Question 1

The cosmological views of Antiquity and the Middle Ages held that which of the following was the center of the universe?

Accepted Answer

The cosmological views of Antiquity and the Middle Ages, particularly the Ptolemaic system, placed the Earth at the center of the universe. This geocentric model was widely accepted until the Copernican revolution.

Question 2

Like many of the medieval scholastic philosophers, Blaise Pascal argued that the truths of Christianity could be proved by reason alone.

Accepted Answer

Blaise Pascal, unlike many medieval scholastic philosophers, believed that faith in Christianity was a matter of the heart, not reason. He is famous for his argument known as Pascal's Wager, which posits that it is a better "bet" to believe in God even if the existence of God cannot be proved or disproved through reason.

Question 3

Tycho Brahe agreed with Copernicus that the earth does indeed move.

Accepted Answer

Tycho Brahe did not believe in the heliocentric model proposed by Copernicus. He believed that the planets revolved around the sun, but the sun itself revolved around the stationary earth.

Question 4

The greatest achievements in science during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries came in what three areas?

Accepted Answer

During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the greatest achievements in science came in the areas of astronomy (with discoveries by Galileo and Kepler), medicine (with innovations by William Harvey and Andreas Vesalius), and mechanics (with contributions from Isaac Newton and others).

Question 5

Because of the scientific successes and accomplishments of such women as Margaret Cavendish, Maria Merian, and Maria Winkelmann, most male scientists agreed, though reluctantly, that females had the same intellectual abilities as males.

Accepted Answer

Despite the accomplishments of women like Margaret Cavendish, Maria Merian, and Maria Winkelmann, the majority of male scientists during their time periods did not acknowledge that women had the same intellectual abilities as men. The acceptance of women in science faced significant societal and institutional barriers, and their contributions were often marginalized or overlooked.

Question 6

Unlike many Protestants, the Catholic Church did not denounce and condemn the theories of Copernicus until the works of Galileo appeared over seventy-five years later.

Accepted Answer

The Catholic Church did not officially condemn the Copernican system until Galileo Galilei made it more widely known and supported it with his observations, which was over seventy-five years after Copernicus published his heliocentric theory.

Question 7

According to Leonardo da Vinci, what subject was the key to understanding the nature of things?

Accepted Answer

Leonardo da Vinci believed that mathematics was the key to understanding the nature of things. He saw it as the universal language through which the laws of the universe could be deciphered.

Question 8

All of the following are considered possible influences and causes of the Scientific Revolution EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

The practical knowledge and technical skills emphasized by sixteenth-century universities are not considered a direct influence or cause of the Scientific Revolution. The Scientific Revolution was more directly influenced by the rediscovery of ancient texts, the application of mathematical precision to the natural world, and the questioning of traditional beliefs about nature.

Question 9

Copernicus's major book was titled

Accepted Answer

Copernicus's major book was titled "On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres."

Question 10

Galileo is credited with the invention of calculus.

Accepted Answer

While Galileo made important contributions to the development of mathematical concepts and methods, he is not credited with the invention of calculus. Calculus was independently developed by Sir Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz in the late 17th century.

Question 11

William Harvey argued that disease was not caused by an imbalance of the four bodily humors but by chemical imbalances that could be treated by chemical remedies.

Accepted Answer

William Harvey is best known for his discovery of the circulation of the blood, not for arguing that disease was caused by chemical imbalances. The theory of disease being caused by an imbalance of the four bodily humors was a prevailing view before and during Harvey's time, but his work focused on the mechanics of blood circulation rather than the chemical nature of diseases.

Question 12

Copernicus supported the heliocentric conception of the universe because

Accepted Answer

Copernicus supported the heliocentric conception of the universe because he believed it offered a simpler and more accurate explanation for the observed motions of heavenly bodies.

Question 13

Descartes asserted that he would accept only those things that the Bible said were true.

Accepted Answer

Descartes did not believe that one should blindly accept the teachings of religion or any authority without first subjecting them to reason and inquiry. He famously stated, "I am not so enamored of my own opinions that I disregard what others may think of them."

Question 14

Unlike Francis Bacon, who argued that humanity's powers were to be used to "conquer nature," Benedict de Spinoza claimed that nature does not exist for human domination because nature and the universe and humanity itself are all part of God.

Accepted Answer

Benedict de Spinoza believed that nature and the universe were not meant to be conquered by humanity because they were all part of God.

Question 15

Renaissance humanists' mastery of Greek made new works of which of the following available?

Accepted Answer

Renaissance humanists' mastery of Greek made new works of Archimedes, Galen, Ptolemy, and Plato available.

Question 16

The Scientific Revolution was not a revolution that explosively changed and rapidly overthrew traditional authority, but its results were truly revolutionary.

Accepted Answer

The Scientific Revolution was a slow and gradual shift towards a new way of understanding the world through observation, experimentation, and the scientific method. However, the impact of these new scientific discoveries and ways of thinking had a revolutionary impact on society, eventually leading to the development of modern science and technology.

Question 17

Despite his place in the history of modern science, Isaac Newton remained extremely interested in aspects of the occult world.

Accepted Answer

While Isaac Newton is renowned for his contributions to modern science, he was also deeply interested in various occult practices such as alchemy, mysticism, and biblical prophecy. His writings on these topics were kept hidden during his lifetime, but were later published and shed light on this lesser-known aspect of his interests.

Question 18

The Ptolemaic conception of the universe was also known as

Accepted Answer

The Ptolemaic conception of the universe was a geocentric model, meaning it placed the Earth at the center of the universe and all other celestial bodies orbiting around it.

Question 19

The Scientific Revolution of the seventeenth century

Accepted Answer

The Scientific Revolution of the seventeenth century was innovative in western thinking, but it was based on the achievements of earlier centuries. Renaissance humanists rediscovered ancient authorities, and natural philosophers like Galileo and Kepler built upon the work of medieval scholars. It was a continuation and expansion of scientific thought, not a complete break with the past.

Question 20

Scholars devoted to Hermeticism

Accepted Answer

Scholars devoted to Hermeticism saw the world as a living embodiment of divinity where humans could use mathematics and magic to dominate nature. They did not credit the devil with control over the dark secrets of nature nor did they believe that the world was a very recent and still imperfect creation. They also did not retreat from study of the natural world.

Quiz 16: Toward a New Heaven and a New Earth: The Scientific Revolution and the Emergence of Modern Science