Chapter 24The Birth of Modern European

Thought

Group 4

I. The New Reading PublicA. Advances in Primary Education

In 1850, half of the population of Western Europe was illiterate.

Governments throughout Europe began to finance the education systems. Elementary education began in

– 1868 in Hungary– 1870 in Britain– 1874 in Switzerland– 1877 in Italy– 1878 to 1881in France

The advanced Prussian education system extended throughout the German Empire following 1871.

I. The New Reading PublicA. Advances in Primary Education (Continued)

There were hopes that the primary education system would create a better labor force and a better voting public.

Made more jobs available for women. The advancement of primary education, then sparked a

stronger interest in secondary education, which was fully expected of a child by WWI.

I. The New Reading Public B. Reading Material for the Mass Audience

More literate people created a demand for reading materials, flooding the market with newspapers, books, magazines, and mail-order catalogs.

Advertising became more popular. Most printed materials were mediocre, since people could not

read very well.

II. Science at MidcenturyA. Comte, Positivism, and the Prestige of Science

The physical world was seen as rational, mechanical, and dependable.

A French Philosopher, Auguste Comte, developed positivism, which he described in The Positive Philosophy.

– He argued that human thought developed in 3 stages. 1. Theological stage- Divine reasoning 2. Metaphysical stage- abstract principles 3. Positive stage- exact explanation of nature, everything can be proven through science

Thomas Henry Huxley and Ernst Haeckel were considered popularizers, who worked to gain government support of science

Auguste Comte

Ernst Haeckel

The Birth of Science Fiction

Jules Verne was considered the father of science fiction. He wrote:

– Five Weeks in a Balloon – Nautilus– Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea

H.G. Wells became another master of Sci-Fi with classics such as:

The Time Machine The War of the Worlds Jules Verne

II. Science at Midcentury B. Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection

Charles Darwin published the Origin of Species, which explained the idea of natural selection and how it can occur.

Alfred Russel Wallace did similar research with similar conclusions as Darwin. Natural selection is the idea that evolution is caused by survival of the fittest.

II. Science at MidcenturyC. Science and Ethics

Herbert Spencer, an advocate of evolutionary ethics, believed that society progressed through competition.

– Social Darwinism… “Might makes right” Thomas Henry Huxley opposed social Darwinism. Believed that competition in nature showed people how not to act.

Thomas Henry Huxley

III. Christianity and the Church Under SiegeA. Intellectual Skepticism

Churched remained popular, even though intellectuals left it and secular, liberals attacked it.

Intellectual skepticism challenged history, accuracy and morality.

History– David Friedrich Strauss published The Life of Jesus in

which he challenged the Bible’s legitimacy.– Others said the Bible was written and revised by average

humans who included some political and social desires.– This questioning of historical validity lost more literate

members of the church than anything else.

III. Christianity and the Church Under SiegeA. Intellectual Skepticism (Continued)

Science– Charles Lyell made suggestions that the earth is older than the Bible says, and began to explain its formation through science

Morality– Questioned the morality of God throughout the Old Testament as he was cruel and unpredictable.– Friedrich Nietzsche discussed in his writings the beliefs

that Christianity glorified weakness instead of the strength life needs.

Charles Lyell

III. Christianity and the Church Under SiegeB. Conflict Between Church and State

Main Conflict stemmed from education.– Governments began financing Education systems.– Churches feared children would not learn about religion in

these new schools. Great Britain

– The Education Act of 1870 provided schools run by elected school boards where religious schools were considered unsatisfactory.

– The Education Act of 1902 gave all schools government funding and the same educational standards.

III. Christianity and the Church Under SiegeB. Conflict Between Church and State (Continued)

France– France had a dual system of education using both Catholic and

Public Schools.– The Falloux Law of 1850 made priests the teachers in public

schools.– Educational laws during 1878 and 1886 supported by Jules Ferry

changed the education system drastically: Replaced religious instruction in public schools with civic

training Created more public schools Forbade priests as teachers

– 1905 the Napoleonic Concordat was terminated and Church and State were separated.

III. Christianity and the Church Under SiegeB. Conflict Between Church and State (Continued)

Germany and the Kulturkampf – Bismarck removed the clergy from education in 1870– The “May Laws” of 1873

Required priests to be educated in German schools and pass a state examination

Gave the state disciplinary power over the clergy– Bismarck gained control of education and marriage for

Germany, but caused great resentment of the German state from the Catholic Church.

III. Christianity and the Church Under SiegeC. Areas of Religious Revival

The Anglican Church in the United Kingdom expanded raising large sums for new s churched and education.

The Catholic Church in Ireland saw a devotional revival. The cult of the miracle of Lourdes grew in France due to the

growing number of pilgrimages made. Everywhere Churches were doing more to help the urban

poor.

III. Christianity and the Church Under SiegeD. The Roman Catholic Church and the Modern World

Pope Pius IX was upset by the unification of Italy, and issued the Syllabus of Errors.

– This piece set the Catholic Church firmly against contemporary science, philosophy and politics.

– The Pope summoned the First Vatican Council in 1869 which promoted papal infallibility when speaking on matters of faith and morals.

Leo XIII wrote the Rerum Novarum, in which he promoted private property, religious control of education and marriage, and condemned socialism and Marxism.

Pius X condemned Catholic modernism and wished to restore traditional devotional life.

Pope Pius IX

III. Christianity and the Church Under SiegeE. Islam and Late-Nineteenth-Century European Thought

Islam was under similar scrutiny as Christianity and Judaism. Ernest Renan spoke of Islam as a manifestation of ancient

Semitic mentality, which will not be able to produce new scientific advancements among the people.

Renan’s views were opposed by Jamal al-din Al-Afghani who fought that the religion would eventually produce the same cultural advancements as Europe.

Europe generally thought themselves to be superior Islamic Countries.

Missionaries taught Islam was the root of Arab economic problems.

The Salafi believed that there was no contradiction between science and Islam