Question 1

Spinoza extended his deterministic analysis to human nature. In some ways his beliefs resemble the modern work of B. F. Skinner. These beliefs can be summarized by the statement:

Accepted Answer

Spinoza believed that everything, including human actions, is determined by nature and that individuals do not have true free will. This deterministic perspective is similar to the modern behaviorism of B.F. Skinner, which also rejects the notion of free will and emphasizes the role of environmental determinants in shaping behavior.

Question 2

Pascal made many contributions to the scientific revolution, one of which was:

Accepted Answer

Pascal's contribution to the scientific revolution was the idea that the human mind could be conceived of in terms of an information processor, similar to a calculating machine. While he did write about human nature and society, and draw distinctions between universal forms and sensory awareness, his most significant contribution was his insights about the functioning of the human mind.

Question 3

Modern economics and finance often involves decisions based uncertain and
Incomplete information. These fields might not exist today without the
Contributions of:

Accepted Answer

Pascal contributed to the development of probability theory, which is a crucial aspect of modern economics and finance when dealing with uncertain and incomplete information. Hobbes, Descartes, and Leibniz made important contributions to philosophy and mathematics but their work did not directly contribute to the same extent in the fields of economics and finance.

Question 4

Discuss several reasons why the Scientific Revolution took place in Europe and not some other advanced culture (e.g. Islam, China).

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Question 5

Both Christian and Islamic thinkers agreed that Aristotle's unmoved mover was God and the primary cause of change in the universe. Explain how they disagreed over secondary causation and how this difference help develop the growth of European science.

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Question 6

Summarize how Newton's Principia Mathematica (1687) led to a Mechanized view of the universe?

Accepted Answer

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Question 7

Explain why a "clockwork" conception of the universe had important implications for psychology.

Accepted Answer

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Question 8

During the time of the Scientific Revolution, Kuhn proposed two distinct scientific traditions. Name and contrast these two traditions and explain how each conducted "experiments".

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Question 9

Explain why Francis Bacon is considered a Modernist, especially in terms of scientific knowledge.

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Question 10

Let us agree that the actress Mila Kunis is beautiful. Contrast how Aristotelian scholars would explain our perception of her beauty with that of post-Cartesian scholars.

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Question 11

Explain what the author of the textbook means when he describes Descartes ideas as a "…tortured attempt to preserve a Christian soul in a mechanistic universe".

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Question 12

As the author of the text notes, "With the Cartesian Theater, the psychology of consciousness was born, yet it was not yet a science". Yet, the Cartesian Theater brings with it at least two difficulties. Explain these two problems.

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Question 13

Summarize Leibniz's theory of Parallelism and how it attempted to solve the mind-body problem.

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Question 14

Summarize Thomas Hobbes' idea about the relation between human nature and human society.

Accepted Answer

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Question 15

Describe Pascal's contribution to the modern world involving a new way of thinking about belief and action. How did Pascal attempt to convince unbelievers in the existence of God?

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Quiz 5: The Scientific Revolution