The Scientific Revolution by Robert Freeman

The Scientific Revolution in 50 pages.


The Scientific Revolution by Robert Freeman lays out the basics of the scientific revolution in 50 pages. The author is/was an AP history teacher and has published a whole series of "one-hour histories," that one assumes originated as distilled lectures from years of teaching.

The Scientific Revolution emphasizes the how and why with just enough names and dates to support the big ideas. For example he distills the conflict with the church to be a one of faith, revelation and authority on one side and reason, theory and evidence on the other.

As might be expected from high school lectures, the ideas are clear and accessible to a wide audience - no footnotes, no references, no index, no bibliography, no academic pretension. A fun read for all ages.

On another level the science vs church dichotomy has many similarities to the 21st century, so as should be expected of all good history, this little booklet has a pleasant subversive quality.

I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway on April 21, 2014. I received my copy on April 25, 2014.