The Age of Enlightenment

The Scientific Revolution and the Age of Enlightenment The Scientific Revolution of the seventeenth century, which was initiated by the Renaissance, greatly advanced the movement toward modernity. No longer was there a medieval view of the universe, but instead scientific method of understanding. It was then thought that "rigorous and systematic observation and experimentation were the essential means of unlocking nature's secrets" (Western Civilization, 276). Western thinkers increasingly felt that "nature was a mechanical system governed …

…of life. They also expressed confidence in people's ability to attain happiness by improving the conditions of their earthly existence, and derived a theory of human progress that did not require divine assistance. Works Cited Western Civilization: A Brief History. Marvin Perry. Houghton Mifflin Company. Boston, MA. 1997. Nicolaus Copernicus and his Epoch. Jan Adamczewski. Copernicaus Society of America. Philadelphia, PA. 1970. The Universe of Galileo and Newton. William Bixby. American Heritage Publishing Co. New York, NY. 1964.