A.S. Byatt Angels and Insects Science and Society in Morpho Eugenia

A.S. Byatt (1936-) Broad literary and scientific interests Bridges Victorian and contemporary writing ‚self-conscious realist‘ Often merges naturalism, realism and fantasy

Byatt on the siginificance of science: “We read science out of concern for our own health and environment. But I think we also read scientific books because they are the best way we now have of answering the perennial human need for understanding, contemplation of our place in the order of things, a sense of complexity and mystery, an inkling perhaps of the order of those things which are not ourselves.” (New Statesman, 10 April 200)

Science in the Victorian Period Cultural dominance of the life sciences developing Natural history most prominent Theories still argued from historical record Devoted to moral development Closely connected with general philosophical interest

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck (1744-1829) ‘Transformist’: believed that living organisms develop into more complex forms through the inheritance of aquired characteristics

Robert Chambers: The Vestiges of Creation (1844) ‘Law of development’ Mankind has evolved from the lower animals

Darwinism Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species (1859): Evolution by natural selection Links geological record with a theory of species change Evidence of shaping time-consciousness in Victorian Period A hypothesis  no scientific verification!

Idea of Natural Selection organisms vary their offspring can inherit these variations variations may operate to the benefit of individuals

Implications for 19th century belief system No divine creator Man is put back into nature Humans are no longer superior Feeling of ‘disinheritance’ Loss of certainty

Reception Was easily absorbed Demonstration of how the mind of a scientist worked Helped to establish science as a culture Imaginative narrative: comparable to other forms of narrative

Social Darwinism Biological Theories to interpret human communities Biologist is concerned with general, philosophical explanation of the world Used to legitimate the superiority of ‚the fittest‘

T H Huxley (1876) „Biology is the study of all phenomena exhibited by living things.“  licenses biologist's exploration of politics, philosophy or education

Herbert Spencer: ‘The Social Organism’ (1860) "A social organism,like an individual organism, undergoes modifications until it comes into equilibrium with environing conditions; and thereupon continues without further change of structure."

Degeneration Pessimistic outlook for the future of Western civilization A class of degenerate people may attack social norms Justifications for attacks on modern art and for eugenic programs

Eugenics Usual social policies interfere with natural selection Human reproduction must be monitored ‚genius‘ and ‚talent‘ are hereditary Selective breeding must be considered for human reproduction

Science and Literature in the Victorian Period Increasing market for popularized versions of scientific knowledge Mutual creative exchange of scientists and novelists Imagination occupies a crucial role for knowledge

‘Two cultures’ debate Huxley: Only life science reveals truth Struggle to establish science in education Huxley: Only life science reveals truth Arnold: Knowledge must refer to Classical Literature