Read Daniel Boorstiens book"The Creators"
How the judeao-christian idea of a creator god(as opposed to a force of nature that simply one day appeared)led western man down the path of inquirey that led to modern scientific method.
example one;The reformation caused the bible to be read in the vernacular. ordinary people demanded to be taught to read. Once learning to read they demanded their own books.Hence Gutenberg and moveable type.
example two;before europeans decided the world was round the emporer of china had a great fleet built and cargoed it wtone of silk,carved jade,porcelin and gold. The expedition set sail and stopped in ports in asia,all over india and even to the horn of africa. At every port the dignitaries of the enmporer met with the local leaders and handed out their rarities. When the reached africa and had no more cargo they set sail for home. In the hold of one of their ships was a small managerie. Some geraffs a few rhinos etc.
The reason they brought no mre with them was because they were chinese. The lived in the middle kingdom in the middle of the world,therefore noone other than a chinese could possibly have anything they would want. The voyage was undertaken to remind the world how great the emporer was.
To some extent they are the same today.

[size=4]You got that right, [b]raf[/b]![/size=4]

Eric The(AndThat'sMyFinalWordOnTheSubject!Maybe!)Hun[>]:)]