What are the best books about the Scientific Revolution?

Readers interested in the history of science enjoy learning about its beginnings—from the Scientific Revolution in the 16th century to the present day. If you want a better understanding of what influenced the science of the modern world, you can find the answers by reading books about the Scientific Revolution.

Below are the most popular works to assist you on your learning journey.

What is the Scientific Revolution?

The Scientific Revolution is a term used to explain the change in scientific tendencies and thought in the 16th and 17th centuries. During this time, people’s worldviews began to shift, and over two millennia of the Greek way of conducting science was gradually replaced.

Since the Scientific Revolution, people have thought of science as a separate discipline. Before the Revolution, they considered science as part of philosophy or technology. Science conducted by scholars had a utilitarian goal. While Aristotle stressed the “why” of things, science started focusing on the “how.”

The Scientific Revolution first started with astronomy. Nicolaus Copernicus, a notable Polish astronomer, put forward a heliocentric theory (the Sun being the center of our universe, not the Earth) that contradicted everything the world had previously thought about astronomy.

Galileo Galilei is another central figure of the Scientific Revolution. His works in physics, cosmology, and numerous other fields made him one of the world’s most famous scientists.

The seventeenth-century’s contribution to science would be incomplete without Rene Descartes. Descartes studied the scientific foundations and philosophy of science through the conception of matter and motion.

In 1660, the Royal Society was formed in London’s Gresham College, marking the beginning of numerous scientific societies around the world.

Books about the Scientific Revolution you must read

Leviathan and the Air Pump: Hobbes, Boyle, and the Experimental Life by Steven Shapin and Simon Schaffer

The Leviathan and the Air Pump examines the experimental method and the value and propriety conflicts between Thomas Hobbes and Robert Boyle.

Both scientists wanted to establish knowledge that’s not affected by politics or humans. Boyle focused on experiments, while Hobbes was searching for natural law and believed experiments to be unreliable.

This interesting read shows how the new revelations in science were essential to the newly emerging political order.

The Principia: Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy by Isaac Newton

Isaac Newton is one of the most important scientists of the 17th century. His work Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica examines time, motion, and force from a mathematical perspective. He tracks how these aspects have shaped early modern science and physics.

Even though later scientists debunked some of his theories, Newton’s work in physics still accounts for numerous phenomena in our observable world. This book is an excellent read for everyone who wants a better understanding of the basics behind Newton’s teachings.

Harmonies of the World by Johannes Kepler

Kepler examines the harmony ordering physical processes using mental instruments, music, and geometry. Most people today remember this scientist for the three laws of planetary motion. The essence of his work was to derive the planets’ true motion from physical causes.

The Invention of Science: The Scientific Revolution from 1500 to 1750 by David Wootton

If you’re looking for a general book about the Scientific Revolution from the late Renaissance to early modern science, this title is for you. Explore how David Wootton analyzes the Scientific Revolution and how this major event changed how we understand ourselves in our world.

This book defends the scientific method of thought that is under political attack in the modern era. The author explains how the major discoveries of the time contribute to our social construct and knowledge system.

Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems by Galileo Galilei

This book was first published in Florence in 1632 and was the main reason why Galileo Galilei was brought to trial. Galileo had written in favor of the Copernican heliocentric system instead of the Ptolemaic one, where the Earth was considered to be in the center and the going belief at the time. He was, in fact, the first to prove that Earth revolves around the Sun.

Wonders and the Order of Nature 1150-1750 by Lorraine Daston and Katharine Park

This work examines how European naturalists, starting from the High Middle Ages to the Enlightenment in the 18th century, used wonders and passion objects to see the natural world and themselves. Lorrain Daston and Katharine Park examine the dark shining gems, monsters, and celestial creatures, looking at how they shaped scientific thought and the sensibility of intellectuals.

Discourse on Method by René Descartes

Discourse on Method was published in 1637 and has remained one of the most influential books of the Scientific Revolution through modern science. Descartes tries to approach the world from a fresh perspective, free from influences and preconceived notions.

The legendary phrase, “I think, therefore I am,” comes from this book.

The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas Kuhn

This great book is the history of science, according to Thomas S. Kuhn. The author of The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (University of Chicago Press) argues that revolutionary ideas don’t come from gradual processes of accumulating and experimenting with data. Instead, scientific revolutions happen outside of the “normal science” domain.

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FAQ

What is the most significant Scientific Revolution?

Copernican’s theory of the universe from 1543 marks the official launching of the Scientific Revolution.

Who were the 3 most influential scientists of the Scientific Revolution?

Nicolaus Copernicus, Galileo Galilei, and Isaac Newton are three of the most influential scientists of the Scientific Revolution.

What were your 5 major events of the Scientific Revolution?

Copernicus’ heliocentric model discovery, Martin Luther’s Reformation against the Catholic Church, Galileo’s telescope discovery, Isaac Newton’s revolutionary approach to physics, and Pascal’s invention of mathematics of statistics mark some of the most significant events of the Scientific Revolution.

Who is considered the greatest figure of the Scientific Revolution?

Galileo Galilei was the most successful scientist of the Scientific Revolution.

What book is noted as the start of the Scientific Revolution?

De Humani Corporis Fabrica by Vesalius and De Revolutionibus by Copernicus mark the beginning of the Scientific Revolution.