Gutenberg Revolution

An essay submitted to
The University of Mindanao,
Matina Campus

In Fulfillment
Of the Requirement for the Narrative Manuscript in
Science, Technology, and Society

Submitted To:
Mr. Vanlyke Vaughn Fernandez

Submitted By:
Alyssa Marie Gabutero
Hannah Grace Balite
Paul Vincent Homeres
Zen Allyza Mae Resgonia
Reabel Asoy
Leah Ricaplaza
Lester Basanta Galvez
Judah Caballero
Lady Grace Abastas

June 2023
 Gutenberg Revolution

An invention is not a revolution but the beginning of a journey. Inventions

introduce innovation into society, and when it spreads and radically changes our

everyday life, it is called revolution. Woodblock printing began in China during the

9th century. Four centuries later, Korea started to use a metal moving type of.

However, it was in Europe that printing became a revolution. Gutenberg Revolution,

which took place during the 15th century, refers to the significant impact of Johannes

Gutenberg's invention that completely transformed the printing procedure and had a

profound influence on society, communication, and the dissemination of knowledge.

The printing press made books more widely available by enabling their mass

manufacture at a lower price. This development made it much easier to spread

ideas, increased literacy rates, and had an influential impact on the Renaissance,

Reformation, and Scientific Revolution.

Johannes Gutenberg was the main key figure of the revolution. Gutenberg

was a German entrepreneur and a goldsmith. His father worked as the producer of

gold coins for the Holy Roman Empire. During the 1440s, he began to develop a

moving-type printing process using his knowledge of molding coin casts. He also

experimented with ink and paper. In 1450, he printed his first book, a short Latin

grammar for students. However, Gutenberg had a much bigger project in mind. In

1454, he mass-produced the Gutenberg bible with the help of Johann Fust's financial

support and Peter Schoeffer's labor. Peter played a crucial role in refining the printing

process and contributed to the development of the printing press, while Fust ended
his affiliation with Gutenberg's printing business in the later years when Johannes

failed to pay the loan and lost the intellectual property right of his invention.

During its time, the Gutenberg Revolution was critical to the advancement of

contemporary science and scientific thinking. The printing press played a crucial role

in the Scientific Revolution, the Renaissance, and the Enlightenment. The availability

of printed scientific texts contributed to the intellectual and cultural shifts that

characterized these periods. The printing press enabled the production of identical

copies of books, ensuring consistency and accuracy in the dissemination of scientific

information. This standardization helped establish a shared scientific vocabulary and

facilitated the exchange of ideas among scientists. Scientists could engage with a

wider range of ideas, challenge established beliefs, and develop new scientific

methodologies. The printing press provided a platform for the dissemination of

groundbreaking scientific works, such as Copernicus's heliocentric model and

Newton's laws of motion, which revolutionized our understanding of the natural

world. It also laid the groundwork for some scientific revolutions that would follow in

the centuries ahead.

The Gutenberg Press revolution was not without its controversies. While the

printing press brought about remarkable advancements, it also raised significant

societal and ethical issues that had to be addressed and shaped the development of

the printing industry in the centuries that followed. One example is the intellectual

property disputes between Gutenberg and Fust. Johannes Gutenberg faced legal

challenges from his former business partner, Johann Fust, over the repayment of a
loan. Fust eventually won the case and took control of Gutenberg's printing business.

Another controversy is the resistance from the church. The printing press challenged

the authority of the Catholic Church, as it allowed for the dissemination of religious

texts, including vernacular translations of the Bible. It was the Bible that sparked the

debate; the church was concerned that the spread of theological knowledge in the

common tongue would lead to a decline in its authority and stature. Besides the

church, the printing press disrupted the existing manuscript industry and threatened

the livelihoods of scribes and illuminators who produced handwritten books. The

issue led to resistance and protests from those whose professions were affected by

the mass production of printed books. Furthermore, as administrations strove to

regulate and control the dissemination of ideas, the quick diffusion of information

through printed materials prompted worries about censorship and control.