European History-Answer Quick Will Give Branliest How did Social Darwinism’s interpretation of human existence shape society in the Belle Epoque? In what aspects of contemporary life do we see the persistence of this philosophy?

Charles Darwin (1809–1882)

Context for Darwin:

• Growth of scientific education and institutions

• Declining church attendance and growing secularization

• New social discourses

o Positivism and the growing prestige of science — Auguste Comte (1798–1857), Positive

Philosophy (1830–1842); science as culminating point of human intellectual and social

development.

o Materialism — mental and spiritual forces and cultural ideals were seen to be the product of

physical forces; truth found in material existence, not intuition or feeling.

Darwin’s major contributions and ideas

• On the Origin of Species (1859)

o Theory of natural selection articulated as the principle mechanism through which evolution

occurred; similar ideas were developed nearly simultaneously by Alfred R. Wallace (1823–1913).

o More living organisms came into existence than could survive; variety of species is infinite;

new biological forms emerged from older ones.

o Those species possessing unique traits that made survival possible were thought to have a

marginal advantage; only those well adapted to a specific environment survived to reproduce.

o Life constituted a competitive struggle for existence (some textbooks note Darwin borrowing

ideas for this theory from Thomas Malthus).

• The Descent of Man (1871)

o Discussed implications of natural selection for humans.

o Indicated that the human body, consciousness and religious intuition evolved to ensure the

survival of the species.

o A divine being was not needed to provide an image or model for humanity.

Consequences (challenges to traditional ways of thinking)

• Called into question biblical narrative of creation; challenged traditional Judeo-Christian view of nature

as immutable and humanity as the unique creation of God.

• Challenged Enlightenment perspectives.

o Rejected the idea that nature and society were harmonious by focusing instead on ideas of

competition and continual struggle.

o Undermined assumption that nature was tranquil and noble and humans were univers

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