The Enlightenment And The Development Of Scientific Method Philosophy Essay

The judiciousness And The Development Of scientific regularity Philosophy EssayAfter Greek Civilization happened approximately 500 B.C., Sophists asserted that human race should be aware of themselves and nature as Protagoras declare (Feibleman, 1995). The early philosophic thinking influenced the counselling passel tacit and gained the intimacy. The scientific Revolution, which began in 17th century and associated with some familiar names like Isaac Isaac Newton (1643-1727), Galileo Galileo (1564-1642), had a huge come to on cut of science and progress of human companionship. Most scientific philosophers in that stream believed that reason was the key to a correct regularity, and the model of reason was mathematics. (Hankins 2003, p. 2) beforehand the promised land, people believed the companionship, tout ensemble intellectuals and essential world were creations of Gods testament, but during the pre-modern period people started to challenge those thoughts exist ed since 16th century.The discretion was a period when the reason was regarded as the way leading to dead on target knowledge and several new concepts emerged did had a huge impact on development of scientific system. In 2003, Hankins describe that the Enlightenment was not a fixed set of beliefs but a way of thinking, a critical approach that was supposed to open the way for constructive thought and action. (Hankins 2003, p. 2)The aim of this report is trying to describe and responsibility the immensity of Enlightenment in the development of the scientific system of inquiry. The Enlightenment not only provided scientific disciplines, but similarly had huge impact on latter development of scientific system.Part 1 prestigious Philosophers and Scientific modeInfluential Philosophersthither were dickens major early modern thoughts emerged during the period of the Enlightenment the Empiricism associated with Francis Bacon (1561-1626), John Locke (1632-1704) etc. and the rati onalism associated with Ren Descartes (1596-1650) etc.The Empiricism refers to an argument asserted knowledge should be gained from sentience experience and it alike underscored on several aspects of scientific knowledge related to evidence. Francis Bacons writings The Advancement of Learning and Novum Organon indicated a clearly features of scientific thinking accessing to the verity should base on observation (Smith, 2003) And he also argued that the key activity of science as one of demystifying existing assumed and irrational interpretations of the world around us (Smith 2003, p. 48) The powerful argument explained us that empirical observation is the way we should start from to gain real knowledge and up to this focalise he is believem as the Father of data-based Philosophy (Lewes 1867, p. 119) John Locke who developed Bacons root and pursued that the method acting of getting knowledge was to be based on in terms of common whiz experience. But how can we separate th e knowledge gained only by sense experience and the substantive knowledge? On this point Locke developed Bacons idea and to some extent had impact on Metaphysics by dividing propositions into analytic/ celluloid distinction (Smith 2003, p. 60).The Rationalism which associated with Ren Descartes refers to a set of argument asserting knowledge result from logical and deductive human cogitate. Descartes made marked character on the development of mathematics to discover the application of Algebra to Geometry. And his system indicated that ken being the only ground of certitude, mathematics the only method of certitude. (Lewes 1867, p.145)Scientific systemThere was only one the Enlightenment in human history, but there were several steps of construction of science and its method. There is undoubted that the Enlightenment was influenced by various philosophical thoughts, so to understand the relation back mingled with ism and science and scientific method should be the first of a ll step as to gain main target explaining the importance of the Enlightenment on development of scientific method.1.jpgFigure 1 Perspective on the place and role of scientific methodGauch, G. H. (2003) Scientific Method in Practice. Cambridge Cambridge University Press. Online Image available from http// throws.google.co.uk/books?id=iVkugqNG9dACprintsec=frontcoverdq=scientific+methodlr=hl=zh-CNsource=gbs_similarbooks_scad=1v=onepageq=f=trueFigure 1 gave a clear explanation of relation between philosophy, philosophy of science and scientific method. It is obvious to find that philosophy is grounded by common sense. Philosophy of science is the foundation of scientific method which supports scientific specialties and technology. Lewes provided a good definition of philosophy philosophy attempts to explain the phenomena of the universe. (Lewes 1867, p. xix) The relationship between philosophy and science can be depict as following statement science is the systematization of different generalities achieved jibe to particulars, and philosophy is the systematization of the generalities of generalities (Losee, 1980). So we could assert that each science associated with philosophy will be the co-ordination of its highest truths.(e. g. philosophy of science) (Lewes 1867, p. xix)The scientific method would be an essential and important tool access to revealing the truth through application of two patterns of reasoning which they are Deduction and Induction. As Toraldo di Francia stated in Gowers book in 1997 that a scientific method cannot adequately be discussed if it is dissever from the science to which it applies. (Gower 1997, p. 6-7) The scientific method used in each particularized science step by step evolved as what science did. But the period of the Enlightenment had a significant impact on the development of scientific method of inquiry.Part 2 The significance of the Enlightenment in the development of the scientific method of inquiryRosenberg argued sci ence did not really spring up independently elsewhere before or after its emergence among the Greeks 2500 geezerhood ago (Rosenberg 2000, p. 14). In ancient science, most thinkers never confronted with reality because they believed those findings were all self-disclosed and self sustained. Aristotle the first philosopher of science (Losee 1980, p. 6) may be truly styled the overprotect of the Inductive Philosophy and announce with a completeness and precision not surpassed by Bacon himself. (Lewes 1867, p. 285) Also as Lewes (1867) stated that Aristotle was the first who arranged speculative questions of break between objective lensive and subjective conceptions of phenomena, and suggested the research. By holding the contrast judgement on Plato, Aristotle searched his basis in sensory perception. His inductive deductive method gave a view of scientific inquiry that started from observation to explanatory principles by using induction and went back to observation by using ev idence (Losee, 1980).CDocuments and SettingsSophiearistotel.jpgFigure 2 Aristotles inductive deductive mathematical functionLosee, J. (1980) A Historical unveiling to the Philosophy of Science. Oxford Oxford University Press.Whether we accept it or not, the ancient scientific thoughts were the foundation of the methodology in pre-modern period. Francis Bacon an empiricist in the Enlightenment and Descartes are regarded as the Fathers of Modern Philosophy as Lewes stated (Lewes, 1867). He published a well-known literary Novum Organum in 1620 asserted a new scientific method and replace previous Aristotles methodology as Losee (1980) stated. As Bacon say all merely logical explanations are valueless (Lewes 1867, p. li), up to this point experience and induction were his reliance. Nevertheless Alexandre Koyr and E. J. Dijksterhuis in Losees book (1980) argued that Bacon regarded as an trailblazer achieved nothing in science, and his critical opinion an inductive-experimental meth od was not exquisite and original one comparing with Aristotelian method. On the contrary, John Herschel declared in Losees book (1980) that the task executed by Francis Bacon substituted in Aristotles method was stronger and better.CDocuments and SettingsSophie1.jpgFigure 3 Bacons Ladder of AxiomsLosee, J. (1980) A Historical Introduction to the Philosophy of Science. Oxford Oxford University Press.As Figure 3 presented, Bacons new method explained scientific procedure should stress on three steps gradually, progressive inductions and a method of exclusion (Losee 1980, p. 64). And to some extent, Bacon agreed with Aristotles outline of scientific procedure that the progression in science should start from observations to general principles and back to observations. So Losee (1980) argued Bacon in 1620 also emphasized the inductive scientific procedure which should gradually develop from low gunpoint of generality to inclusive ones. Furthermore, Bacon (1620) demonstrated that nat ural and experimental histories should be the base of the pyramid. Bacon summarized Aristotles weakness of inductive deductive method that did not critically practice collected data and work without complete observations, and provided his own opinion of stressing on practical application of scientific knowledge, but Lewes (1867) argued Bacon failed in scientific research because he denied the value claimed for methodology.The inversion of Francis Bacons scientific procedure was announced by Ren Descartes. Descartes agreed with Bacons propositions of pyramid, but hold the antagonist opinion to state that the work to seek general laws should begin at the top of the pyramid and go downwards as far as possible by using a deductive procedure. And he also claimed that any idea which is both clearly and distinctly present to the intelligence must be true. (Losee 1980, p. 71) And Lewes (1867) argued that due to Descartes argument we could say the Deductive Method was finally and comple tely constructed.The impact of Enlightenment on scientific methodThe previous methodology in the Enlightenment provided a scientific and philosophical foundation of modern science, and directly impacted Galileo, Newton in their scientific method. Just as Smith (2003) argued that the scientific method provided by Bacon and Descartes launch the framework for modern scientific knowledge.Galileo who made observation of the surface of the solarise and four satellites of Jupiter promoted the Method of Resolution and the Method of Composition. He agreed with Bacons inductive method and Descartes deductive. Let me explain. Just like Losee (1980) said Galileos agreement of importance of physical abstraction and idealization extended the inductive techniques. In Method of Resolution, Galileo sampled a series of fluids from observed bodies and gave an extrapolation. Losee (1980) argued that this extrapolation was only based on an legitimate phenomenon, but no normal phenomena. And such ide alization method makes him emphasize on imagination on the process of scientific procedure. But on the other hand, he also processed deductive method. In the Method of Composition, Galileo suggested the rebate of consequences that hypothesize the maximum range is achieved at 45 degree (Losee 1980, p. 55). Ohear (1991) described Galileos method had a positive feature in deductive systematization.Newton directly disagreed with Descartes deductive method and supported an examination of phenomena according to peoples generalization. So Newton declared that Although the arguing from Experiments and Observations by Induction is no Demonstration of general Conclusion, yet it is the best way of arguing which the constitution of Things admits of. (Newton 1952, p. 404) But on the other hand, he also applied deductive method in famous Optical experiment. So Smith described that it was creative mix of precise observation and scientific detachment from ones object derived from Bacon and the as sumption of human consciousness as the source of knowledge derived from Descartes.(Smith 2003, p. 53) Lets see how Newton argued his compend and Synthesis Method and how it applied on scientific procedure.Newton affirmed Aristotles inductive-deductive procedure and opposed this as his Method of Analysis and Synthesis. In order to justify his thought, he agreed with Grosseteste and Roger Bacon in thirteenth century and Galileo and Francis Bacon in 17th century as Ohear (1991) described. His method to the full applied in his famous optical experiment, and find out cheerfulness is consisted of different colors. He used inductively argued that rays of sunlight have refractive feature, and then(prenominal) he used deductive to justify his hypothesis for further consequences of this theory. gum olibanum he was able introduce his laws of motion and gravitation.ConclusionThe debates between deduction and induction never stopped, but the Enlightenment was such a of the essence(p) perio d that found the most important argument that any truth and scientific knowledge cannot be achieved without a correct scientific method. And the publicity of those methods was encouraged by several different philosophical scientists with various backgrounds. The reasoning is such a process by using scientific method to investigate new knowledge and revise previous knowledge. If a theoretical reasoning bases on sense experience, the deductive reasoning is such a process may make the scientific conclusion more rock-steady and valid. Just like Gower said the reasoning they require is, in fact, deductive rather than inductive. No matter which method they would prefer, the significance of the Enlightenment is to establish thinking searching scientific methodology for each scientific course.