Copernicus to Darwin: A Cultural History

The period from the beginning of the sixteenth century to the end of the nineteenth century saw the emergence of modern science. During this time, European ideas about the natural world underwent a series of significant, and sometimes quite dramatic, changes. Some of these, like the shift from the earth-centred to the sun‐centred cosmos have been labelled scientific revolutions. Others, such as the gradual realisation that the history of life on earth stretches back millions of years seem less spectacular by comparison, but were no less significant. In this subject, we examine the historical conditions under which this restructuring of knowledge and new ‘ways of knowing’ emerged.