What Kind of Conceptual Change Paved the Way for the Scientific Revolution?

MARCELO LEONARDO LEVINAS

Estocolmo, Suecia

Simposio; 5th European Sympòsium Special Interest Group (SIG), Conceptual Change; 2006

European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI)

In this paper we study some fundamental conceptual changes that took place in the so-called scientific revolution of the XVII century. This revolution has not only brought about changes in certain concepts but has also resulted in the creation or removal of other concepts related to the characteristics of the motion of bodies and to the causes of their movements. Changes in the meaning of these concepts have been linked to the diverse interpretations given to certain phenomena and to many of the so-called crucial experiments (mental or real).