Journal Write about a dream you had recently. What do you think it meant?

Toward the Modern Consciousness Chapter 20: Section 4

A New Physics Science was one of the chief pillars supporting the optimistic view of the world that many Westerners shared in the 19 th c. Applying known scientific laws, humans could understand the world and have an accurate picture of reality Many people believed in ideas of Isaac Newton and the fact that matter was thought to be composed of solid material bodies called atoms

A New Physics These views began to be questioned bc of Marie Curie – Atoms now viewed as small active worlds Beginning of 20 th c. Albert Einstein provided new law of the universe (space and time not absolute) Now the idea of a relative universe was seen as a universe of uncertainty

Freud and Psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud- proposed a series of theories that raised questions about the nature of the human mind His ideas added more uncertainty to this new age Major theories published in The Interpretation of Dreams

Freud and Psychoanalysis Freud said that human behavior was strongly determined by past experiences and internal forces that people were unaware of. Psychoanalysis- a therapist could probe deeply into a patients memory By the 1920’s his theories were accepted worldwide and psychoanalysis became a major profession

Social Darwinism and Racism In the late 19 th and early 20 th cent – scientific theories were sometimes applied inappropriately to achieve desired results Darwin’s theories were applied in a radical way by nationalists and racists- called Social Darwinism Assumption that conflict between groups in society leads to social progress as superior groups outcompete inferior ones

Social Darwinism and Racism Social Darwinism is generally understood to use the concepts of struggle for existence and survival of the fittest to justify social policies It makes no distinction between those able to support themselves and those unable to support themselves. Many such views stress competition between individuals in laissez-faire capitalism; but the ideology has also motivated ideas of eugenics, scientific racism, imperialism, fascism, Nazism and struggle between national or racial groups

Anti-Semitism and Zionism Anti-Semitism- hostility toward and the discrimination against Jews (Not new to European civ) In the 19 th cent they had become assimilated into the cultures around them- becoming successful lawyers, bankers, scholars, and scientists However, in some parts of Europe, there were many forms of anti-Semitism

Anti-Semitism and Zionism In Germany and Austria-Hungary (1880’s-90’s) – they felt threatened by Jews in the economy and society The worst treatment of Jews at the turn of the century was in Eastern Europe where most Jewish people lived – Persecutions and pogroms (organized massacres) were widespread

Anti-Semitism and Zionism Hundreds of thousands of Jews wanted to escape persecution (Many went to the US) Others had moved to Palestine which became a home for a Jewish nationalist movement called Zionism A key figure in Zionism was Theodor Herzl (“The Jews who wish it will have their state”)

The Culture of Modernity Between 1870 and 1914, many writers and artists rebelled against the traditional literacy and artistic styles that dominated Europe since the Renaissance These changes they produced were known as modernism

Literacy Much of the late 19 th cent- literature was dominated by naturalism At the beginning of the 20 th cent- symbolists caused a literary revolution Symbolists said the external world was a collection of symbols that reflected true reality- the individual human mind Art should function for its own sake

Painting By the late 19 th cent- artists looked for new ways to express their changing view of the world Impressionism began in France in the 1870’s (Painting nature directly) One important impressionist was Claude Monet (captured interplay of light, water, and sky) 1880’s- Postimpressionism spread (Vincent Van Gogh- art was a spiritual experience: painting what you feel)

Painting By the 20 th cent- the belief to represent reality was lost (reason behind this is photography) Between 1905 and 1914 – search for individual expression created modern art One important figure was Pablo Picasso (cubism)- view human form from many sides

Architecture Modernism gave rise to functionalism- idea that buildings, like machines, should be useful or functional They should fulfill the purpose they were built for US was new leader in architecture (reinforced concrete, steel, and electric elevators)

Music Developments in music paralleled those in painting Igor Stravinsky- reflected expressionist theories (Rite of Spring)