Intellectual Revolutions and Society

Intended Learning Outcomes
At the end of the discussion, you are expected

to
1. articulate the ideas postulated by Copernicus;
2. question the theories of the revolutionists in order to fully
understand them; and
3. write a short reflection about the ideas postulated by
Copernicus, Darwin, and Freud.
1. What are the different ideas postulated by Copernicus?
2. What was the main idea of Copernicus's theory?

3. What are characteristics of the heliocentric
model?
Discussion
Intellectual Revolution
The intellectual revolution had changed the way people perceive the influence
of science on society in general. It focuses on three of the most important
intellectual revolutions in history: Copernican, Darwinian, and Freudian. By
discussing these intellectual revolutions in the context of science, technology,
and society, the attention of students is drawn again toward the complex
interplay of the various social contexts and the development of modern
science.
Now, let us proceed to the three prominent scientists who contributed to the
field of science and technology.
The picture above is Nicolaus Copernicus, one of the three famous scientists. He
postulated a model, known as the "heliocentric model." To give you a little
background about the biography of Copernicus and his model, please click the
video below.
The Copernican Revolution
The Copernican Revolution refers to the 16th-century paradigm shift
named after the Polish mathematician and astronomer, Nicolaus Copernicus.
Copernicus formulated the heliocentric model of the universe. At the time,
the belief was that the earth was the center of the solar system based on the
geocentric model of Ptolemy.
Copernicus introduced the heliocentric model in a 40-page outline entitled

Commentariolus. He formalized his model in the publication of his treatise,
The Revolution of Celestial Spheres in 1543. In his model, Copernicus
repositioned the earth from the center of the Solar System and introduced
the idea that the earth rotates on its own axis. The model illustrated the
earth, along with the other heavenly bodies, to be rotating around the sun.
The idea that the sun is at the center of the universe instead of the earth
proved to be unsettling to many when Copernicus first introduced his model.
In fact, the heliocentric model was met with huge resistance, primarily from
the church, accusing Copernicus of heresy. At the time, the idea that it was
not the earth, and, by extension, not man, that was at the center of all
creation was unthinkable. Copernicus faced persecution from the church
because of this. However, despite the persecution and the problems with the
model, the heliocentric model was soon accepted by other scientists of the
time, most profoundly by Galileo Galilei.
The contribution of the Copernican Revolution is far-reaching. It served as a
catalyst to sway scientific thinking away from age-long views about the position
of the earth relative to the position to an enlightened understanding of the
universe. This marked the beginning of modern astronomy. Although very
slowly, the heliocentric model eventually caught on among other astronomers
who further refined the model and contributed to the recognition of
heliocentrism. This was capped off by Isaac Newton's work a century later. Thus,
the Copernican Revolution marked a turning point in the study of cosmology
and astronomy making it a truly important intellectual revolution. Below is the
Copernicus Theory.
Summary
In summary, astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus proposed
the heliocentric hypothesis. The planets orbit the Sun,
according to this concept; Earth is a planet that, in
addition to circling the Sun yearly, also rotates once daily
on its own axis; and the precession of the equinoxes is
caused by extremely gradual changes in the direction of
this axis.
Intended Learning Outcomes
At the end of the discussion, you are expected to
1. articulate the ideas postulated by Copernicus,

Darwin, and Freud;
2. question the theories of the revolutionists in order to
fully understand them; and
3. write a short reflection about the ideas postulated by
Copernicus, Darwin, and Freud.
1. Isn't evolution just a theory that remains unproven?
2. Are all species related?
3. What is a species?
4. What do genes have to do with evolution?
5. What role does sex play in evolution?
6. Is evolution a random process?
7. Are evolution and "survival of the fittest" the same
thing?
8. How does natural selection work?
Discussion
Charles Darwin
Famous for his theory of evolution, which posited that populations pass
through a process of natural selection in which only the fittest would
survive. He published his book The Origin of Species in 1589. His book
presented evidence on how species evolved over time and presented
traits and adaptations that differentiate species.
In his book The Descent of Man, he introduced the idea of all organic
life, including human beings, under the realm of evolutionary thinking.
His unorthodox way of pursuing science gave more value to evidence-
based science. It is a science marked by observation and experiment.
Summary
In summary, the mechanism that Darwin
proposed for evolution is natural selection.
Because resources are limited in nature,
organisms with heritable traits that favor
survival and reproduction will tend to leave
more offspring than their peers, causing the
traits to increase in frequency over generations.
Discussion about Sigmund Freud
1. What are the ideas of Sigmund Freud?
2. What are the controversies or questions on
Freud's ideas how can you describe Freudian
ideas as a scientist?
3. What did Freud believe about dreams?
4. What did Freud believe about human nature?
Discussion
Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud is known for his school of thought

known as "Psychoanalysis." This school of thought 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. Below is Freud's
comparison of the mind to an iceberg.
Psychoanalysis immediately shot into controversy for it
emphasized the existence of the unconscious where
feelings, thoughts, urges, emotions, and memories are
contained outside of one's conscious mind.
Psychoanalytic concepts of psychosexual development,
libido, and ego were met with both support and resistance
from many scholars. Freud suggested that humans are
inherently pleasure-seeking individuals. These notions
were particularly caught into the crossfire of whether
Freud's psychoanalysis fit in the study of the brain and
mind.
Scientists working on biological approaches in studying
human behavior criticized psychoanalysis for lack of
validity and bordering on being scientific as a theory.
Particularly, the notion that all humans are destined to
exhibit Oedipus and Electra complexes (the sexual
desire towards the parent of the opposite sex and
exclusions of the parent of the same sex) did not seem
to be supported by empirical data. In the same way, it
appeared to critics that psychoanalysis, then, was more
of an ideological stance than a scientific one.
Amidst controversy, Freud's psychoanalysis
is widely credited for dominating
psychotherapeutic practice in the early 20th
century.
The video explains Sigmund Freud's psychoanalysis. He discussed the
structures of personality, id, ego, and superego. These three structures are
continuously in conflict with one another. Also, he mentioned the stages of
psychosexual development of individuals. The first is the oral stage where
the child gets its satisfaction from the mouth; second is the anal stage, the
child undergoes toilet training; the third stage is the phallic stage where the
child develops complexes, the Electra complex (the girl is attracted to the
father) and the Oedipal complex ( the young boy is attracted to the
mother); the fourth stage is the latency stage where the child's focus is on
education or learning, and the last stage is the genital stage where there is a
recurrence of the sex organs as the source of satisfaction.
In summary, Sigmund Freud's contribution to the area of science is
his "Psychoanalysis" school of thinking. He proposed that numerous
conscious and unconscious variables impact behavior and
emotions, and that personality is the result of three opposing
elements: the id, ego, and superego. Despite the fact that his school
of thinking was widely condemned, psychodynamic treatments,
which treat a wide range of psychological problems, are still heavily
influenced by Freud's work on psychoanalysis.
Also, we may deduce that the three revolutionary theories are just a
few of the numerous scientific concepts that have shaped and
altered civilizations and beliefs. The shifts in the scientific
community's and the public's viewpoints and perceptions are proof
of science and technology's connection to mankind. Through
scientific research and experimentation, people will continue to
deepen their understanding of the world and the universe.

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Intended Learning Outcomes

At the end of the discussion, you are expected

2. What was the main idea of Copernicus's theory?

Copernicus introduced the heliocentric model in a 40-page outline entitled

1. articulate the ideas postulated by Copernicus,

Sigmund Freud is known for his school of thought

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