CHAPTER

Intellectual Revolutions
2
Lesson Objectives: At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
 discuss how ideas of some intellectuals contributed to the spark of scientific
revolution; and
 explain how the scientific revolution changed the way how humans see the world.

ENGAGE

How can you change the thinking of a person?

Your answer:

DISCUSSION
A change from one thinking to another is known as paradigm shift. According to Thomas
Kuhn, paradigm shift is not a threat to science but contributes to its progress. In history, a paradigm
shift in science occurred. This period is known as scientific revolution.
Scientific revolution, which is claimed to have started on 16th century in Europe, is the period
of enlightenment when the development in Math, Biology, Physics, Astronomy and Chemistry
transformed the view of society about nature. This period resulted in the emergence of modern
science.

Some Intellectuals and their Revolutionary Ideas:

What can you observe on the model of the solar

system beside? If you notice, the Earth is the center of the
solar system instead of the sun. This model is known as
geocentric model of the solar system. During the time of
Ancient Greece, it was believed that Earth is the center of
the universe with the sun, moon, and planets revolving
around it. This idea had been unchanged until the
renaissance period.
 In 1543, Nicolaus Copernicus published his book De
revolutionibus orbium coeletium (On the Revolutions of the
Heavenly Spheres) where the center of the universe is the sun.
The Earth and other planets revolve around the sun while the
moon revolves around the Earth. This model of the solar system
is known as the heliocentric model. This idea of Copernicus was
not from an extensive observation of heavenly bodies, rather it
is a product of thought experiment.

Nicolaus Copernicus The shift from an earth-centered to a sun-centered

system raised questions in the scientific community. Also, it seems
https://science4fun.info/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Nicolaus-
Copernicus.jpg

to create uncertainty to the teaching of the church. Protestant

reformers adhering to the literal interpretation of the Scripture were the first one to attack this idea.
Roman Catholic Church were silent at first until Galileo Galilei published his work supporting
Copernicus’ idea. Heliocentric model of the solar system was judged by the Roman Catholic
Church to be heretic and therefore it was banned for the rest of the 16 th century.

Question to Ponder on…

Do you think church should intervene in scientific activities?

Isaac Newton

Isaac Newton was an English mathematician, physicist,

astronomer, theologian, and author. Often, Newton’s work is
associated on an apple falling from a tree which made him wonder
why the fruit fell on the ground. This is just a portion but Newton’s work
leads back in answering gaps from the heliocentric model.
Copernicus’ heliocentric model of the solar system was
supported by the discoveries of Galileo Galilei and Johannes Kepler.
But the work of these two still did not satisfy all the questions about
the heliocentric model. In 1687, Newton published his work entitled
Philosphia Naturalis Principia Mathematica, better known as
the Principia. This work introduced the universal law of gravitation
Isaac Newton
https://www.biography.com/.image/ar_8:10%2Cc_fill%2 and the three laws of motion which removed the last doubts on the
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about the heliocentric model, laws of motion were the solid
foundation of mechanics; his law of universal gravitation combined terrestrial and celestial
mechanics into one great system. Other contribution of Newton includes being one of the
developer of calculus.
Newton quoted, "if I have seen farther than others, it is because I was standing on the
shoulders of giants." This is his way of acknowledging his predecessors for the contributions to
science which made his Principia possible.
Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin was a British naturalist and biologist whose
work is the most controversial during his time as it contradicts the
Divine Theory of creation. His work started when went to a nearly
five-year expedition to Galapagos Islands. He observed that
though some animals are of different species, they have
similarities. He accounted this to the environment. For instance, he
observed birds which are endemic to different islands are similar
but their beaks are different. The shape of their beaks are
accounted to the food they eat.
In 1580, Darwin
Charles Darwin published the book “The Origin
of the Species” where he
https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/c6457145033aa5622c3a6ef5
106f8da3e5287c2f/0_248_2481_1488/master/2481.jpg?widt

introduced the theory of

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evolution. According to this

theory, organism have the ability to adapt to their environment
(natural selection) and would gradually change into something
that would be more competitive to survive (evolution).

Question to Ponder on…

How can Darwin’s theory influence the field of agriculture, political science and
religion in the modern times?

Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier

Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier is regarded as the Father of

Modern Chemistry. His major contribution is on the discovery of
the conservation of mass, which disproved the phlogiston theory.
In phlogiston theory, combustible material contains particles
called phlogiston, an “immaterial” particle released in burning. If
we are going to burn a 5kg wood and weigh the ashes produced,
the ashes would weigh less than 5kg. This somehow supports
phlogiston theory. But if we contain all the products (including the
smoke and other particles) and weigh it, this would be 5 kg. This
idea on the conservation of mass later became a law.
Other contribution of Antoine Lavoisier includes the
invention of the system of naming compounds which is still used
Antoine Laurent Lavoisier
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today.
uploads/2019/02/Antoine-Lavoisier.jpg?fit=630%2C779&ssl=1

References:
Jha, A. (2013, October 13). Newton’s Universal Law of Gravitation. The Guardian. Retrieved from
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/oct/13/newtons-universal-law-of-
gravitation#:~:text=Newton's%20Universal%20Law%20of%20Gravitation%3A%20'a%20simpl
 e,equation%2C%20but%20devastatingly%20effective'.&text=Newton's%20equation%20first
%20appeared,in%20that%20orchard%20in%20Lincolnshire.

Mosteiro, Arnaldo P. Science, Technology and Society. Second Edition. Educational Publishing
House. 2006.

Pakipak, Kenneth B. History and Philosophy of Science. Revised Edition. Benguet State University.
2015

Serafica, J. J., Pawilen, G. T., Caslib, B. N., & Alata, E. P. (2018). Science, Technology, and Society.
Sampaloc, Manila: Rex Book Store, Inc.

SparkNotes Editors. (2005). The Scientific Revolution (1550-1700). Retrieved from

https://www.sparknotes.com/history/european/scientificrevolution/section8/#:~:text=The%
20concept%20of%20universal%20gravitation,the%20centerpiece%20of%20his%20work.

Taguiling, M. (2019). Science, Technology and Society. Plaridel, Bulacan: St. Andrew Publishing
House.

Williams, L.P. (2018, November 30). History of Science. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Retrieved
from https://www.britannica.com/science/history-of-science.
Name:_______________________________________________________
Program, Yr., and Section:___________________

ACTIVITY 6:
Answer the following. Detach the worksheet once finished.

Science
Ideas

Scientific
Revolutions
Human Society

1. How did society shape science and how did science shape society?
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2. How do social and human issues influence science?

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3. How do the political and cultural landscapes of the society affect the development of scientific
culture, science activities, and science literacy?
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4. How do intellectual revolutions transform societies?

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