The Enlightenment to the 2 Nineteenth Century

1. How was science designed in the middle ages?

Ans: In the Middle Ages, science was primarily focused on enhancing one's understanding of God rather than exploring the natural world. Scholars viewed scientific inquiry as a means to comprehend divine order and the universe's relationship with the Creator, often integrating faith with knowledge.


2. What was the impact of the new thought by Copernicus?

Ans: Copernicus proposed that the Earth revolves around the Sun, prompting Europeans to challenge Aristotelian-medieval scientific beliefs. Alongside Galileo and Newton, he contributed to a new understanding of the universe based on natural laws rather than divine mystery.


3. How did the new scientific approach change the society?

Ans: The new scientific approach fostered critical thinking by rejecting faith-based acceptance of ideas, leading to a shift from belief in miracles and superstition to reliance on reason, with the understanding that rational thought could reveal the underlying order of the universe.


4. What do you mean by Enlightenment?

Ans: The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement characterized by critical analysis of all aspects of society, including religion and politics, alongside the belief in human reason as a means to solve problems and improve the human condition.


5. How did David Hume and Immanuel Kant influence the society?

Ans: Writers like David Hume and Immanuel Kant aimed to cultivate critical thinking by encouraging individuals to question assumptions and engage in rigorous analysis of knowledge, ethics, and human experience.


6. Mentioned some Enlightened Despots or monarchs.

Ans: Frederick the Great of Prussia, Joseph II of Austria, and Catherine the Great of Russia were enlightened monarchs who implemented reforms to enhance the welfare of their subjects and fostered intellectual pursuits, promoting education and progressive ideas in their respective nations.


7. Whose ideas ruled the medieval worldview?

Ans: The medieval worldview was significantly influenced by the ideas of Aristotle, whose philosophies shaped various disciplines, and Ptolemy, whose astronomical models were foundational. Additionally, theological perspectives from Christian scholars integrated these ancient philosophies, creating a framework for understanding the world during the medieval period.


8. What did the Aristotelian view support?

Ans: The Aristotelian view upheld the Ptolemaic model of a motionless Earth at the universe's center, which comprised four elements: earth, air, fire, and water.


9. Who questioned the views of Aristotle and Ptolemy?

Ans: Nicholas Copernicus.


10. Name the book written by Copernicus.

Ans: 'On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres'.


11. What did the Danish astronomer do to study modern astronomy?

Ans: He laid the groundwork for modern astronomy by establishing an observatory and gathering over twenty years' worth of data on the positions of stars and planets.


12. What did Kepler do in the field of astronomy?

Ans: Kepler utilized Brahe's data to validate Copernicus' heliocentric theory, demonstrating that planets move in elliptical orbits rather than circular ones.


13. What is Kepler's third law called?

Ans: Kepler's Third Law, or the Law of Harmonies, states that the square of a planet's orbital period is directly proportional to the cube of its average distance from the sun, allowing for comparison of the orbital characteristics of different planets.


14. What was the basis of Kepler's three laws?

Ans: Kepler's three laws of planetary motion, derived from mathematical relationships, accurately described the movements of planets in a heliocentric universe, emphasizing elliptical orbits and the relationship between a planet's distance from the Sun and its orbital period.


15. What did Bacon advocate?

Ans: Francis Bacon advocated for the empirical method of scientific inquiry, emphasizing the importance of observation, experimentation, and inductive reasoning. He believed that knowledge should be derived from empirical evidence rather than speculation or tradition. Bacon also promoted the idea of systematic experimentation to advance scientific knowledge and improve human understanding of the natural world, laying the groundwork for the modern scientific method. Additionally, he argued for the use of science and technology to enhance human life and foster societal progress.


16. Who were the physiocrats?

Ans: The physiocrats were 18th-century French economic thinkers who created the first comprehensive economic system, emphasizing agriculture as the source of wealth and advocating for natural economic laws.


17. Who was the most famous prose writer of the late 17TH century?

Ans: Samuel Pepys.


18. Who were ridiculed in Restoration comedy?

Ans: People from the country.


19. Who were the highly popular playwrights of Restoration period?

Ans: Beaumont and Fletcher


20. What was founded during the age of Dryden?

Ans: The Royal Society of Science.