Question

Which two responses are main ideas from the story about Dr. Mesmer?

1) Ben Franklin uses the scientific method to prove that Dr. Mesmer is a fake.
2) Dr. Mesmer charges his patients 100 gold louis to treat them.
3) People find the discovery of invisible gases to be more amazing than Dr. Mesmer's mysterious force.
4) Though he does not know it, Dr. Mesmer's success demonstrates the power of the human mind.

Answer 1

The main ideas from the story about Dr. Mesmer involve Ben Franklin's use of the scientific method to debunk Mesmer's claims and demonstrating the potential influence of the placebo effect as part of Mesmer's success.

Step-by-step explanation:

To identify the main ideas from the story about Dr. Mesmer, we should consider the historical context and the impact of his practices. Firstly, the concept that Ben Franklin uses the scientific method to prove that Dr. Mesmer is a fake indicates the Enlightenment's emphasis on scientific reasoning and skepticism towards unproven theories.

Dr. Mesmer claimed to utilize a mysterious force for healing, which Franklin and others likely debunked using scientific approaches. Secondly, the idea that Dr. Mesmer's success demonstrates the power of the human mind fits into the broader narrative of the period's scientific discoveries that often combined the real effects with the placebo effect associated with patients' beliefs.