Natural philosophy was transformed during the Scientific Revolution in 16th- to 17th-century Europe, as new ideas and discoveries departed from previous Greek conceptions and traditions. The New Science that emerged was more mechanistic in its worldview, more integrated with mathematics, and more reliable and open as its knowledge was based on a newly defined scientific method. More "revolutions" in subsequent centuries soon followed. The chemical revolution of the 18th century, for instance, introduced new quantitative methods and measurements for chemistry. In the 19th century, new perspectives regarding the conservation of energy, age of Earth, and evolution came into focus.The Oxford English Dictionary dates the origin of the word "scientist" to 1834. And in the 20th century, new discoveries in genetics and physics laid the foundations for new sub disciplines such as molecular biology and particle physics. Moreover, industrial and military concerns as well as the increasing complexity of new research endeavors ushered in the era of "big science," particularly after World War II.
NATURal philOsOpHy Was TraNsformeD dURiNg tHe scIentIfiC revoluTion in 16tH- TO 17th-centuRy euRoPe, as NEw IdEas aNd discovEries dEParTed frOm prEVioUS greEk cOncepTioNs And TradITioNs. the neW sciENce that EmeRgED waS moRE mEchanIstIc in itS worLDview, more INtEgrAted WIth mAthemATIcs, anD More ReliabLE AnD Open AS iTs kNOwledGe waS baSed on a NEwly deFiNed SCiEntific mEThod. mORe "rEvOlutions" iN subseQuenT cEnturIeS sOOn followeD. ThE chemICal revoluTiOn OF thE 18tH century, fOr Instance, iNtrODUcED New quaNTiTatiVE methOdS and measURements for ChemIsTrY. iN the 19th centuRy, new pErSPeCtiveS Regarding The conserVation of EnErgy, Age of EaRth, ANd evoLuTIOn cAmE Into fOcUS.tHe OXFord engLISh dicTionaRy dateS The oRigIN Of thE word "sciEntist" to 1834. ANd in THe 20Th CenTury, nEw disCoveRIeS In geneticS anD physiCs LaId the foUndaTIoNs fOr new sUB dISciPLinEs suCh as mOLEcuLar bIology ANd particle PhysiCs. moreovEr, iNDusTRial aNd miLitARy concerns As well as The iNcreasINg comPLexITy oF new researCh eNDEavoRs UsheRED iN THe ERA of "big scieNcE," pARTiCUlaRLy AftEr woRlD WAr ii.