The Enlightenment Essay - 999 Words

During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries the scientific revolution brought about a slow change in societies’ thinking regarding math, earth science, physics, and astronomy. Early on, new ideas about our universe were not widely accepted, especially from the church. This soon changed due to the hard work and perseverance of several scientists and philosophers who unbeknownst to them brought about an era known as the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment, which eased into existence in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries created a new way of thinking based on rationality. Scholars and intellects were free to debate and have informed discussions about such things as science, religion, and philosophy without fear of censorship†¦show more content†¦Around the same time as Kepler, Galileo was making his own observations. Galileo was first to have the use of a telescope to observe celestial bodies, which helped him greatly in making new discoveries. He was able to not only study the motion of other planets, but was able to observe the satellites orbiting those planets. Galileo also discovered an enormous amount of stars by observing the Milky Way giving way to theorizing that there is more to our universe then what was previously thought. Galileo later found himself in trouble with the Catholic Church for publicly announcing his findings, which went against the Church’s held beliefs of the Earth’s place in our universe. Sadly, Galileo had to essentially denounce his findings and was forced to keep his discoveries private for the rest of his days. Sir Isaac Newton was the hero of the scientific revolution and his findings quickly propelled the Enlightenment to fruition. Newton was a brilliant mathematician whose theories on gravity changed the world. Necessity is the mother of invention and Newton proved that without question when he implemented or rather invented the use of Calculus to aid him in his attempts to better understand how gravity works. That alone can not be overstated enough to describe the importance of knowledge Newton provided to the world. NearlyShow MoreRelatedThe Enlightenment1278 Words   |  6 Pages World Literature The Enlightenment’s Impact on the Modern World The Enlightenment, Age of Reason, began in the late 17th and 18th century. This was a period in Europe and America when mankind was emerging from centuries of ignorance into a new age enlightened by reason, science, and respect for humanity. This period promoted scientific thought, skeptics, and intellectual interchange: dismissing superstition, intolerance, and for some, religion. Western Europe, Germany, France, and Great BritainRead MoreWhat Is Enlightenment1120 Words   |  5 PagesIn his essay titled What is Enlightenment? 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Although th e Enlightenment primarily prevailed in parts of Europe in countries such as England and France, it was also crucial in determining several aspects of colonial America