Science and Thought

During this time in history scientific thought began to yield beneficial change in society. In other words, theoretical knowledge began to be applied in everyday uses. Louis Pasteur and his process of Pasteurizing milk is a prime example of this shift in modes. Even while practical applications were being developed, however, theory was still advancing at a rapid pace. the Law of Conservation of Energy - stating that energy can neither be created nor destroyed - proved to people that the world is government by strict unchanging laws. Even the process of systematic research and development (R&D) was developed at this time. In the end, science began to triumph over religion as reason began to replace faith.
Social Scientists, such as Marx, began to study society as a whole from children to crime rates. Everything was represented statistically and analysts spent a good portion of their lives study trends. One significant analyst was Auguste Comte. Comte noted that explanation of things, such as cosmic patterns, shifted from theological (will of God) to metaphysical (orderly nature) to scientific (unchanging laws). His method of reason was known as the Positivist Method, more commonly known as the Scientific Method. During this time Darwin also published his thesis On the Origin of Species by the Means of Natural Selection. This document led to great outrage, and also to the concept of Social Darwinism.
The triumph of science also led to the Realist literary movement. In Realism authors strove to depict things as they were in real life without mixing in romanticized views and only using hard science. The pioneer of this movement was Emile Zola with her literary manifesto.