## TL;DR
The Scientific Revolution (1543-1687) replaced medieval Aristotelian cosmology with empirical observation and mathematical law. Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, and Newton established the foundations of modern science.

## Core Explanation
Key figures: Copernicus (heliocentrism, 1543), Galileo (telescopic observation — Jupiter's moons, sunspots, 1610), Kepler (elliptical orbits, three laws of planetary motion, 1609-1619), Bacon (empirical method, inductive reasoning), Descartes (analytic geometry, mechanical philosophy), Newton (universal gravitation, calculus, 1687).

## Detailed Analysis
The transition from qualitative to quantitative: Galileo's inclined plane experiments measured acceleration with water clocks. Newton's Principia demonstrated that the same physical laws apply to Earth and heavens — the first unification in physics. The Royal Society (founded 1660) institutionalized empirical science.

## Further Reading
- Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Scientific Revolution
- The Galileo Project (Rice University)
- Cambridge History of Science Series