The Renaissance and Reformation upheavals led to a brand-new scientific outlook. The Scientific Revolution shook off the Aristotelian system's hold and introduced modern science. Francis Bacon, Galileo Galilei, and Adam Smith, among others, challenged the existing system as new views of nature surfaced. Though many Europeans relied on the church as their primary source of knowledge, the revolution unearthed science-based answers that began with astronomy.

Copernicus defied traditional astronomy to fulfill Plato's precept, leading to breakthroughs that sparked widespread interest. For nearly two millennia, the Greek viewpoint that had dominated science had been put to question. Faith in science was rekindled as it relied more on facts and quantitative reasoning, contrary to church teachings. People started comparing established facts to the unknown Bible tales. The scientific revolution focused on human reasoning, leading to questions about human existence and everything around them, and paved the way for a logical way of understanding the universe. Figures like Voltaire, who championed religious tolerance, added more perspectives in the public's consciousness, expanding our knowledge of the natural world exponentially.

As the scientific revolution grew, so did the power of individuals willing to speak out. Jean-Jacques Rousseau developed "the social contract," where people gave up some rights to the government in exchange for societal functions and protection from the government. John Locke outlined individual rights, propelling democracy and changing the rules. Science became a distinct field, seen to have practical applications rather than religious or philosophical ones. This greatness and success made science the most trusted authority on truth and how it is found.

The Scientific Revolution introduced a rational narrative for physics, with well-defined principles of movement and gravity, paving the way for many advances and inventions. It demonstrated the might of the human mind and laid the foundation for the Age of Enlightenment, nurturing individualistic values. Religion and science both attempt to explain the universe's existence, but science relies on observable and testable empirical data, while religion has become more subjective. By the end of the 17th century, science had taken center stage, supplanting Christianity as the foundation of European civilization.