Final answer:
William Harvey's ideas about autopsies differed from the cultural ideas of his time because he believed in performing autopsies to learn about anatomy, despite the cultural taboo surrounding autopsies.
Step-by-step explanation:
William Harvey's ideas about autopsies differed from the cultural ideas of his time in the sense that he believed in performing autopsies to learn about anatomy, despite the fact that autopsies were not culturally acceptable due to religious reasons. During Harvey's time, there were legal sanctions and fear of the dead that limited the ability of anatomists and physicians to study the internal structures of the human body. However, Harvey conducted autopsies on human bodies in an effort to advance knowledge about internal anatomy and the function of the body. This approach differed from the cultural beliefs and practices of his time.