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Scientific Revolution
Last Updated: 2026-02-05 15:24:19
Abstract
The course addresses the basic historical, historiographical and philosophical questions raised by the so-called scientific revolution of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. It deals with figures like Nicolas Copernicus, Galileo Galilei, Isaac Newton, Robert Boyle and Robert Hooke and covers diverse aspects of the revolution from mathematics, natural philosophy, astronomy and medicine.
Objective
*To achieve a general understanding of the events that took place during the period usually referred to as ' The Scientific Revolution'. *To problematise the concept. *To become acquainted with the secondary literature on the period and to be able to approach it critically.
Content
As well as dealing with major figures of the period, like Nicolas Copernicus, Galileo Galilei, Isaac Newton, Robert Boyle and Robert Hooke among others, it will cover diverse aspects of the revolution from mathematics, natural philosophy, astronomy and medicine. It will focus on questions such as the reorganisation of the disciplines, the role of the court and universities, the new relationship between natural philosophy and mathematics, the new mechanical worldwide view, the importance of the Royal Society, the social setting of experimental life, the conflict or absence of it between science and religion and the persistence of ‘occult qualities’ and other ancient elements in early modern science.
Resources
Literature
Attention will be paid to some classic accounts of the revolution, like Herbert Butterfield’s 'The Origin of Modern Science' (London, 1945) and Alexandre Koyré’s 'From the Closed World to the Infinite Universe' (Baltimore, 1957), but also to the newest contributions that cast doubt on the very existence of a Scientific Revolution in the terms in which it was described by these big narratives. Some of those works, like the collection of essays 'Reappraisals of the Scientific Revolution' (edited by David C. Linberg and Robert S. Westman, Cambridge, 1990) and 'Rethinking the Scientific Revolution' (edited by Margaret J. Osler, Cambridge, 2000) have reformulated the notion, often by focusing on smaller and traditionally neglected aspects of the history of ‘science’ in the early modern times. Other authors have further contributed to our new understanding of the Scientific Revolution, like Mario Biagioli through his reassessment of Galileo’s career in the light of patronage networks ('Galileo Courtier', Chicago, 1993) and Peter Dear through his study of the evolution of the concept of experience in the seventeenth century ('Discipline and Experience', Chicago 1995).
General Information
- Language
- English
- Levels
- DS , MSC
Examination
- Type
- graded semester performance
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| seminar | Scientific Revolution |
|
2 h weekly |
Offered In
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Humanities, Social and Political Sciences (In order to be awarded credits, please register under "Pflichtwahlfach GESS"!. The language courses are offered by the ETH and University of Zurich Language Center.)
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