Final answer:
Post-Democritus and pre-Dalton, alchemy played a significant role, blending philosophical and early chemical practices. Modern chemistry began to evolve before Dalton introduced the first empirically supported atomic theory. This marked a profound shift from philosophical to evidence-based scientific methodology. Option d.
Step-by-step explanation:
Between the time of Democritus and John Dalton, much transpired in the fields of science and philosophy. The almost 2,000-year interval saw the prevalence of the Aristotelian view of matter, which was not based on the existence of atoms. During this period, there was also a significant practice of alchemy, which combined elements of philosophy, spirituality, and early chemistry. This quest for transmuting base metals into noble ones, particularly gold, and the search for an elixir of life helped in the accumulation of a substantial amount of practical chemical knowledge. The rise of alchemy set the stage for the development of modern chemistry, which began to take shape in the 1600s and 1700s with scientists like Robert Boyle, Antoine Lavoisier, and others, who laid the foundation for Dalton's work. Dalton, with his atomic theory supported by empirical evidence, introduced a new era of understanding the composition of matter that is still recognized in today's atomic theory. His approach was a shift from the philosophical discussions of previous eras to a scientific method based on observations and experimental evidence. Option d.