Difference Between Enlightenment And Scientific Revolution (Essay Sample) 2023


Difference between enlightenment and scientific revolution

According to science and general sociology, life on the planet has been evolving with time. Each age has brought with it various changes. Humanity and its environment have been changing throughout history. From the primitive forms of life that was then in the earlier centuries, to the present sophisticated and advanced one. There have been numerous discoveries and inventions, all which have contributed to the advancement of the present age. Among the most distinct were the Industrial as well as scientific revolution. Well, one gave birth to the other. Scientific revolution in this case, can be termed as the fundamental and most important point in human civilization, since it is the source of all the other developments. This period was in a marked coincidence with the Enlightenment period. As the name suggests the Enlightenment period was also a time when great changes were observed in the society. However, there was some difference between the two, in finer details.

Scientific revolution refers to the period where changes in belief and thought were experienced. These changes occurred between 1550-1700s. This period led to the development of new ideas which led to change in political, social and religious beliefs in Europe. The philosophers in the revolution period focused on reasoning using science rather than religion. Enlightenment period, however, focused on intellectual reasoning and use of logic as opposed to cultural beliefs and religion. During the enlightenment period, it was argued that observation of how humans live could be used to portray real behaviors of people and that of the world. The period observed a drastic improvement or change in the manner in which people reasoned. Difference schools of thought came into existence ,and everyone was entitled to one.

The two periods had many similarities, for instance, they both emphasized on of reason or science as a way of thinking. The periods also led to great discoveries in art, architecture and music and other cultural activities. The enlightenment period borrowed heavily from the scientific revolution period meaning they have more similarities than differences.

One of the differences is that scientific revolution encouraged the advancement of all human beings while enlightenment encouraged individuality. One of the major assumptions during the scientific revolution was the belief that through science, the lives of the European community would be improved. When it comes to the Enlightenment period however, it was believed that the use of logic and critical thinking would improve the life of an individual. The bottom-line therefore, is the fact that these two periods of advancement differed in terms of ideology.

The second difference is that the scientific time had a set of beliefs that guide reason while enlightenment period did not have a set of beliefs to guide reasoning. In the enlightenment period, it was upon an individual based on their observation and level of reasoning, to make meaning of people’s behavior and the world. These two periods led to changes in politics, church beliefs, and cultural understandings, which paved the way for some of the great discoveries made to date. These ideas led to more creativity by artists. The church also had to let go of some of the beliefs that were backward and oppressive to their followers.

In conclusion, the scientific revolution and Enlightenment were distinct periods in the history of mankind, which helped define the present as well as future. They had similarities in the way that they ushered new developments and ways of thinking. They also had differences, which hinged on ideology rather than widespread variations.

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