Which Three Enlightenment Scientists Contributed Greatly To The Modern World?

Improved Essays
Which three enlightenment scientists contributed greatly to the sciences and the modern world?

The enlightenment period was a very important time in history. During this time, everything was changing. Politics, science, and the old way of life were radically changing. As time went on, many geniuses began to change the scientific way of thinking and challenge the old ideas. Although many had good ideas, but there were some that changed their world and had lasting effects in the modern world.

One of the great scientists was Galileo Galilei, also known as "The Father of Modern Science," due to his contributions to the science of physics and astronomy. He was a mathematics professor at the University of Pisa. He supported Copernicus's theory about the sun being the center of our Solar System and he also invented the telescope. Some of his contributions to physics are his experiments with falling objects; which opened the doors for a different view of science. According to an author, Christopher Hitchens, he states "We owe a huge debt to Galileo for emancipating us all from the stupid belief in an Earth-centered or man-centered (let alone God-centered) system. He quite literally taught us our place and allowed us to go on to make extraordinary advances in knowledge,” but Isaac Newton
…show more content…
Newton was a professor, but there was an outbreak of the Black Plague, so he had to be in an enclosed environment for a long period of time. During this hiatus, Newton studied gravity and its effects on the movements of the planets. He also published a book called "Principia" which is said to be "The Single Most Influential Book on Physics and Possibly all of Science." Newtons discoveries has helped the modern world especially with his "Three Laws," but another scientist later on made huge impacts during their

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    The enlightenment had a significant impact on history. Individuals started applying rational and scientific thought to the world they lived in. This movement began in Europe, West England and the American Colonies from 1685-1815 . The people who influenced the enlightenment, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Charles Montesquieu and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, believed all people were born with natural rights. Natural rights included; life, liberty, property, and the freedom to find their own happiness.…

    • 578 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Sir Isaac Newton was an english physicist and mathematician Isaac Newton was most famous for his law of gravitation. Newton was born on January 4, 1643, in Woolsthorpe, England the same year Galileo died Newton only lived 85 years. Isaac Newton was established physicist and mathematician, and is credited as one of the great minds of the 17th century Scientific Revolution. With discoveries in optics, motion and mathematician, Newton developed the principles of modern physics. Isaac Newton was one of the greatest scientist and mathematician that ever lived.…

    • 475 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Galileo Galilei was a famous astronomer who made many discoveries. His belief that the earth revolves around the sun, which is known as a fact in today's society, was almost a passion of his. His idea that the earth was in motion and revolved around the sun was a revolutionary new idea at the time and was a favored idea by some people. Galileo had encountered lots of resistance of his beliefs and arguments throughout his life. Galileo tried to prove his heliocentric theory, but was turned down by the Pope and was convicted of heresy.…

    • 118 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Enlightenment is considered one of the most influential revolutions to occur in all of history. Having formed throughout a vast majority of the 18th century it is responsible for the formation of modern day America and also Europe. The Enlightenment, also known as the Age of Reason, came into existence due to the fact that it was an era in which man shifted his basis of reasoning from that of one based solely on religion and spirituality to one more reliant upon science, factual evidence, reasoning, and practicality. Many a great figures are associated with the Enlightenment for it was not brought to life by just a single individual but instead by multiple figures. Two of the most prominent of them however are Benjamin Franklin and Thomas…

    • 341 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Enlightenment Era The Enlightenment Era was a period in the 1600-1800s where educated Europeans changed the way they looked at life to see enlightenment which was progress. Another name for this era was Age of Reason. This era challenged not only the way you look at life but your beliefs. The philosophers in this time period wanted to use ideas not only for the scientific revolution but to find and solve the problems within government and society.…

    • 660 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    The ideas of the Enlightenment were important because they lead to the declaration of independence then the American revolution. This is fact because many Enlightenment occurs in the Declaration of independance. For example, every man was born with liberty and individual rights, which lead to people wanting to regain their entitled rights. Another example found in the Declaration from the Enlightenment is consent of the governed which made people want to fight for their part in government. Many more good points made in in the enlightenment and the way they were being ruled drives them to revolt against their government.…

    • 112 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    During the Middle Ages, people did not challenge the view on society. When the Renaissance began, some people began to question the way things were. This new way of thinking was what is now called the Enlightenment. Some of the enlightened thinkers had a huge impact on society that people still see today. The enlightened thinkers impacted Europe because of their ideas about science, human rights, and government.…

    • 477 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The Enlightenment era focusing more on discipline, rules and reason of western culture, stretching roughly from the mid-decades of the seventeenth century through the eighteenth century. The era introduced science, philosophy, society and politics. One of the main cause for the Enlightenment was the Scientific Revolution because of its many accomplishments and breakthrough achieved in the social and political fields. The political viewpoints related of the Enlightenment was from John Locke he articulated the contract theory of government.…

    • 1554 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The Enlightenment was the age of reason, it was the peak of philosophy, politics, and science. It was a time where people opened up and made scientific discoveries. The people involved in the Enlightenment were able to help the world to understand how scientific processes work, and it is very important in world history. The Enlightenment ran from 17th century and the 18th century. The Enlightenment was an underrated time period and here’s why it is important.…

    • 982 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    During the time of Isaac Newton, changes of how people perceived scientific theories of how the motion of Earth was described, and the math concepts previously known as fluxions and infinitesimal calculus became a major branch in the today’s math curriculum. Isaac Newton is known as one of the greatest mathematicians of the 17th century Scientific Revolution for his contribution to modern physics by writing one of the major journal entries for science today, Principia. Isaac was a peculiar person being that he was a sore thumb among his colleagues. Having a rough childhood experience, Newton always was sensitive towards those who would criticize his work. Not only that, but he would often have mental breakdowns that left others to question…

    • 1052 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Brilliant Essays

    Scientific Revolution to Enlightenment Gregory R. Bowen History 2321: World Civilizations II March 05, 2017 Science, Enlightenment, and Revolution The effect the Enlightenment had in shaping the modern world as we know it, is undeniable; the notion of reason, thought, and democracy all find their origin in the movement. It quickly followed the Scientific Revolution, which saw blind trust in the how the church defined the nature of the universe, based on the learning of the ancient Greeks, and questioned for the church for the first time.…

    • 1668 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Brilliant Essays
  • Great Essays

    Galileo’s Contributions Galileo Galilei, an Italian astronomer, played a major role in the scientific revolution. He laid the foundation of modern physics and astronomy. Initially, he studied medicine at the University of Pisa, but lost interest. Soon after that, Galileo developed an interest in mathematics and physics and began observing our solar system.…

    • 1637 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Galileo Galilei was born on February 15, 1564 in Pisa, Italy. He was the son of Italian musician and musical theorist, Vincenzo Galilei, and Giulia Ammannati. Galileo was the oldest of 5 children in his family. Not only was he a mathematic professor and astronomer, but he was also a scientist. In fact, he was nicknamed “The Father of Modern Science”.…

    • 699 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    One of the inventions in which Galileo is best known for is the invention of the telescope. after he overheard the idea of using a spyglass. “In 1609, he heard reports from Holland of a lens grinder who had made a spyglass that could magnify very distant object”. (431) The following idea inspired Galileo to pursue his studies in astronomy.…

    • 246 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Sir Isaac Newton was an English mathematician and physicist who lived from 1643 to 1727. Newton grew up with his grandmother, whereas his father passed away shortly before he was born and his mother remarried a man he did not approve of. Newton attended Trinity College in Cambridge and worked as a servant at the university until he was awarded a scholarship because he could not afford the tuition fees. In 1666, the university was temporarily closed due to an extremely contagious, mortal disease and Newton was forced to return home. It was surprisingly during this time, when he was away from school, that he started to pursue his own ideas on physics.…

    • 1015 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays