History of Science and Technology
History Of Science And Technology
Submitted by ryan89 on April 18, 2011
• Category: History
• Words: 2273 | Pages: 10
• Views: 90
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For centuries it was religion that had kept contemporaries of science in the shadow. Any sort of advance to explain a certain phenomena in ways other than that of God’s doing could eventually end up in one’s demise. However, what happens when religion loosens its grip on science or as some may argue loses its appeal to the masses due to an influx of intellectual material? This paper will outline the key stages during the period of 1400-1700 (the Renaissance) in which religion and science co-exist on a scale far larger than before. Prior to this period, the works of Aristotle were most commonly affiliated with religion. Although some of Aristotle’s ideas caused tension towards Christianity, scholars noticed some similarities with Aristotle’s matter theory and Christian doctrine. An example of this was the “Christian soul and it could be explained as the “form” of the body, the immaterial feature that gives the body its defining essence (Ashworth, Kit, p. 67)”. Religious contemporaries at the time felt no threat by Aristotle’s theory of form and matter and it continued to present itself until the 17th century. The relevance of this is simply that religion was the only way in which scientific endeavors were possible or even allowed, most scholars eventually credited God at some point in their work, which deemed it possible to continue or even publish.
The intellectual influx mentioned before is directly linked to Johannes Gutenberg. He was the one, with the invention of the printing press, who made it possible for all Greek philosophical works to be readily available for almost anyone who could afford them. “Gutenberg combined two Asian inventions, the screw press and paper to develop his movable type printing press (Text, p. 107).” On the religious side, bibles, religious texts and indulgences were in high
Submitted by ryan89 on April 18, 2011
• Category: History
• Words: 2273 | Pages: 10
• Views: 90
• Report this Essay
For centuries it was religion that had kept contemporaries of science in the shadow. Any sort of advance to explain a certain phenomena in ways other than that of God’s doing could eventually end up in one’s demise. However, what happens when religion loosens its grip on science or as some may argue loses its appeal to the masses due to an influx of intellectual material? This paper will outline the key stages during the period of 1400-1700 (the Renaissance) in which religion and science co-exist on a scale far larger than before. Prior to this period, the works of Aristotle were most commonly affiliated with religion. Although some of Aristotle’s ideas caused tension towards Christianity, scholars noticed some similarities with Aristotle’s matter theory and Christian doctrine. An example of this was the “Christian soul and it could be explained as the “form” of the body, the immaterial feature that gives the body its defining essence (Ashworth, Kit, p. 67)”. Religious contemporaries at the time felt no threat by Aristotle’s theory of form and matter and it continued to present itself until the 17th century. The relevance of this is simply that religion was the only way in which scientific endeavors were possible or even allowed, most scholars eventually credited God at some point in their work, which deemed it possible to continue or even publish.
The intellectual influx mentioned before is directly linked to Johannes Gutenberg. He was the one, with the invention of the printing press, who made it possible for all Greek philosophical works to be readily available for almost anyone who could afford them. “Gutenberg combined two Asian inventions, the screw press and paper to develop his movable type printing press (Text, p. 107).” On the religious side, bibles, religious texts and indulgences were in high