Seen as the most significant event since the rise of Christianity and the ultimate reason for the cultural domination of Western civilization in the modern world, the Scientific Revolution began in the sixteenth century and culminated in the work of Isaac Newton and his contemporaries in the early eighteenth century. This was the period in which the techniques, major precepts and worldview of modern science were first established.

This study provides a brief survey and accessible guide not only to the astonishing scientific innovations of that time, but also to the reasons why the Scientific Revolution occurred when and where it did. Beginning with an explanation of its emergence as an aspect of the wider changes of the European Renaissance, it considers, among other things: the rise of mathematicians from humble craft practitioners to the intellectual leaders of science. the role of magic in the development of the experimental method. the belief that knowledge of nature should be useful for the amelioration of the human condition. the importance of religious beliefs in the rise of the modern scientific worldview.

Writing with the non-scientist in mind, John Henry does not dwell on technical details, but instead emphasizes the social, cultural and intellectual factors which shaped the development of science. Incorporating much recent work, this new edition of The Scientific Revolution and the Origins of Modern Science presents the latest ideas on the nature and significance of these important historical changes.