Exploring the Impact of the Scientific Revolution on Western Society

This essay examines the profound impact of the Scientific Revolution on ancient beliefs and its transformative effects on Western society and secular authorities. It highlights how the rise of modern science during the Renaissance challenged traditional religious views and altered societal perspectives on nature, politics, religion, philosophy, and literature. The essay discusses how scientific advancements, particularly in mathematics, astronomy, physics, biology, and chemistry, introduced a more material understanding of the universe, contrasting with prevailing spiritual beliefs. It emphasizes that while the Scientific Revolution built upon ancient knowledge and the contributions of Islamic thinkers, it ultimately led to a revolutionary shift in thinking, questioning established doctrines and fostering a new reliance on logical and mathematical reasoning. The essay concludes that the Scientific Revolution played a significant role in shaping the social, cultural, and political landscape of Western society, indirectly contributing to the growth of secularism and challenging the authority of both monarchs and the church.

Running head: IMPACT OF SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
IMPACT OF SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
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IMPACT OF SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
The term scientific revolution refers to the appearance of modern science during the
early modern period. The scientific revolution initially emerged in Europe during the
Renaissance period and continued till the end of the 18th century (Wootton 2015). The
following paragraphs emphasize the impact of scientific revolution on ancient beliefs and its
effect on western society and secular authorities.
The emergence of scientific revolution resulted in a large number of cultural and
intellectual changes in the 17th and 18th century. The development and expansion of
mathematics, astronomy, physics, biology and chemistry totally altered the views of society
about nature. It changed the perspective of the society by providing various theories and
discoveries. The impact of scientific revolution was visual in almost every aspect such as
politics, science, religion, philosophy and literature. The scientific revolution introduced a
new concept that the universe is more material and less spiritual (Hall 2014). This new
concept represented a contrast to the religious beliefs that were dominating the world, and it
questioned the ancient beliefs that were maintained by the church. It changed the way of
thinking of people, and they started doubting their old beliefs regarding religion, faith and
God. Therefore, it was observed that the scientific revolution represented a revolutionary
break with the past. It is true that many scientists reflected respect for ancient thinking and
theories in their innovations by discovering new theories that were based on the finding of
ancient Greeks and contribution of Islamic thinkers. The renaissance scholars discovered man
and nature and based on their discoveries, the scientific revolutionaries intended to
understand and explain relation between man and the natural world. Therefore, it can be said
the scientific revolution did not bring a sudden change, however it was based on the old
model of thinking, knowledge and perspectives.
The emergence of scientific concepts and theories had a huge impact on western
society and secular authorities as it highlighted the importance of the scientific methods

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IMPACT OF SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
(Smith 2018). The scientific revolution greatly changed the traditional beliefs of western
society. Earlier, people used to listen to the ancient teachings of Greek philosophers such as
Aristotle and Plato. However, with the introduction of scientific concepts, people started
believing in new ideas that made logical and mathematical sense. The scientific methods
abandoned the natural and artificial situations in western society, and the tradition of research
and experiments were accepted. The scientific theories questioned the laws and rules of
monarchs and church. It provided theories and explanations that were based on logical
thinking without following church doctrine blindly. The philosophers discovered theories and
concepts that provoked the revolution in America and throughout Europe. The Scientific
Revolution can be considered as an indirect reason for the growth of secularism in Western
Europe. Galileo Galilei, Newton and William Harvey were among the scientists who
challenged preconceptions through their discoveries and analysis (Zanatta et al. 2017). The
scientific discoveries and theories evolved and effected social, cultural and political
developments of western society.
It can be concluded from the above discussion that the scientific revolution changed
the way of thinking, believes and perspectives of the western society. The new scientific
theories and concepts highly influenced the western society and secular authorities. It
replaced ancient believes with the logical thinking.

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IMPACT OF SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION
References:
Hall, A.R., 2014. The revolution in science 1500-1750. Routledge.
Smith, P.H., 2018. The body of the artisan: Art and experience in the scientific revolution.
University of Chicago Press.
Wootton, D., 2015. The invention of science: a new history of the scientific revolution.
Penguin UK.
Zanatta, A., Zampieri, F., Basso, C. and Thiene, G., 2017. Galileo Galilei: Science vs.
faith. Global cardiology science & practice, 2017(2).