The Scientific Revolution

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The Scientific Revolution was a chain of events that unfolded during the 16th and 17th centuries, which brought about drastic changes in scientific thought. Modern science emerged as advances in astronomy, biology, chemistry, mathematics and physics transformed society's perceptions of nature. The publication of Nicolaus Copernicus's 'On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres' is considered by many as the beginning of the Scientific Revolution. Science achieved an autonomous status, distinct from philosophy and technology, with its own goals. An experimental method arose which sought definite answers to questions articulated in the framework of specific theories, while new criteria for explanation were introduced. The completion of the Scientific Revolution is associated with Isaac Newton's 'Principia' of 1687 which formulated the laws of motion and universal gravitation. The Scientific Revolution contributed to the progress of the Enlightenment in the 17th and 18th centuries by providing the philosophical tools necessary to challenge superstitious beliefs.