- Published: November 14, 2021
- Updated: November 14, 2021
- University / College: Princeton University
- Level: Intermediate School
- Language: English
- Downloads: 5
Scientific Revolution Transformation of Europeans Even after there was enough improvements in literacy, medicine, science and astrology, it was still not clear for the common European on how they could such new findings in the world of science. Most of them even failed to get closer to the intellectual background as those of greatest minds of their time. Trepidation was therefore experienced as scientific revolution begun to disapprove the old ideas which were replaced by the new ideas that were shown to the masses. 1
It was still clear, however that, after the advances in scientific revolution of the sixteenth and the seventeenth century, the advances still had little impact on the thoughts and lives of European citizens. Despite the breakthrough that was evident in both astrology and physics, it was still sad that most Europeans still held on their beliefs on their previous ways of doing things including astrology and magic.
However, with the advances and transformation in scientific revolution, advances in medical theory for instance showed how serious misconceptions had been slipped in about the human body. This was contrary to the previous belief that the Europeans used as were set by Galen who proposed that a human body was made up of four compartments, where, if one of the four was present in too little or too much, there would be a problem with the body.
Again, thanks to the scientific revolution, the tenets of the traditional belief system of the Europeans were overturned. Before the scientific revolution, the Europeans were made to believe in church and trust in it for guidance, and here, they were told what to believe. It is because of the scientific revolution that the Europeans discovered that their beliefs were invalid and it is good they never took it lightly.
The Europeans took scientific revolution positively immediately they realized how its effects were changing the world even though they were not always open to the origin of the scientific changes. The revolution then soon became part of the society without most of the Europeans noticing it. It was however a time for enlightenment for those who at least realized the change. 2
Despite all the opposition that the scientific revolution received, it still managed to spread across Europe through various ways. First, the information spread through a printing press that was invented by Gutenberg. 3 This facilitated the spread of the information through the continent through the use of texts and pamphlets. The Latin language was also used as a unifying language across the continent to spread revolution. Research and new ideas were also spread through academic societies that were created.
Scientific revolution and enlightenment were very linked in such a way that, there could not be scientific revolution without enlightenment. Meaning, for people to take up scientific revolution, they had to be enlightened so that they accept the revolution through getting enlightened. Those who were enlightened could easily take up scientific revolution as they were able to read, interpret and reason wisely.
References
Gutenberg, Johanes. 1456. Printing Press: The Spread of Knowledge. Europe: Guternberg Press.
Lertora, C. A, E Nicolaidis, and J. Vandersmissen. 1999. The Spread of Scientific Revolution in the European Periphery, Latin America and East Asia. New York: Brepols Publishers.
Virendra, Singh. 1987. ” Why did Scientific Revolution Take Place in Europe and not Elsewhere.” Indian Journal of History of Science 22 (4): 341-353.