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Designed as an introduction to the age of the scientific revolution, this book offers readers and researchers an appealing mix of narrative chapters, biographical sketches of key figures, and annotated primary documents. An overview of the period introduces the topic, and is followed by chapters on Astronomy and the Cosmos; Matter, Motion and the Cosmos; The Nature of Living Things; New Methods for the Advancement of Knowledge; Religion and Natural Philosophy; and the Influence of the Scientific Revolution.
The Scientific Revolution and the Foundations of Modern Science explains how the pursuit of natural philosophy— as science was then called—from about 1500 to 1700 created the foundation upon which modern science has been built. The profound changes in the study of the natural world in this period was made possible by social and cultural changes occurring Western Europe, and the achievements of men like Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, Frances Bacon, Rene Descartes, William Harvey, and Isaac Newton. This book details their ideas and practices, as well as those of others, the concepts they overcame, and the nature of the institutions within which they worked.
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The Scientific Revolution and the Foundations of Modern Science Wilbur Applebaum Greenwood Guides to Historic Events, 1500–1900 Linda S. Frey and Marsha L. Frey, Series Editors GREENWOOD PRESS Westport, Connecticut • London Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Applebaum, Wilbur. The scientific revolution and the foundations of modern science / Wilbur Applebaum. p. cm—(Greenwood guides to historic events, 1500–1900, ISSN 1538–442X) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0–313–32314–3 (alk. paper) 1. Science—History. 2. Science, Renaissance. I. Title. II. Series Q125.A54 2005 509.4'09'031—dc22 2004027859 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data is available. Copyright © 2005 by Wilbur Applebaum All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, by any process or technique, without the express written consent of the publisher. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2004027859 ISBN: 0–313–32314–3 ISSN: 1538–442X First published in 2005 Greenwood Press, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881 An imprint of Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. www.greenwood.com Printed in the United States of America TM The paper used in this book complies with the Permanent Paper Standard issued by the National Information Standards Organization (Z39.48–1984). 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 To Ariel, Max, and Benjamin CONTENTS Illustrations ix Series Foreword by Linda S. Frey and Marsha L. Frey xi Introduction xv Chronology of Events xvii Chapter 1 Historical Overview 1 Chapter 2 Astronomy and the Cosmos 19 Chapter 3 Matter, Motion, and the Mathematical Sciences 39 Chapter 4 The Nature of Living Things 63 Chapter 5 New Methods for the Advancement of Knowledge 85 Chapter 6 Religion and Natural Philosophy 105 Chapter 7 Influence of the Scientific Revolution 121 Biographies 131 Primary Documents 165 Glossary 217 Annotated Bibliography 221 Index 237 ILLUSTRATIONS 2.1. The Sun revolves uniformly 21 2.2. Angle a at the equant 22 2.3. A star’s different angles while the Earth revolves around the Sun 27 2.4. Tycho Brahe seated among his instruments and assistants at Uraniborg 28 2.5. Thomas Digges’ diagram of the stars 30 2.6. Th