Intellectual

Revolutions that
Defined Society
 Lesson
objectives:
At the end of this lesson, the students
should be able to:
• Discuss how the ideas postulated by
Copernicus, Darwin and Freud contributed to
the spark of scientific revolutions; and
• Analyze how scientific revolution is done in
various parts of the world like in Latin America,
East Asia, Middle East, and Africa.

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Scientific
Revolution
 Science is as old as the world
itself. There is no individual can exactly

“
identify when and where science
began. From the genesis of time,
science existed. It is always interwoven
with the society.

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 1. Science as an idea
It includes ideas, theories and all available
systematic explanations and observations about
the natural and physical world.

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 2. Science as an intellectual activity
It encompasses a systematic and practical
study of the natural and physical world. This
process of study involves systematic observation
and experimentation.

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 3. Science as a body of knowledge
It is a subject or a discipline, a field of
study, or a body of knowledge that deals with the
process of learning about the natural and physical
world. This is what we refer to as school science.

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 4. Science as a personal and social
activity
This explains that science is both
knowledge and activities done by human beings
to develop better understanding of the world
around them. It is a means to improve life and to
survive in life. It is interwoven with people’s lives.

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 The idea of scientific revolution is claimed
to have started in the early 16th century up to the
18th century in Europe. Why Europe? The
probable answer is the invention of the printing

“
machine and the blooming intellectual activities
done in various places of learning and the
growing number of scholars in various fields of
human interests. This does not mean, however,
science is a foreign idea transported from other
areas of the globe.

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 Scientific
revolution
◇ The period of enlightenment
◇ It explained the emergence or birth or modern
science as a result of these developments from the
disciplines mentioned.
◇ Enabled the people to reflect, rethink and reexamine
their beliefs and their way of life.
◇ The golden age for people committed to scholarly life
in science
◇ Deeply trying moment to some scientific individuals
 SCIENCE
IDEAS

SCIENTIFIC
REVOLUTION
S

HUMANS SOCIETY
Figure 1. Influences to Scientific
Revolutions
11
Some Intellectuals
and their
Revolutionary
Ideas
 Intellectual Revolution is the time period when
advancements of Science & Technology changed
people’s perception and beliefs.
Scientists in all periods of time are driven by their
curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity to explore
the physical and natural world. Their love for science is
driven by their deep passion to know and to discover.
The development during the intellectual
revolution showed how society was transformed by
science and technology.
Intellectual Revolutions:
1. Freudian Revolution
2. Copernican Revolution
3. Darwinian Revolution
 Freudian
Revolutions
(Sigmund Freud)
This theory has started to revolutionized Psychiatry
with Sigmund Freud. This includes the “Freudian Theory of
Personality” that involves the human development
contributes to his/her personality and also his
“psychoanalysis” that is the process for achieving proper
functioning if a human does not complete his/her
developmental stage.
The method of psychoanalysis is a scientific way
to study the human mind and neurotic illness. His method
was unorthodox – focusing on human sexuality and evil
nature of man.
 Copernican
Revolutions
(Nicolaus Copernicus)
This caused the paradigm shift of how the earth and
sun were placed in the heavens/universe. It is the idea that
rejected Ptolemaic model (earth is the center of the
solar system) and proved the heliocentric model (Sun
is the center of the solar system having earth
revolving around it). This idea and model of the universe
was essentially completed in 1510.
 Darwinian Revolutions
Charles (Charles Darwin)
Darwin is famous for his theory of
evolution. He changed our concept of the world’s creation
and evolution.
This has brought a great impact on how people
approach Biology forever. This revolution provided a
different than the “theory of creation”. The Darwinian
revolution started when Charles Darwin published his book
“The Origin of Species” in 1589 that emphasizes that
humans are the result of an evolution.
His book presented evidence on how species
evolved over time and presented traits and adaptation that
differentiate species.
Cradles of Early
Science
 Development of
Science in
Mesoamerica
Mesoamerica includes the entire area of Central
America from Southern Mexico up to the border of South
America. There is no doubt that the Mesoamerican region is
rich in culture and knowledge prior to the arrival of its
European colonizers.
Mayan Civilization is one of the famous civilizations
that lasted approximately 2, 000 years.
￭ These people are known for their works in
astronomy. They incorporated their advance
understanding of astronomy into their temples
and other religious structures. This allows them to
use their temples for astronomical observation.
For example, the pyramid in Chichen Itza in
Mexico is it waited at the location of the sun
during the fall and spring equinoxes.
￭ Mayan knowledge and understanding about
celestial bodies was advance for their time – as
evidenced by their knowledge of predicting
eclipses and using astrological cycles in planting
and harvesting.
￭ The Mayans are also known for measuring
time using two complicated calendar systems.
These calendars were very useful for their life
especially in planting their activities and in
observing their religious rituals and cultural
celebrations.
￭ The Mayans also developed the technology for
growing different crops and building elaborate
cites using ordinary machineries and tools. They
built hydraulic system with sophisticated
waterways to supply water to different
communities.
￭ They used various tools and adapt
themselves to innovations especially in the field
of arts. Mayans built looms for weaving cloth and
devised a rainbow of glitter paint made from
mineral called mica.
￭ They’re also believed to be one of the first people
to produce rubber products 3,000 years before
Goodyear received in patent in 1844.
￭ One of the most scientifically advanced societies
in Mesoamerica. They are also famous as one of
the world’s first civilizations to use a writing
system known as the Mayan heiroglyphics.
￭ They were also skilled in mathematics and
created a number system based on the numeral
20.
￭ They also independently developed the concept
of zero and positive value, even before the
Romans did.

Inca civilization is also famous in Mesoamerica.

The Incas made advanced scientific ideas
considering their limitations as an old civilization.
The following were scientific ideas and tools that
they developed to help them in everyday life.
Contributions
￭ roads paved with stones
￭ stone buildings that surmounted earthquakes and
other disasters
￭ Irrigation system and technique for storing water
for their crops to grow in all types of land
￭ calendar with 12 months to mark their religious
festivals and prepare them for planting season
￭ the first suspension bridge
￭ Quipo, a system of knotted ropes to keep records
that only experts can interpret
￭ Inca textiles since cloth was one of the specially
prized artistic achievements rise
Aztec civilization has also made substantial
contributions to science and technology and to the
society as a whole.

Contributions
1. Mandatory education. The Aztec put value on
education that is why their children are
mandated to get education regardless of their
social class, gender, or age. It is an early form of
universal or inclusive education.
2. Chocolates. The Aztec in Mexico developed
chocolate during their time. In the Mayan
culture, they use it as currency. The Aztec valued
cacao beans highly and made it as part of their
tribute to their gods.
3. Antispasmodic medication. They used a type
of antispasmodic medication that could prevent
muscle spasms and relax muscles, which could
help during surgery.
4. Chinampa. It is a form as Aztec technology for
agricultural farming in which the land was
divided into rectangular areas and surrounded
by canal.
5. Aztec calendar. This enabled them to plan their
activites, rituals and planting season.
6. Invention of the canoe. A light narrow boat
used for traveling in water system.
 Development of
Science in
Asia
Asia is the biggest continent in the world and the
home of many ancient civilizations. It is a host to many
cultural, economic, scientific, and political activities of all
ages. In the field of science, technology, and mathematics,
great civilizations have stood out in India, China, and the
Middle East civilizations. These civilizations were
incomparable in terms of their contributions to the
development of knowledge during their time.
India is a huge peninsula surrounded by vast bodies
of water and fortified by huge mountains in its
northern boarders. The Indians creatively developed
various ideas and technologies useful in their
everyday lives.

Contributions:
1. They are known for manufacturing iron and in
metallurgical works. Their iron steel is
considered to be the best and held with high
regard in the whole of Roman Empire.
2. India is famous in medicine. Ayurveda, a
system of traditional medicine that originated
in ancient India before 2500 BC, is still
predicted as a form of alternative medicine.
3. Ancient India is also notable in the field of
astronomy. They developed theories and the
configuration of the universe, the spherical self-
supporting Earth and the year of 360 days with
12 equal parts of 30 days each.
4. Ancient India is also known for their mathematics.
The earliest traces of mathematical knowledge in
the Indian subcontinent appeared in the Indus
Valley Civilization. The people of this civilization,
tried to standardized measurement of length to a
high degree of accuracy and designed a ruler, the
Mohenjo-Daro ruler.
5. Indian astronomer and mathematician Aryabhata,
in his Aryabhata introduced a number of
trigonometric functions, tables and techniques as
China is one of the ancient civilizations with substantial
contributions in many areas of life like medicine,
astronomy, science, mathematics arts, philosophy, and
music, among others. Chinese civilizations have greatly
influenced many of its neighboring countries like Korea,
Japan, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia,
Myanmar, and other countries that belong to the old
Silk Road.

Contributions:
1. Chinese are known for traditional medicines, a
product of centuries of experiences and
discovery of the Chinese people. They
discovered various medical properties and uses
of different plants and animals to cure human
illness. An example is the practice of
2. In terms of technology, Chinese are known to
develop many tools. Among the famous
discoveries and inventions of the Chinese
civilization were compass, paper making,
gunpowder, and printing tools that became
known in the West only by the end of the Middle
Ages. They also invented other tools like iron
plough, wheelbarrow and propeller, among
others. They also developed a design of different
models of bridges, invented the first
seismological detector, and developed a dry
dock facility.
3. Chinese also made significant records and
supernovas, lunar and solar eclipses, and
comets, which were carefully recorded and
preserved to better understand the heavenly
4. Chinese are also known in seismology. This made
them more prepared in times of natural
calamities.

Middle East Countries are dominantly occupied

by Muslims. With the spread of Islam in the 7th and
8th centuries, a period of Muslim scholarship or what
is called the Golden Age of Islam lasted until the 13th
century. The common language of Arabic, access to
Greek texts form the Byzantine Empire, and their
proximity to India were contributory to
intellectualization of the Muslims and provided their
scholars knowledge to create innovations and
develop new ideas. But contrary to the Greeks,
Muslim scientists placed greater value on science
experiments rather than plain-thought experiments.
development of the scientific method in the Muslim
world and made significant improvements by using
experiments to distinguish between competing
scientific theories set within a generally empirical
orientation.

Contributions:
1. Ibn al-Haytham is regarded as the Father of
Optics, especially for his empirical proof of
the intromission theory of light.
2. Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi gave
his name to concept the algorithm while the
term algebra is derived from al-jabr, the
beginning of the title of one of his
publications. What is now known as the
India but Muslim mathematicians did make
several refinements to the number system, such
as the introduction of decimal point rotation.
3. Jabir ibn Hayyan – considered to be the
Father of Chemistry.
4. Ibn Sina – pioneered the science of
experimental medicine and was the first
physician to conduct clinical trials. His most
notable works in medicine, the Book of
Healing and the Canon of Medicine, were
used as standard medicinal texts in both the
Muslim world and in Europe during the 17th
century. Among his many contributions are
the discovery of the contagious nature of
infections disease and the introduction of
 Development of
Science in
Africa
Africa is blessed with natural and mineral resources.
Science also emerged in this part of the planet long before
the Europeans colonized it. The history of science and
mathematics show that similar to other civilizations, the
early civilizations in Africa are knowledge procedures too.

Contributions:
1. The Ancient Egyptian civilization has contributed
immensely and made significant advances in the
fields of astronomy, mathematics, and medicine.
For example, the development of geometry was a
product of necessity to preserve the layout and
ownership of farmlands of the Egyptians living along the
Nile River.
2. Egypt was known to be the center of alchemy, which
is known as the medieval forerunner of chemistry.
They tried to study human anatomy and
pharmacology, and applied important components
each as examination, diagnosis, treatment and
prognosis for the treatment of the diseases. These
components displayed strong parallels to the basic
empirical method of studying science.
3. Astronomy was also famous in African region. For
instance, documents show that Africans used three
types of calendars: lunar, solar and stellar or
4. Metallurgy was also known in the African regions
during the ancient times. They invented metal
tools used in their homes, in agriculture, and in
building their magnificent architectures.
5. Mathematics was also known to be prominent in
the life of early people in the African continent.
The Lebomo Bone from the mountains between
Swaziland and South Africa, which may have been
a tool for multiplication, division and simple
mathematics calculation or a six-month lunar
calendar, is considered to be the oldest known
mathematical artifact dated fro, 35,000 BCE.