The Scientific Revolution and the Origins of Modern Science

Seen as the most significant event since the rise of Christianity and the ultimate reason for the cultural domination of Western civilization in the modern world, the Scientific Revolution was the period in which the techniques, major precepts and world-view of modern science were first established.

This highly successful study, now in its third edition, provides a brief and accessible guide not only to the astonishing scientific innovations of this time, but also to the reasons why the Scientific Revolution occurred when and where it did. Among other things, this essential survey: considers the rise of mathematicians from humble craft practitioners to the intellectual leaders of science, explores the role of magic in the development of the experimental method, examines the importance of religious beliefs in the rise of the modern scientific world-view, features a helpful Glossary and extensive annotated Bibliography to aid study.

Concise and approachable, the third edition has been updated throughout to reflect new developments in historiography, while various sections have been revised, extended and strengthened in light of the latest scholarship and research.

About the Author:
John Henry is Reader in the History of Science at the University of Edinburgh