<Li> It investigates the secrets of nature, and opens to us a knowledge of past and future . </Li> <Li> Roger Bacon illustrated his method by an investigation into the nature and cause of the rainbow, as a specimen of inductive research . </Li> <P> Aristotle's ideas became a framework for critical debate beginning with absorption of the Aristotelian texts into the university curriculum in the first half of the 13th century . Contributing to this was the success of medieval theologians in reconciling Aristotelian philosophy with Christian theology . Within the sciences, medieval philosophers were not afraid of disagreeing with Aristotle on many specific issues, although their disagreements were stated within the language of Aristotelian philosophy . All medieval natural philosophers were Aristotelians, but "Aristotelianism" had become a somewhat broad and flexible concept . With the end of Middle Ages, the Renaissance rejection of medieval traditions coupled with an extreme reverence for classical sources led to a recovery of other ancient philosophical traditions, especially the teachings of Plato . By the 17th century, those who clung dogmatically to Aristotle's teachings were faced with several competing approaches to nature . </P> <P> The discovery of the Americas at the close of the 15th century showed the scholars of Europe that new discoveries could be found outside of the authoritative works of Aristotle, Pliny, Galen, and other ancient writers . </P>

Who is generally considered the founder of the scientific method