the potential of understanding the power of reasoning as human capacity. It
was a method of getting rid from irrationality and ignorance. Although every philosopher had
their own theories, their thoughts and behaviors were underlined with reasons as they knew
reason can have an equalizing impact on human being. Rather than eliciting emotional responses

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they thought human endeavors should aim for increasing knowledge as well as reasons.
Philosopher Montesquieu invented his concept of a separation of powers into government’s three
branches, judiciary, legislative and executive in his work Spirit of Laws. The Natural Rights of
human by John Locke was in regard to citizenship influenced the laws. To live freely in nature
Voltaire’s Candidate supported by Rousseau was a big contribution to western society. European
immigrants were allowed to the new World in order to simplify native peoples and their
disparate culture by the ideas of Nobel savage (Aron, 2017).
Alteration of conceptions by Elements of scientific reasoning: The scientific thinking was
the inception of enlightenment which was synthesis of facts consciously and reach a meaningful
term known as findings. Positivity of anything concrete is considered as the result of the
scientific thinking that was philosophers of the seventeenth and eighteenth century believed. The
elements of the scientific reasoning were the mindful tools that helped understanding the natural
world that were supported by facts. The elements of scientific reasoning is a process that helps
reaching to a conclusion or result on the basis of finding. The process begins with a point of view
or perspective that a philosopher believe to be true by his observation. However in order to
ensure the perspective is the truth, they set a purpose which is the goal that the philosopher wants
to achieve for proving his point of view as correct or incorrect (DiSessa, 2014). The philosophers
arises questions on that particular observation, collects data, facts, observation and experiences
followed by interpretation and inference which is the conclusion. After the following processes
concepts and theories are born which are stated as truths (Osborne, 2013). Every form of
discovery are the consequences of the scientific reasoning. Beginning from the taking example to
reaching the creation of laws are result of scientific creation. The enlightenment thinkers were
targeting the goal of social reforms and in they did by doing so. The origin and limits of human

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knowledge were challenged and altered in many ways. From challenging to autocracy and
theocracy the society was reformed. Trade and commerce replaced agriculture which was the
reason of outsourcing to the colonies and the new World. The alteration made Europe rich and
abundant after it overcame deprivation of famine, plague and war. It changed the society that
was characterized by optimism, a feeling of triumph that humanity could rectify any mistake
made in the past and change the world into a better place. It initiated people to become curious
and they sought knowledge, the nature of knowledge over theology (Wittrock, 2013, pp. 41-
50).). Humans were able to understand that humanity has the capability to influence nature and
they do not need to act as the subject to the whims of Gods. Knowledge was served as the
ultimate power that served humanity and not religion. The ideas and concepts that were
revolving around original sin and asceticism were declined. According to philosophers of
enlightenment, it is the natural laws that governed man and not archaic commandments that were
stored in the pre-historic books. The era made possible to believe that anything could be studied,
it can be broken down by science and through observations explanations were possible with
experimentation rather than philosophy (Lederman, 2013).
The enlightenment was one of the important movements of the western society that
changed the rules and norms of the western civilization and influenced the world. People during
the seventeenth and eighteenth century were no longer mere followers of traditional authority,
belief and institutions that were only irrational and not supported by researches. People and were
able to change, comprehend, and to some extend control universe. They were able to develop
abstract systems of ideas which made rational sense along with study of real world. The social
issues were applied with scientific methods that lead to discovering of social laws. Most

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importantly, philosophy and science was established which was a combination of reason and
empirical research.

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References:
Aron, R. (2017). Main currents in sociological thought: Montesquieu, Comte, Marx, Tocqueville
and the sociologists and the revolution of 1848. Routledge.
DiSessa, A. A. (2014). A history of conceptual change research: Threads and fault lines.
Lederman, N. G. (2013). Nature of science: Past, present, and future. In Handbook of research on
science education (pp. 845-894). Routledge.
Matthews, M. R. (2014). Science teaching: The contribution of history and philosophy of
science. Routledge.
Nisbet, R. (2017). History of the Idea of Progress. Routledge.
Osborne, J. (2013). The 21st century challenge for science education: Assessing scientific
reasoning. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 10, 265-279.
Wittrock, M. C. (2013). Generative science teaching. In The content of science: A constructivist
approach to its teaching and learning (pp. 41-50). Routledge.