How did Europeans’ view of the universe as a large machine change how people viewed government?

people believed that the government also operated like a machine and that individuals only needed a reason to determine how to govern themselves

people believed that the government also operated like a machine, and mechanics could determine how to fix government

people believed if they could see how the cosmos operated, they could assign people governmental positions similar to the planetary orbits

people believed the machine like laws that governed the universe were not applicable to the government

A?

Yes, A.

But I suspect that "a" should be omitted from this statement.

thank you.

You're welcome.

The correct answer is A: people believed that the government also operated like a machine and that individuals only needed a reason to determine how to govern themselves.

Explanation:
During the Scientific Revolution of the 16th and 17th centuries, European thinkers began to view the universe as a large machine governed by natural laws. This new understanding of the cosmos influenced how people viewed other aspects of life, including government.

The mechanistic view of the universe suggested that everything operates according to predictable rules and principles. Just as the celestial bodies moved in a predictable manner, some philosophers believed that human society and government could also be understood and governed through reason and natural laws. They saw government as a sort of social machine, where individuals could use their reason to determine the best way to govern themselves.

This viewpoint had a significant impact on political philosophy and influenced the development of Enlightenment ideals. Thinkers like John Locke argued for limited government, individual rights, and the consent of the governed based on the belief that human society was like a well-functioning machine that only required the right principles and laws to operate effectively.

Overall, the European view of the universe as a large machine changed how people viewed government by promoting the idea that it could be understood and governed through reason, akin to the predictable workings of the cosmos.