The Scientific Revolution
The Scientific Revolution was a period of transformative advances in scientific thought during the 16th and 17th centuries, establishing the empirical methods that continue underpinning modern science.
Overturning centuries of accepted ancient and medieval assumptions about the natural world, this period established the empirical, evidence-based approach that would define scientific inquiry for centuries to come.
Overturning Ancient Assumptions
The Scientific Revolution fundamentally challenged long-held ancient Greek and medieval assumptions about astronomy, physics, and the natural world.
Key Figures
Scientists including Copernicus, Galileo, and Newton made foundational contributions establishing heliocentrism, the laws of motion, and universal gravitation.
Establishing the Scientific Method
This period established the systematic scientific method, emphasizing observation, experimentation, and mathematical proof over reliance on ancient authority.
Enabling the Enlightenment
The Scientific Revolution's emphasis on empirical reasoning directly paved the way for the broader Enlightenment movement that followed in the 18th century.
