Book 3, Part 1, From the Renaissance to Hume: Chapter 1, General Characteristics Summary and Analysis

Modern history involved different view due to the decreasing authority of the Church while authority of science rose. Modern culture became lay and not clerical. The feudal aristocracy lost its importance and was replaced by the alliance between the king and merchants.

Despite the rejection of ecclesiastical authority, science was only initiated with the Copernican theory although it failed to be influential until Kepler and Galileo. As science was more intellectual rather than governmental, its appeal involved reason to accept or reject it. It could also be modified and lead to different temper of mind. It had practical purposes, such as war, machine production, and more of a technique and less doctrine.

Other features of different ways of perception involved individuality and discipline...