MODULE 1 SECTION 3: INTELLECTUAL REVOLUTIONS AND SOCIETY

Intellectual Revolution

Intellectual revolution refers to series of events that led to the emergence of modern science and
more current scientific thinking across critical periods in history. It reveals how society was transformed
by science and technology for it has a lot of improvements in astronomy, chemistry, mathematics and
physics.

It is also the period where paradigm shifts occurred. It is where the scientific beliefs that have
been widely embraced and accepted by the people were challenged and opposed. It is the time period
when advancements of science and technology changed people’s perception and beliefs.

Copernican Revolution

In the early times, people were fascinated with the heavenly bodies. They became interested with
the stars, sun, moons and planets. Their curiosity is focused on the components of the universe and
wanted to know the movement of the heavenly bodies and the effects in the world where they live.

In the 6th century, Claudius Ptolemy introduced the geocentric model which described the absolute
perception of the universe with the Earth as its center which was thought to be true by most of the people
and was widely accepted at that time.

Copernican Revolution marks the shift from the belief that the Earth was the center of the universe
to the heliocentric model of the universe where the sun is the center of the solar system, as articulated by
the Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus in the 16th century. In his heliocentric model, Copernicus
repositioned the Earth from the center of the Solar System and introduced the idea that the Earth rotates
on its own axis causing day and night. The Earth along with other heavenly bodies rotates around the
sun.

Figure 3.1. Nichoaus Copernicus: Proponent of Heliocentrism.

(https://prezi.com/ew7js5aftabe/copernican-revolution/)
 Figure 3.2. Comparison of the Geocentric and Heliocentric Theories
(https://prezi.com/ew7js5aftabe/copernican-revolution/)

The heliocentric model was hardly accepted by the people, primarily by the church accusing
Copernicus of heresy. He even faced persecution because of this. They held their stance on their beliefs
and refused to accept the heliocentric model of the universe as the truth.

The shift from geocentric to heliocentric slowly happened through the contributions of the following
intellectual persons.

 Tycho Brahe’s careful observation of the star, Cassiopeia. He developed a compromise between
the heliocentric and geocentric models of the universe.
 Johannes Kepler’s said that all planets move in elliptical orbits and the sun at the center
 Galileo Galilie’s developed his own telescope and observed Venus
 Sir Isaac Newton’s law of gravitation

Heliocentrism was eventually accepted by people and marks the birth of modern astronomy which
resulted in the transformation of society’s thoughts and beliefs. The Copernican Revolution marked a
turning point in the study of cosmology and astronomy making it a truly significant intellectual revolution.

DARWINIAN REVOLUTION

This Darwinian Revolution started when Charles Darwin Darwin (1809-1882) (Figure 3.3)
published his book “On the Origin of Species” which emphasizes that organisms are the result of an
evolution, a change in the heritable characteristics of biological population over successive generations.
He theorized that species of organisms arise and develop through the natural selection of small inherited
variations that increase individual’s ability to compete, survive, and reproduce. Natural selection is often
described as survival of the fittest, where fitness refers to the ability to survive and reproduce. This theory
of evolution has two main points: (1) all life on Earth is connected and related to each other and (2) this
diversity of life came about because of the modifications in populations that were driven by natural
selection. An commonly cited example of the evolutionary process can be seen in the beaks of
Galapagos finches. (Figure 3.4)
 Figure 3.3. Charles Darwin: the Father of Evolution. (https://prezi.com/p/ped420lwyuyj/darwinian-
revolution/)

Figure 3.4. Adaptation of the beak of Darwin’s Finches (https://prezi.com/p/ped420lwyuyj/darwinian-

revolution/)
Just like Copernicus, Darwin’s theory of evolution also met resistance from the society. Critics see
the theory of evolution to be contradictory to the church’s teachings that the source of life is a powerful
creator. The theory emerged at a time when most of the population believed and accepted the biblical
version of the Earth’s creation. This caused conflict among people. Some believed that the theory
explained the origin of life, while the religious and faithful contradicts it. This caused a debate between
science and religion.

FREUDIAN REVOLUTION

According to MacNamara, et al. (2018), the field of psychology was considered more of an art
rather than science and was classified under the area of philosophy. However, because of Sigmund
Freud (Figure 3.5), the perception of society to psychology changed. In the 19 th century, Freud
developed his theory of psychoanalysis. According to Quinto, et al. (2019), psychoanalysis is “a scientific
method of understanding inner and unconscious conflicts embedded within one’s personality, springing
from free associations, dreams and fantasies of the individual.” Among his ideas include the importance
of the unconscious (Figure 3.6.), and the concept of id, ego, and superego (Figure 3.7). Freud
emphasized the understanding of unconscious because of its importance in human behavior.

Sigmund Freud was an Austrian neurologist who is perhaps most known as the founder of
psychoanalysis which, defined as a set of psychological theories and therapeutic methods with
 the belief that all people possess unconscious thoughts, feelings, desires, and memories.
According to his theory, personalities arise because of attempts to resolve conflicts between
unconscious sexual and aggressive impulses and societal demands to restrain these impulses.

Figure 3.5. Sigmund Freud: Father of Psychoanalysis

(https://prezi.com/6lnwzo7tp3dc/the-freudian-revolution/)

Figure 3.6. Freud compared the mind to an iceberg. (https://www.simplypsychology.org/Sigmund-

Freud.html)

Figure 3.7. The Three Parts Psyche.

(https://prezi.com/6lnwzo7tp3dc/the-freudian-revolution/)