Jacob & Joseph Reynolds

Mr. Martin / Mrs. Bennett

APWH 1st/2nd / Hum 2 5th
03 Feb. 2016
Religious Effects of the Scientific Revolution : Negative Effects

Statistic reasoning is the only proof that can contradict religious ideals. Religion
can be seen as a counterpart to science, in a way that they both express ideals. The
difference is that religion is exclaimed through a more personal motive by a generational
perspective while science is driven by mathematical and experimental quantitative data
that is proven to be labeled as factual. The Scientific Revolution was a movement
between 1450-1750 that collided its scientific discoveries with certain groups religious
beliefs and as a primary result, disproving many religious views.
Scientist such as Galileo, Isaac Newton, and Copernicus transformed the world of
science and present day culture through their many discoveries covering the planet Earth,
space, and modern science. In Steven Shapins book, The Scientific Revolution, he
explains how Galileo in particular is credited for the discovery of sunspots on the sun's
surface (Shapin 15). Although true, during his time Galileos discovery was seen as farfetched, primarily to the followers of Aristotle who proclaimed the sun as being
immutably perfect, along with the rest of Earths solar system. Galileo argued with
undeniable statistical evidence that these sunspots were forming on the surface of the sun
then did more people begin to search and unravel the imperfections of the Milky Way.
Not only was space more closely examined, but also this unbelievable detection
questioned religion as well through the searching of spiritual evidence that would bring a

Jacob & Joseph Reynolds

Mr. Martin / Mrs. Bennett
APWH 1st/2nd / Hum 2 5th
03 Feb. 2016
religion closer to a factual reality. Science and Religion are intertwined in society due to
the innate structures of society. Consequently, this lead to science changing the views of
certain cultures. Historian Stephen Jay Gould attempts to separate religion and science in
society through his quote in Richard Olsens informative novel, Science and Religion,
which explains the two different objectives of science and religion, but is disproven by
Olsen through his evidence of the two separate ideals appearing in society (Olsen 17).
This conveys the effect scientific findings and innovations had on religious believers
during the scientific revolution (1450-1750) through society's perspective on religious
deities and truths. Goulds writing also explains why the new technology during the
Scientific Revolution made people question their own inner religious beliefs that they had
long held true to without question.
The scientific breakthroughs made during the Scientific Revolution were often
categorized as somewhat biased based on the thriving religions at the time and in the
area. In Steven Shapins book, The Scientific Revolution, Shapin goes in depth on the
many effects and influences that took place from 1450-1750. One of those influences
involved how the prospering religion in the location the Scientific Revolution was
popular in, Europe, promoted biased theories and hypothesis from the active scientists
(Shapin 4). A noted religion that did not have an impressive popularity in Europe was
Islam, due to its Indian centralized birthplace. This poor and inconvenient location of the
Islamic religion in time turned out to negatively affect their religious popularity and limit

Jacob & Joseph Reynolds

Mr. Martin / Mrs. Bennett
APWH 1st/2nd / Hum 2 5th
03 Feb. 2016
the overall spread of its culture. Religious perspectives of non-earthly and godly ideas
during the time period of 1400-1700 were undoubtedly changed and effect due to the
introduction to the heliocentric universe. As described in Steven Shapins informative
book, Science and religion, Copernicuss introduction to a heliocentric universal view
from the previously, widely accepted, view of anthropocentrism, an earth centered
universe, was a big realization for humanity. This gave humanity the task of questioning
their own knowledge of sciences and religious deities. Shapins analysis of this new
discovery also included the comparison of the two universe theories which explains how
in the eyes of earth, humanity moved from being the middle of all creation to being
scientifically proven that it was just another planet in space. Copernicuss scientific
discovery shaped religious views of gods and other creation beliefs for many Europeans
during the scientific revolution.
Scientific discoveries during the scientific revolution in Europe during 1450-1750
did in fact help religion through the use of innovations to spread religious messages
across the land, however, the scientific revolution had more of an effect on religious
ideals. This negative effect of various religions that changed many religious perspectives
was directly associated with the location of the scientific revolution, and many
discoveries including space and astronomy that changed the image of life beyond Earth.
There is little doubt that during this revolutionary time period that science tripled over

Jacob & Joseph Reynolds

Mr. Martin / Mrs. Bennett
APWH 1st/2nd / Hum 2 5th
03 Feb. 2016
religion and reformed its heavenly ideals through scientific discoveries that still stand to
this very day as useful and historic findings.