What was the mechanistic worldview?

The mechanistic worldview emerged during the Scientific Revolution and posits that natural phenomena can be understood through the lens of mechanical processes and laws, much like a machine. It emphasizes a reductionist approach, where complex systems are analyzed by breaking them down into their simpler components. This perspective shifted the understanding of the universe from a living, purposeful entity to a system governed by physical laws and cause-and-effect relationships. Key figures in this movement included philosophers and scientists like René Descartes and Isaac newton.