From antiquity to the 17th century, the study of nature and the cosmos have constantly been reforming. As these changes have been analyzed over the past semester, we come to the culmination of our journey with the identification of the causes for these changes to the scientific community through time. This constant change can be diagnosed with three symptoms. First of all, the preponderate religion or belief system of the time; not only of the “scientists”, but the sponsors or those in a position of power as well, influenced academic advancements. Second to that are the sociological roots of which certain individuals were placed in society. Ultimately leaving the scientific renaissance as the final causation for the scientific change from the scholastics to the classics in the 16th century. If one looks back through history, it is observant that the church has changed along side the scientific academia. The church has always been cautious as to what doctrines they promote or will allow to be taught. Seeing as they controlled many of the universities at the time, this power was completely within their grasp. The churches watchful eye was first seen within the condemnations of 1277 at the University of Paris. These were proposed by the bishops of Paris to restrict many medieval theological teachings as heretical, but their main desire was to abolish the physical treatises of the Greek philosopher Aristotle.
“No master or bachelor of our faculty should presume to determine or even to dispute any purely theological question, as concerning the Trinity and incarnation and similar matters, since this would be transgressing the limits assigned him.” (Condemnations)
Up until this point, the work of Aristotle, one of the most important founding figures in Western philosophy, was the basis for much thought in these academies. This period thereafter the condemnations is sometimes looked at as the beginning of modern