AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT
Key Events
1610
SIDERIUS NUNCIUS PUBLISHED
In 1609, Galileo constructs his first telescope. A year later, he writes of his observations in Sidereus Nuncius, roughly translating as ‘Starry Messenger’. The book helps earn Galileo the attention of the Medici family and challenges known scientific ideas, helping start the ‘scientific revolution’.
1651
THOMAS HOBBES LEVIATHAN
Thomas Hobbes publishes his magnum opus, Leviathan. In it he explains the concept of the social contract that argues that human beings are naturally animalistic and in order to maintain a safe society it is necessary for a ‘social contract’ to be established, the ruling monarch being the one to do this.
FRANCIS BACON PUBLISHES HIS NOVUM ORGANUM 1620
Francis Bacon’s treatise explores his own method of scientific interpretation and how this can be used to obtain knowledge of nature, ideas that form the foundation of contemporary scientific methodology.