Evolution of Natural Sciences
Uploaded by
ScribdTranslationsEvolution of Natural Sciences
Uploaded by
ScribdTranslationsBrief History of the Evolution of Natural Sciences
The evolution of Natural Sciences envisions a chronological era.
from Scientists, who made significant contributions that served as a basis for
subsequent studies for its current evolution. It is important to emphasize that
this evolution implies a prolonged history as well as of scientists without
embargo, the most prominent scientists will be covered.
During ancient Greece, the contributions to the Natural Sciences were
result of a logical reasoning. Among them is Aristotle (384-322
a.C.), was the first to speak of the philosophy of science; he proposed that the
matter was made up of four fundamental elements: fire,
water, earth and air, but he believed there was a fifth element called
ether, which was the material that celestial bodies were composed of.
In the field of biology, he made the first classifications of living beings.
in two great kingdoms: Animal Kingdom and Plant Kingdom, this system
consisting of two large kingdoms was formalized by the naturalist Carlos
Linnaeus (1707-1778) in his classification system Binomial Nomenclature.
Aristotle formulated the theory of spontaneous generation to explain the origin of the
life; that is to say, that every living being originated from another inert being; this theory
it took many years to be better studied and perfected by others
scientists like Louis Pasteur (forerunner of microbiology) and Charles
Darwin (origin of species and theory of natural selection).
In the field of astronomy, he put forward the first solid arguments.
against the traditional theory of the flat Earth, established the Aristotelian theory
of the solar system (geocentric theory) which was later completed by Claudio
Ptolemy in the second century, where both concluded that everything revolved around
the earth, later this Aristotelian-Ptolemaic astronomical model was
replaced by Nicolaus Copernicus (1514) his idea was that the Sun was
stationary at the center and that the Earth and the planets moved in orbits
"circles around them" (Hawking, cited by Bravo, 2001). One of the
the most critiquable aspects of Aristotelian doctrine were in the area of physics
since he claimed that bodies fall with a velocity proportional to their
weight, Galileo was the one who proved otherwise. However, many of the
Studies of this doctrine were great contributions to science, despite the fact that
many ideas were mistaken, it served as a basis for other researchers to
that they will conduct studies with their respective verification; it is here where
reside that has been objected to and overcome in all fields; due to the fact that
It was based solely on the knowledge of observing the world to explain it.
but did not apply experimentation.
Democritus (460-370) made a significant contribution to Chemistry.
developed atomic doctrine, believed that all matter was
made up of tiny particles called atoms, which defined it.
as indivisible particles. However, this theory was refuted by others
scientific philosophers of their time. This Greek philosophical theory just like
it all relied solely on logical reasoning. Many years later, this
theory was taken into consideration by John Dalton (1803) where he established
that all matter is made up of atoms, that all elements are
formed by atoms and a molecule is formed as a result of the union of
the atoms of two or more elements, thus being the great step towards the theory
atomic.
For two thousand years (2000) there were no significant changes in the
evolution of Natural Sciences until the Renaissance, Galileo
Galileo (1564-1642), who is considered the father of Science.
Moderna. Among its most significant contributions, it formulated the method.
modern scientist.
According to Contreras (2006), Galileo's method can be summarized as:
Based on the data from the experiment, a model is built.
experimental ideal, which is developed later and thus
it is established.
The repetition of the experiment allows for averages to be obtained of the
measurable magnitudes.
The magnitudes obtained through the experiment constitute the
starting point for the formulation of a mathematical hypothesis.
The consequences are verified through the experiment and
they serve as indirect confirmation of the developed hypothesis.
From the above, it could be said that Galileo unified the
theory with the experiment as an integral part of a process of
research, which includes inductive knowledge, as well as the
contrasting and verifying hypotheses.
Other notable contributions were to physics, among which are included the
laws of pendulum motion, the laws of free fall of bodies and of the
parabolic trajectory of projectiles. On the other hand, he perfected the telescope
turning it into a telescope that allowed him to make new ones
discoveries in the field of astronomy among its achievements are:
demonstrated that the surface of the moon was not crystalline, but was
cratered and mountainous cover, determined the rotation period of the Sun and the
in the direction of its axis, he discovered Jupiter's four largest moons and together
with the scientist Johannes Kepler they began to publicly support the theory
Copernican, despite the fact that the orbits it predicted did not fit accurately
to the observed; that is; suggesting that the planets did not move in
circles, but in ellipses. Currently, all of Galileo's contributions.
Galileo's ideas are still valid.
Francis Bacon (1561-1626), contemporary with Galileo, his great merit
It was proposed that knowledge should be applied in the sciences.
scientific. Therefore, he proposed that scientists must be above all
skeptical and not trusting, especially in explanations that are not
you can verify with experience and observation (the basis of
empirical thinking.
In the Middle Ages, it marked the development of the sciences, especially of the
Mathematics among the most outstanding scientists Isaac Newton (1642-1727)
and Gottfried Leibniz (1646-1716). Isaac Newton in the field of physics, study
optics and electrostatics, discovered the law of universal gravitation demonstrated of
According to your law, gravity is the cause of the motion of the stars.
established Newton's laws: the law of inertia, the fundamental law of the
dynamics and the law of action and reaction, in the field of Mathematics
development of Mathematical Calculation, the Binomial Theorem and the
calls, Newton-Cotes formulas.
Leibniz develops infinitesimal calculus and the binary system which is
the basis of computers used the matrix as a mathematical concept for
solving systems of linear equations applicable to various areas such as
engineering, economics, statistics, biology, physics among others. In the field of the
philosophy highlighted the principle of sufficient reason (no fact occurs
without there being a reason).
In the 19th century, the most significant advancements in the field of chemistry
the rearrangement of chemical elements in a table is established
Periodic, this system was proposed by Mendeleev (1869), the principle
fundamental of chemical equilibrium proposed by Le Chatelier and up to this
It was thought in the century that natural products could not be synthesized in a way
artificial, Kekule was one of the pioneers in defining organic chemistry
like the chemistry of carbon.
In the field of biology, the greatest contribution was that of Charles Darwin.
(1859) which established the origin of species and published the theory of
evolution through natural selection, is the one that adapts best and has been
reinforced by other scientists. Another great contribution was that of Gregorio
Mendel is considered the father of genetics, which made a great leap forward in the field.
modern biology.
In the field of physics, Faraday (1831) discovered induction.
electromagnetic, established the laws of electrolysis, Morley demonstrates to
through his experiment the invariance of light.
