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How Did The Enlightenment Influence The Course Of The Scientific Revolution

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Many ideas of the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment influenced the start and course of the 1789 French Revolution. The Scientific Revolution started the age of reason by inventing many new scientific inventions such as the telescope. The Enlightenment continued the humanistic age of reason by incorporating reason into the government and society. The movements also greatly affected the social and political problems of the time (Spielvogel 478, 500).
The Scientific Revolution not only led to countless inventions that changed the way of life, but changed people’s perspectives on many subjects such as the natural world. Copernicus changed the traditional view of the universe from an earth centered theory to a sun centered theory based on data collected from his predecessors in the field of astronomy. The key to proving this new view of the universe was the collaboration of other scientists, such as Galileo, and the usage of new astronomical instruments, particularly the telescope. The telescope allowed systematic observations of the universe, which ultimately supported the heliocentric view of the universe. This new view questioned everything that was fundamental to the Christian faith, which infuriated the Catholic Church (Spielvogel 475-480, 493). …show more content…

Bernard de Fontenelle was essential in linking the Scientific Revolution to the Enlightenment philosophers by explaining the scientific discoveries in common language. Just as the figures of the Scientific Revolution were opposed by the Catholic Church, most of the leading figures of the Enlightenment such as Voltaire criticized traditional religion. Voltaire supported deism, which is the belief that god created earth, but isn’t directly involved in the world (Spielvogel

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