Lesson 7 Modern Science and Culture

Scientists

The English scientist Isaac Newton was one of the founders of modern natural science. He made outstanding contributions in the fields of astronomy, mathematics, and mechanics. In 1687, Newton's epoch-making scientific masterpiece "Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy" was published, and physics became an independent discipline. Newton's scientific discoveries made a major step forward in mankind's exploration of the objective world.

In 1859, British biologist Darwin's book "The Origin of Species" was published. In this book, Darwin put forward the viewpoint of evolution, pointing out that: all species are in constant change, undergoing the evolutionary process from low to high, from simple to complex: the development and evolution of organisms are not determined by the will of God or the desire of organisms themselves, but are the result of genetic variation, the struggle for survival and natural selection: human beings are also evolved, not created by God. The publication of On the Origin of Species broke the centuries-old creationism that "God created all things" and set off a great revolution in the field of biological science.

Literary giants

Balzac was a famous French writer in the 19th century. At that time, France was in a period of social transformation with the development of capitalism, and Balzac wrote a set of novels called "The Human Comedy" by integrating what he had seen and heard. In his novels, he meticulously portrayed the social phenomena he observed and created many impressive characters. Balzac's classics, such as "Eugénie Grandet" and "The Old Man", reproduce the complex social scene of the early 19th century in France. Balzac left to posterity a history of the interchange of French society, especially Parisian high society.

A little later than Balzac, a great Russian writer, Lev Tolstoy, emerged. His novels, such as War and Peace, Anna Karenina and Resurrection, portray the most important scenes of life of all classes of Russian society. In his novels, Tolstoy on the one hand fiercely attacked the Russian tsarist dictatorship and the brutal oppression of the peasants by the landlords, while on the other hand denied violent revolution and preached moral fraternity. Tolstoy's novels reflect the state of the Russian peasantry during a period of social transition, when they wanted to fight back but could not find a way out, so Tolstoy was called "the mirror of the Russian Revolution" by Lenin.

Master of music and art

In the 18th century, Beethoven, a genius composer, was born in Germany. His music was full of imagination and passion, infectious, and his masterpiece is the Heroic Symphony. This symphony, completed in 1804, is a work reflecting a major social theme and marks Beethoven's intellectual and artistic maturity. The Heroic Symphony is majestic, expressing Beethoven's desire for freedom, equality and fraternity.

The modern art of painting has developed continuously and a large number of outstanding painters have emerged, among which the Dutch Van Gogh is a representative one.

There are many masterpieces of Van Gogh, such as "Coffee Pipe at Night" and "Sunflower". The bright, brilliant yellow petals in "Sunflower" express the painter's praise of life and his desire for a better life.

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