A selective history of Western science traces the development of its institutions, methods, and values from the early Scientific Revolution to the present. This highlights how the scientific method—particularly the shift from deductive to inductive reasoning, as championed by Francis Bacon—became foundational for generating reliable, testable knowledge. Through case studies like Archimedes and the establishment of scientific societies, we learn how science gained autonomy from religious and political authorities, while forging ties with the state through military, economic, and technological utility. The modern “scientist” emerged as a distinct profession through the rise of peer-reviewed communities that govern what counts as legitimate knowledge. Universities became critical centers of research and knowledge production, increasingly aligned with state and industrial interests. The philosophical and institutional challenges that have shaped the authority and accountability of science, set the stage for the evolving relationship between science, society, and policy in the modern era.