Question:

Far from viewing Jefferson as a skeptical but enlightened intellectual, historians of the 1960's portrayed him as BLANK thinker, eager to fill the young with his political orthodoxy while censoring ideas he did not like.

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Use the definition provided within the sentence to find your answer. The phrase "eager to fill the young with his political orthodoxy" is a textbook definition of a doctrinaire person.
Updated On: Oct 1, 2025
  • an adventurous
  • a doctrinaire
  • an eclectic
  • a judicious
  • a cynical
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The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This is a sentence completion question where the second half of the sentence defines the word in the blank. The structure "Far from viewing..." also establishes a contrast.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The sentence contrasts two views of Jefferson. The first view is of a "skeptical but enlightened intellectual." The second view, held by 1960s historians, is defined by the clause that follows the blank: "eager to fill the young with his political orthodoxy while censoring ideas he did not like."
This description points to someone who rigidly imposes their own set of beliefs (orthodoxy) on others and is intolerant of different ideas. We need an adjective that means this.
(B) a doctrinaire thinker is someone who seeks to impose doctrine (a set of beliefs) without regard to practical considerations or counter-arguments. This is a perfect match for the description.
Analyzing the other options:
(A) adventurous: open to new experiences, the opposite of the description.
(C) eclectic: deriving ideas from a broad range of sources. The opposite of adhering to a single orthodoxy.
(D) judicious: having good judgment. The actions described (censorship) are not judicious.
(E) a cynical: believing people are motivated by self-interest. While related, "doctrinaire" is more specific to the imposition of beliefs.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The word "doctrinaire" accurately reflects the description of Jefferson as someone imposing his political orthodoxy and censoring opposing views.
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