Darwin's theory also showed up against a cultural background where the optimistic cult of progress was in full swing, bolstered by the new technologies and discoveries which were transforming everyday life. The old message of the world as a veil of tears and humanity as sinful in need of God for salvation was no longer playing well.
Darwin's theory also showed up against a cultural background where the optimistic cult of progress was in full swing, bolstered by the new technologies and discoveries which were transforming everyday life. The old message of the world as a veil of tears and humanity as sinful in need of God for salvation was no longer playing well.
A lot of what gets blamed on the Enlightenment in these parts was in fact 19th century in origin.
Darwin's theory also showed up against a cultural background where the optimistic cult of progress was in full swing, bolstered by the new technologies and discoveries which were transforming everyday life. The old message of the world as a veil of tears and humanity as sinful in need of God for salvation was no longer playing well.
A lot of what gets blamed on the Enlightenment in these parts was in fact 19th century in origin.
And evolutionary theory was routinely used to bolster a world view that didn’t necessarily have anything to with it.