Science, Technology, and Human Values in Sigmund Freud's Civilization and Its Discontents, Henrik Ibsen and Arthur Miller's An Enemy of the People, and Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five
Technology has advanced to the point where it touches our lives in nearly every conceivable way-we no longer have to lift a finger to perform the most trivial tasks. The wealth of information and science we have learned in the last few centuries have made our lives easier but not always better, especially when concerning civilization as a whole. Ibsen, Freud, and Vonnegut argue that human values have not kept pace with knowledge's unceasing expansion, which has become an anathema for the individual person and deleterious to society's delectation, albeit without people's entire comprehension.
Henrik Ibsen, as adapted by Arthur Miller, uses his play An Enemy of the People to illustrate how one's contentedness is not necessarily aided by technology but in many instances in fact hindered. When the town's main industry, Kirsten Springs, becomes polluted it raises queries from Dr. Stockmann as to its hazardousness to its occupants. Nearly all residents of the little Norwegian city rally behind Aslaksen, the printer and leader of the business class, in destroying the doctor's credibility so that his accusations of the dangerous water will never be believed by tourists, which would result in a prodigious financial loss for all. This quaint town is a representation of humanity's tendencies towards egoism. When money is involved, it doesn't matter what the risk is, regardless of physical injuriousness and potential loss of life. The springs symbolize technology and Dr. Stockmann stands for venerable human values. The technology has become prosperous ...
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...ges of technology outweigh the disadvantages to the collective human values of society.
Science and Technology are not pursued to improve the moral values of man and as such will be perpetually in disagreement. Humanity will never cease to create new technologies and learn about the universe through scientific methods. A person's values on the other hand are not actively augmented and will suffer. Society is in need of a refreshing of ethics that stays on par with the development of man's other creations.
Works Cited
Freud, Sigmund. Civilization and Its Discontents. Ed. and Trans. James Strachey. New York: Norton, 1962.
Ibsen, Henrik and Hampton, Christopher (translator). An Enemy of the People. Boston: Faber and Faber, 1997
Stoppard, Tom. Arcadia. London: Faber and Faber, 1993.
Vonnegut, Kurt. Slaughterhouse-Five. New York: Dell Publishing, 1998.
Overall McPherson’s reasons for the soldiers motivations were clear and concise, easy to follow and understand allowing for easy interpretation of the book. McPherson also includes multiple quotes from various letters and diary entries to support his statements which gives his statements credibility. The reasons for motivation presented in the book were convincing and were supported by numerous quotes.
The book ‘For Cause and Comrades’ is a journey to comprehend why the soldiers in the Civil War fought, why they fought so passionately, and why they fought for the long period of time. Men were pulling guns against other men who they had known their whole lives. McPherson’s main source of evidence was the many letters from the soldiers writing to home. One of the many significant influences was how the men fought to prove their masculinity and courage. To fight would prove they were a man to their community and country. Fighting also had to do with a duty to their family. Ideology was also a major motivating factor; each side thought they were fighting for their liberty. The soldier’s reputations were created and demolished on the battlefield, where men who showed the most courage were the most honored. Religion also played an important role because the second Great Awakening had just occurred. Their religion caused the men who thought of themselves as saved to be fearless of death, “Religion was the only thing that kept this soldier going; even in the trenches…” (McPherson, p. 76) R...
In James McPherson’s novel, What They Fought For, a variety of Civil War soldier documents are examined to show the diverse personal beliefs and motives for being involved in the war. McPherson’s sample, “is biased toward genuine fighting soldiers” (McPherson, 17) meaning he discusses what the ordinary soldier fought for. The Confederacy was often viewed as the favorable side because their life style relied on the war; Confederates surrounded their lives with practices like slavery and agriculture, and these practices were at stake during the war. On the other hand, Northerners fought to keep the country together. Although the Civil War was brutal, McPherson presents his research to show the dedication and patriotism of the soldiers that fought and died for a cause.
Technological Advances vs. Human Values Technological advances occur all around, whizzing by, while human values change little and at a much slower pace. Commercially bottled water stands as just one of a sundry of items that human technology has conjured up over the years. It seems as though the average person can not go through a day without seeing a symbol of this phenomenon, whether it is a vending machine, an empty container lying in the gutter, or a person clutching a plastic bottle in their hand. Also an ever-present technological advance is the cellular phone, "can you hear me now? " It is almost a guarantee that during the course of a class period, a ringtone or the buzzing of the vibrating mode will shake the air.
Every day I use technology and science, from the allergy pill I take to my cell phone and my Apple watch, technology is a vital part of my day. Are the human values of integrity, honesty and kindness a part of my everyday life, though? Everyone wants to believe they are a good person, but there are so many things in life that aren't good or positive at all, it is apparent that people-who want to think they are good-do mean things. Some of the worst things are done with some of the best intentions, with the idea that the ends justify the means. Science can improve several things, like one's life expectancy, but can it improve the quality of life? Science without morals to support it can be a dangerous thing. This is seen in several of the works we have read this semester, including Henrik Ibsen's Enemy of the People and Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five.
In conclusion, “Civilization and Its Discontents” by Sigmund Freud was a book that sought to explain both organized religion and civilization in general. The book was largely influenced by the hostile environment of post World War I Germany and was a widely read and widely influential book.
Freud, Sigmund. 1953-74. The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works. 24 vols, trans. James Stachey. London: Hogarth.
Sigmund Freud, a psychologist and influential thinker of the early twentieth century, enumerates the fundamental conflicts between civilization and the individual in his writing, Civilization and its Discontents. He asserts that an individual’s primary discontent originates from civilization’s demand for conformity contrary to the individual’s search for instinctual freedom. Freud continues and postulates that the demands and laws forced onto the individual create the “super ego.” This super ego puts limits on one’s intrinsic desires and restricts them from pursuing different opportunities of happiness. Similar to Freud’s assessment of civilization, Friedrich Nietzsche, a German philosopher and cultural critic, illustrates a similar evaluation on communal living in his major work, On the Genealogy of Morals. In this writing, Nietzsche begins to examine the origin and meaning of different moral concepts, starting with “good”, “evil”, and “bad.” In this process he states that noblemen defined these terms and that the people around them are you talking about the noblemen or people in general? influenced and ultimately determined what was “bad” or “good.” While both thinkers addressed several different concepts, they had similar views on the influence of civilization and the unintentional effects it had on the individuals living in that society. While both Freud and Nietzsche discuss the pow...
Simonds, W. E. "Henrik Ibsen." Dial 10.119 (Mar. 1890): 301-303. Rpt. in Literature Resource Center. Detroit: Gale, 2011. Literature Resource Center. Web. 25 Mar. 2011.
...eople not voting! Americans are becoming less educated on the issues that they are facing as well as the candidates running at the time of office. However, according Longley (2011) ”Still, 93 percent of infrequent voters agreed that voting is an important part of being a good citizen and 81 percent of nonvoters agreed it is an important way to voice their opinions on issues that affect their families and communities” (pg. 1).
Saari, Sandra. In James McFarlane (ed.): The Cambridge Companion to Ibsen. Cambridge University Press. 1994
The name Civil War is misleading because the war was not a class struggle, but a sectional combat, having its roots in political, economic, social, and psychological elements. It has been characterized, in the words of William H. Seward, as the “irrepressible conflict.” In another judgment the Civil War was viewed as criminally stupid, an unnecessary bloodletting brought on by arrogant extremists and blundering politicians. Both views accept the fact that in 1861 there existed a situation that, rightly or wrongly, had come to be regarded as insoluble by peaceful means.
The Civil War was a very violent episode in America’s history. There were more casualties in this war than all of the American wars, (McPherson, 5). The war turned brother on brother, thus coining the name ‘the Brother War,” (McPherson, 15). Many people in today’s era often question why so many men willingly fought knowing death was always a high possibility. We will never know the exact answer but from many writings: letters, newsletters, journals, memoirs, we can get a glimpse at what the motivations were for them to enlist and then keep fighting. James M. McPherson attempts to do this in his book For Cause & Comrades. He gives many firsthand accounts as evidence for his explanations. His most important motivators are rage militarie, honor and brotherhood, ideals on slavery, and religion.
Human values can't be replaced by technology. Human values can just hope to evolve as quickly as technology is expanding. If one lags behind the other, it's human values. Technology can exist and function without human values. There is a rush for Isaac Newton but that doesn't negate the need for a good philosopher. Though both technology and human values can be used hand in hand and that is the ideal situation. Too much of anything is a bad thing. It's all about finding a balance.
Dr. Thomas Stockmann is the Medical Officer of the Baths in the play ''enemy of the people'' by Henrik Iben; and the brother of the Burgomaster (mayor) of the town. Jovial by nature, the doctor enjoys the company of "bright, cheerful, freedom loving young fellows" who share his idealism and ability to think freely.