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Chapter 2: Intellectual Revolution That Defined Society: TH TH

The intellectual revolution that began in Europe in the 16th-18th centuries led to massive changes in society. The invention of the printing press allowed for widespread dissemination of knowledge and new ideas in fields like philosophy, science, and mathematics. This period of enlightenment challenged existing beliefs and worldviews. Three major intellectual revolutions were Copernicus' theory that the Earth revolves around the sun, Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection, and Freud's theory of psychoanalysis, each of which transformed human understanding despite initial resistance.

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3K views3 pages

Chapter 2: Intellectual Revolution That Defined Society: TH TH

The intellectual revolution that began in Europe in the 16th-18th centuries led to massive changes in society. The invention of the printing press allowed for widespread dissemination of knowledge and new ideas in fields like philosophy, science, and mathematics. This period of enlightenment challenged existing beliefs and worldviews. Three major intellectual revolutions were Copernicus' theory that the Earth revolves around the sun, Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection, and Freud's theory of psychoanalysis, each of which transformed human understanding despite initial resistance.

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Chapter 2: Intellectual Revolution that Defined Society

The idea of intellectual revolution is claimed to have started in Europe after the
Middle Ages in the early 16th -18th Century. The booming intellectual activities at that
time brought about by invention of printing machine led to massive flow of information
and communication among the scholars of various fields of study. It was a period of
enlightenment by the developments in the fields of philosophy, mathematics,
astronomy, biology, physics, and chemistry which transformed the views of society
about natural phenomenon. These developments resulted to the emergence of Modern
Science which enabled people to reflect, rethink, re-examine their beliefs, perceptions,
and way of life.

Intellectual revolution is believed to be the Golden Age characterized by people


dedicated to pursue a scholarly life in science. For introducing new ideas, many radical
individuals were condemned or sentenced to death for their faith, religious beliefs, and
theological views. There were many rulers and religious leaders who did not accept the
works of the scientists. But the new scientists persisted to satisfy their curiosity of the
natural and physical world.

Intellectual revolution is significantly indispensable in the development of human


beings, transformation of the society, and the articulation of scientific ideas. Such
development improved the conduct of scientific inquiry, experiments, research, and
observations. There are prominent scientists who are known of their revolutionary ideas,
and they are as follows: 1) Nicolaus Copernicus, 2) Charles Darwin, and 3) Sigmund
Freud.

A. Copernican Revolution

Back to the Ancient Times, humans questioned what created day and night. They
wanted to know and understand the heavenly bodies, the creation of the stars, the
moon, the sun, and the planets. Humans were more intrigued about the outer space.
The invention of the telescope eventually allowed people a glimpse of the heavenly
bodies.
Using the telescope, the Greek philosophers and intellectuals wrote more about
the planets as an attempt to explain the movements of the heavenly bodies and their
effects on humans and the world. Many philosophers agreed that the planet moved
around in a circular motion, and these movements created day and night. According to
Claudius Ptolemy, a famous philosopher and an astronomer, the planets, the moon,
and the sun moved in a circular motion around the Earth. Such revolution explained the
existence of day and night. He believed that the Earth is the center- a concept known as
“geocentrism”.However, Nicolaus Copernicus, a Polish mathematician and an
astronomer, challenged the Ptolemaic model. He introduced a new concept known as
“heliocentrism”, which suggested that the center of the Solar System was not the Earth
but the sun. This idea was rejected by the people and opposed by the church.
Copernicus was then declared a heretic because his teachings were contrary to what
was accepted by the people and religion. There were astronomers who studied further
and realized that the Copernican model simplified the orbits of the planets, and there
were issues that cannot be explained by the geocentric model. Latter, there were works
that supported the Copernican model and it was eventually accepted to be true, correct,
and valid. It was eventually accepted by people and was called the birth of modern
astronomy.

B. Darwinian Revolution

Charles Darwin, an English naturalist, a biologist, and a geologist, published his


book entitled, “On the Origin of the Species”. He introduced the Theory of Evolution
which postulated that man passes through a process of natural selection in which only
the fittest would survive. He stated that organisms have the ability to adapt with the
environment and would gradually change into something that would be more
competitive to survive, a process known as evolution. This theory is not accepted till this
time by biblical scholars. It is perceived contrary to what is written in the Bible,
contradictory to the teachings of the churches, and unacceptable to believers of God.
God is the creator of the Universe, and who created man in His likeness. This theory
created conflicts since atheists believe the theory of evolution as the origin of life while
the religious and the faithful strongly refute it till this day. The Theory of Evolution
posited by Darwin ignited a huge debate between science and religion. Such
debateshowever concluded that there is no conflict between science and religion
because God is the greatest scientist, everything started with God and everything ends
with God.

C. Freudian Revolution

In the late 19th Century, Sigmund Freud changed the human perception of
psychology with his revolutionary Theory of Psychoanalysis, a study that explains
human behaviour. According to him, there are many conscious and unconscious factors
that influence behaviour and emotions, and that personality is a product of three
opposing elements such as; the id, ego, and superego. Scientists believed that
psychoanalysis was more of philosophical and supernatural not scientific because the
theory had no scientific basis, no empirical or experimental data to support it. However,
despite criticism Freud continued to refine his work and explained that psychoanalysis is
a method of treating mental disorders, and it is a study of human mind. Sometime later,
his method of psychoanalysis was proven to be effective means to understand some
neurological conditions that were not recognized in the field of medicine. The
psychoanalysis theory was accepted by the scientists, scholars, and became widely
accepted by the people, and it was then that psychology as a discipline was considered
a science.

These revolutionary theories are just among the many scientific ideas that
transformed and shaped societies, beliefs, and ideas. These transformations and
modifications brought to the varying perspectives and perceptionsof society are
evidences that science and technology are linked to humanity.

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