Why Did Copernicus Question The Geocentric Theory Of The Universe?

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Geocentric – the universe is a series of concentric spheres with a fixed earth at is center that is imperfect and constantly changing; the tenth sphere is heaven where God and the saved souls are located
Heliocentric – the motionless sun is at the center of the universe and the planets revolve around it in circular orbits; earth rotates daily on its axis as it revolves around the sun
Philosophe – intellectuals of the Enlightenment who were literary people, professors, journalists, economists, political scientists, and social reformers
1. Why did Copernicus question the geocentric theory of the universe?
Nicholas Copernicus questioned the geocentric theory of the universe because he thought that it did not include information about the motions of the heavenly bodies. …show more content…

Describe each thinker’s contribution to the Enlightenment: (a) Montesquieu, (b) Voltaire, (c) Diderot, (d) Rousseau, (e) Wollstonecraft
a. Montesquieu was famous for his political works and analysis, but perhaps his most important contribution to the Enlightenment was his analysis of England’s monarchy. England’s constitution demonstrated a system of separate executive, legislative, and judicial powers that allowed them to check each other’s powers. From Montesquieu’s analysis, he concluded that a separation of powers allowed the most freedom and security for a state. His political thoughts of checks and balances even affected and shaped the U.S. Constitution.
b. Voltaire was a strong supporter of religious tolerance and deism through his pamphlets, novels, letters, plays, histories, and philosophical essays. He scoffed at the ideas of religious fanaticism, superstition, and intolerance. Moreover, deism was a popular belief among Voltaire and other philosophes during the Enlightenment due to its idea of the Newtonian world-machine as a clock that ran on its own natural laws. Perhaps through Voltaire’s literature works he was able to spread his beliefs to other intellectuals during the

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