Final answer:
In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, European thinkers believed in a geocentric model of the universe, where Earth stood at the center, a view challenged by the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment, which promoted a rational and evidence-based understanding of the cosmos.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, European thinkers commonly believed that the world was distinctly different from how we view it today. Prior to the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment, many Europeans held the geocentric view that Earth was at the center of the universe, with the sun, moon, and stars revolving around it. The perception of the Earth being flat also persisted for much of the 1400s. These views were not just scientific in nature, but were deeply intertwined with the religious teachings of the time.
The Enlightenment introduced a new era of thought, emphasizing rationality and scientific evidence over tradition and religious doctrine. This intellectual movement championed the idea that the universe was orderly and rational, and it paved the way for critical challenges to established beliefs about the cosmos, human nature, and societal structures.
By the start of the eighteenth century, the transformation in European thought was so profound that traditional notions, including the religiously-backed geocentric model, were being widely questioned. Instead, Europeans began to embrace a heliocentric view, where the sun was recognized as the center of our solar system. This significant shift in perspective symbolizes one of the great intellectual revolutions in human history.