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How the Scientific Revolution shaped the Enlightenment

Scientific revolution refers to modern science’s rebirth in various branches of studies such as chemistry, mathematics, astrophysics, and biology. In middle age, people were taught based on biblical research and Aristotelian understanding of matter. In this case, Aristotle believed that the body was subject to its matter and regulated by four combinations, and it was through the imbalance of these four forces that caused sickness (Ron Van Cleef, 2020). This idea was highly doubted and triggered the need for further understanding, hence enlightenment. Enlightenment, in this case, can be defined as the state of having knowledge and understanding. It is also a movement in the 18th century that made people believe that science brings logical understanding other than religion and tradition. The main aim of this paper is to discuss how the scientific revolution shaped enlightenment.

Under the influence of scientific reasoning, people became more interested in learning the reality behind the natural world’s present forces. People believed that they were more creative, and therefore, their thinking ability can only define them; as Rene Descartes puts it, “I think; therefore I am.” This means that people believed that all their societal problems would be resolved with the right to reason, and they could live happily. This action brought economic growth due to advancements in technology and proper techniques in agriculture.

Since then, people have remained enthralled by these new ideas and innovations that have contributed to shape human behavior. Thomas Hobbes argues that men are ultimately selfish and competitive and are primarily motivated by the desire for power and fear for other men (Kraynak, 2019). This thought enlightened people about human rights as it gave them freedom over the perceived societal understanding (Ron Van Cleef, 2020).  Therefore, people believed a great deal in individualism with control over the human mind due to scientific reasoning.