An Old Science book from 1650

[abaris]

No wonder the afterlife was such a popular idea!

What's often overlooked. People had no reason to be skeptical. There was virtually nothing to compare religious theories against. Nothing to suggest that the world hadn't been created. Nothing to suggest it's real age and nothing on humans having evolved from other species.

In the 17th century astronomy started to take off, but there still was no clear distinction between astronomy and astrology. The real changes came from the age of enlightenment, political movements, such as the French revolution, and in their wake the scientific discoveries of the 19th century.