Leading up to the New Age of Science in the 19th century
- the scientific revolution during the 16th and 17th century was only used by the higher class and didn’t benefit everyone
- during the early 19th century of the industrial revolution people just futzed around instead of using theories and stuff
- then, with more advances –> interested in basic scientific research–> basic scientific discoveries –> technological improvements that helped many
New Age of Science in the 19th century
- scientists focused on thermodynamics
- material gains by science and technology–> growing faith in benefits of science—> acceptance of scientific method (observation, experiment, logic)
- using scientific method to find truth —> increasing secularization–> materialism
Emphasis on thermodynamics in New Age of Science in the 19th century
-steam engine–> theoretical foundations worked out–> thermodynamics (relationship between heat and mechanical energy)
Physics in the New Age of Science in the 19th century
Louis Pasteur, Dmitri mendeleyev and Michael Faraday
Louis Pasteur:
created the germ theory of disease –> used in modern scientific methods
Dmitri Mendeleyev
classified material elements –> foundation for periodic table
Michael Faraday:
discovered electromagnetic induction–> generator–> foundation for electricity
Materialism
belief that truth was found in concrete material existence of human beings instead of feeling (romanticism)
Charles Darwin:
- he created the theory of organic evolution for ANIMALS and PLANTS
- for HUMANS, he said that we are from the same ancestor as mammals and we are no exception from the organic evolution
Organic Evolution:
overpopulation–> struggle for existence–> those who survived was because they had variants which came from natural selection –> passing on variations
Natural Selection
variations that selected one and enabled them to survive
Response to Charles Darwin’s theory
- people were controversial because he made humans be ordinary products of nature rather than unique beings (we are animals)
- his theory also eliminated purpose and design from the universe
- but it was accepted in the science world
Germs:
-louis pasteur discovered germs –> governments and private industries (wine) reacted–> pasteurization
-louis pasteur discovered germs–> started identifying them–> began creating vaccines
-began creating vaccines–> rational means of treating and preventing diseases –> affected surgery and public health
Pasteurization: heating up product to destroy stuff that cause spoilage
Old Surgical Practices:
- set bones, treated wounds, amputated limbs
- they had to struggle with postoperative infection and the inability to lessen pain
New Surgical Practices:
- discovery of germs & anesthesia –> new environment for surgical operations
- Lister
Lister:
he dealt with postoperative infection and created a disinfectant that eliminated it (antiseptic)
New Public health Measures
- cholera epidemic –> urban public health movement –> bacterial discovery
- cholera epidemic–> further public hygiene
- bacterial discovery–> preventive measures (pasteurization)
New Medical Schools
- before, schools were based on apprenticeships–> wanting to have uniform standards –> resistance (entrance requirements, degrees)
- john hopkins however finally created a standard
Women and Medical Schools
- women had difficulty in getting to school –> create separate medical schools –> still more problems of getting job as doctor
- elizabeth blackwell
Elizabeth Blackwell:
got accidentally admitted to college and got a degree
Science and the Study of Society
- people wanted to apply science to sociology
- this was most shown in Auguste Comte’s work
Auguste Comte
- he created a system of “positive knowledge” (positivism)
- he said that in order to discover the general laws of society, one must collect and analyze data on humans and social environment
literary Realists
-ordinary characters from real life
-use careful observation and accurate description
-avoided poetry and liked prose and novel
gustave flaubert
-william thackeray
-charles dickens
romanticists
- heros
- flowery and sentimental language
- like poetry
