Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
•
The
cosmological
blow. Humans believed that their abode, the earth,
was the stationary center of the universe. This perception fit well with
an individual's “inclination to regard himself as lord of the world.”
16
The
first blow to humankind's lordly status was dealt when humanity learned
that the earth was not the center of the universe but only a tiny frag-
ment of a cosmic system of scarcely imaginable vastness. The destruc-
tion of this narcissistic illusion came to general acceptance in the
sixteenth century with Nicolaus Copernicus, although Freud is at pains
to underscore that the discovery had been made millennia before.
•
The
biological
blow. “In the course of the development of civilization
man acquired a dominating position over his fellow-creatures in the
animal kingdom. Not content with this supremacy, however, he began
to place a gulf between his nature and theirs. He denied the possession
of reason to them and to himself he attributed an immortal soul, and
made claims to a divine descent that permitted him to break the bonds
of community between himself and the animal kingdom.” Charles
Darwin put an end to this presumption. “Man is not a being different
from animals or superior to them; he himself is of animal descent, being
more closely related to some species and more distantly to others.”
17
Although this point has been hard for civilized adults to accept, Freud
insists that children and primitives readily accept, even assume, a close-
ness with animals.
•
The
psychological
blow is, in Freud's self-serving opinion, probably
the most wounding. Humans have been humbled externally, but now
must accept that they are not sovereign within their own minds.
Philosophers had previously understood this point, but its scientific
demonstration has been fiercely resisted. Humans, it seems, must also
accept that they are thinking about sex all the time, and only Freud has
explained why.
Regardless of how one evaluates Freud's overall thesis, the main thing
that he does not explain, or even address, is under what
historical
con-
ditions scientific truth becomes socially acceptable. Greek scientists knew
the earth traveled around the sun, children felt a kinship with animals,
and philosophers knew we know not what we think. Yet somehow, even-
tually, even grown-up Europeans saw, and would see, the light of day.
In this faith, despite all his pessimism about civilization and its discon-
tents, Freud remains an Enlightenment thinker. Not only does he dare to
know—the highest commandment—but he assumes that ultimately the
truth will, as it were, come to light. That light, sooner or later, will shine
forth and humanity will awaken. The question certainly remains open
