The Scientific Revolution: Understanding the Roots of Modern Science

Trace the roots of modern science

How did the science of today come about? What constitutes ‘modern’ science? How does science relate to religion?

Answer these questions and more with this course that travels back in time to the seventeenth-century Scientific Revolution to explore the roots of modern science. In this course you will critically explore the history of science, challenging established simplistic narratives of how science has developed. You will also examine modern scientific methods, the relationship between science, religion and secularism, and, if you work in science, consider the origins of our own discipline.

This course has been created for those working in science who wish to know more about the origins of modern science. It’s also been created for people with a general interest in science and history.

• What was the scientific revolution?
• Welcome
• The Scientific Revolution and Aristotelian natural philosophy
• From Aristotelianism to mechanism
• The limits of mechanisation
• What was the scientific method?
• Observation and experiment
• Instruments, tools, set-ups
• The relation between theory and experimentation
• The Scientific Revolution in context
• Science and society
• Science and religion: final causes
• Science and secularisation
• Conclusive activities