The Transformation of Thought

Darwin, Freud, Nietzsche,

Einstein, and Marx

Introduction

The 19th Century continued the search for truth and enlightenment

General idea that progress would continue through science

People also began to care for others’ welfare through charitable organizations

From 1850 - 1900s, there was a large amount of optimism

Charles Robert Darwin

12 Feb 1809 - 19 April 1882

English NaturalistOrigins of SpeciesThe Voyage of the Beagle

Natural Selection

Influences on Darwin

Thomas Malthus greatly influenced Darwin with his “Essay on Population”

Malthus believed that progress not inevitable and nature was not a fair place Population would always outrun resources Suffering would increase despite social improvements

Is this happening today?

Darwin’s Major Arguments

Saw change and development to be a consequence of nature

Suggests Theory of EvolutionHumans were not special creations made by God, but evolved from common ancestors through gradual change

Darwin’s Major Arguments

Idea of evolution linked with view of the earth People now beginning to see that Earth was millions of years old (not thousands as previously believed)

Darwin used this time scale to show plenty of time on earth for evolution to occur

Argued that species developed slowly as they adapted to their surroundings

Those that could not adapt became extinct (i.e. Survival of the fittest or Natural Selection)

Darwin Destroys Religion

Darwin argued the selection process was natural and NOT chosen by God

Viewed life as a constant struggle for existence

By accepting Darwin’s theories, people believed that peace and harmony were not possible in society

Many applied Darwin’s Struggle for Survival to politics, ethics, and economics

Social Darwinism

Def’n: The application of Darwin’s beliefs to human affairs

Herbert Spencer was a major Social Darwinists Spencer believed governments should not change the social environment because it would interfere with personal liberty

Believed competition was necessary to allow the most fit

Ecouraged laissez-faire ideas

Spencer’s ideas eventually subsided since people liked the idea that the government helped out (social & welfare programs)

Social Darwinism

Also used to support racial theory that a certain group of people are superior to others because of what they have accomplished technologically and scientifically Spain and South America Britain and India European Countries and Africa Hitler and the Aryan Race African Genocides and Ethnic Cleansing Wars

Religion Holding On…

Religious institutions were holding on but being challenged daily

Dogma or writings were now more clear as people began to study ancient languages and interpret the messages

Scholars concluded that the Bible and 5 Books of Moses in Old Testament were written by several authors and, therefore, NOT the truth

Religion Holding On…

Archaeologists and anthropologists raised questions about origins of Christianity and Judaism

Darwin’s arguments added to long list of assaults against the Church

Many began to question: What is the purpose of life? What is my relationship with God? What is the soul?

Some theologists believed evolution was part of God’s plan

Sigmund Freud

6 May 1856 - 23 Sep 1939

AustrianNeurology, Philosophy, Psychiatry, Psychoanalysis

Freud’s Background

Regarded as one of the most innovative thinkers in modern thought

Started out in medicineNoticed patients symptoms caused by their minds

Freud’s Two Level Theory

Believed two levels of the mind in operation - the conscious and unconscious

The unconscious played the primary role - therefore the actions of a person was the result of both rational and irrational motives

Freud’s Other Ideas

Childhood greatly influenced the actions of the adult

Dreams were the window to the unconsciousThe Interpretation of Dreams (1900)

Freud’s Theory on Sexuality

Human nature has certain instincts (aggression and sexual desire) which had to be repressed in a civilized world

These instincts were part of a person’s ID which represented basic desires

However, the ID was always kept in check by the SUPER EGO (the conscience one gains from living in society)

The face people present to others is the EGO which is constantly torn btwn the desires of the ID and the repression of the SUPER EGO

Freud’s Infantile Sexuality Theory

From birth, an infant is driven by sexual desire

Oral Stage: Infant satisfied through suckingAnal Stage: Please from anus through defecationPhallic Stage: Child develops interest in its own sexual organs Also, child develops sexual attraction to parent of opposite sex & hatred of parent of same sex

Known as Oedipus Complex Freud derived this theory from dreaming that his older

stepbrother was his father. He wished his brother dead which meant he wanted his own father dead because he was competition

Freud’s Infantile Sexuality TheoryPhallic Stage cont’d

Child then feels guilty and realizes he/she can never overthrow the stronger parent

Attraction for opposite sex parent is repressed and makes peace with same sex parent (by age 5)

Latency Stage: Sexual motivations subside until puberty where genital masturbation begins

Freud’s Infantile Sexuality TheoryFreud believed this process was necessary for NORMAL human development

However, his theory caused major controversy because it challenged the Enlightenment view that all humans are rational and reasonable

Friedrich Nietzsche

15 Oct 1844 - 25 Aug 1900

PrussiaEthics, Ontology, History, Psychology

Nietzsche’s Thoughts

First to propose the irrational and reject the notion of a common humanity Stressed the differences between people Believed people needed to develop their own talents

Believed Christianity was the religion of the weak because it forced people to subordinate themselves to myths

Didn’t support nationalism because it satisfied the “group” therefore forgetting the “individual”

Follow the Leader…

Made a distinction between the “noble man” who determines his own destiny and the “common man” who simply follows othersThink: What does your heart truly desire?

Now, how many of you are willing to sacrifice everything to get it?

What are you afraid of?

Albert Einstein

14 March 1879 - 18 April 1955

GermanPhysics

Theory of Relativity

Introduced in 1905Argued that the observer is important in describing the movement of bodies in spaceEx. Train - A person standing in a field will see the speed of a train differently that a person standing on another train

Einstein’s system included the observer’s frame of reference

Theory of Relativity

Defined space relatively, not absolutelyNo accuracy in describing where a planet is in space w/o stating where the person who is measuring is measuring from

Significance: The physics developed by Einstein formed the basis of nuclear technology which allowed people to harness power and build new technology

Karl Marx

5 May 1818 - 14 March 1883

German Philosopher, Political Economist,

Historian Communist Manifesto (1848)

Major Arguments

Marx summarized his view in the opening line of the Communist Manifesto “The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles.”

Capitalism, like previous economic systems, produces internal tensions

Just as Capitalism replaced Feudalism, Socialism will in turn replace Capitalism

Socialism will succeed because it calls for a stateless, classless society which will emerge after a transitional period

Major Arguments

Marx argued that economic change would occur through organized revolutionary action Capitalism would end through the actions of the working class, led by the Communist party

"Communism is for us not a state of affairs which is to be established, an ideal to which reality [will] have to adjust itself. We call communism the real movement which abolishes the present state of things. The conditions of this movement result from the premises now in existence.”

His ideas were prominent with the workers’ movement and led to the Russian October Revolution in 1917