The End of the Soul
Encyclopedia
The End of the Soul: Scientific Modernity, Atheism, And Anthropology in France, 1876-1936 by Jennifer Michael Hecht
was published in 2003 by Columbia University Press
. It tells how a group of leading French citizens, men and women included, joined together to form an unusual group, The Society of Mutual Autopsy
, with the aim of proving that souls do not exist. The idea was that, after death, they would dissect each other and (hopefully) show a direct relationship between brain shapes and sizes and the character, abilities and intelligence of individuals. The book argues that this strange scientific pact, and anthropology
itself, which the group's members helped to develop, had its genesis in aggressive, evangelical atheism
.
Essentially, The End of the Soul is a study of science and atheism in France in late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. It illustrates how anthropology grew in the context of an impassioned struggle between the forces of tradition, especially the Catholic
faith, and those of a more freethinking modernism, and posits that it became for many a secular religion. Among the figures discussed are novelist Emile Zola
, statesman Leon Gambetta
, American birth control advocate Margaret Sanger
, and Arthur Conan Doyle
.
The End of the Soul received the Ralph Waldo Emerson
Award for 2004 from the Phi Beta Kappa Society
as a book that "is an important contribution to knowledge, serious scholarship with a broad pertinence to the human condition."
Jennifer Michael Hecht
Jennifer Michael Hecht is a poet, historian, philosopher, and author.Hecht's scholarly articles have been published in many journals and magazines, and her poetry has appeared in The New Yorker, The New Republic, and Poetry Magazine, among others...
was published in 2003 by Columbia University Press
Columbia University Press
Columbia University Press is a university press based in New York City, and affiliated with Columbia University. It is currently directed by James D. Jordan and publishes titles in the humanities and sciences, including the fields of literary and cultural studies, history, social work, sociology,...
. It tells how a group of leading French citizens, men and women included, joined together to form an unusual group, The Society of Mutual Autopsy
Society of Mutual Autopsy
The Society of Mutual Autopsy or la Société d'autopsie mutuelle, was organized on October 19, 1876 by members of the Society of Anthropology of Paris...
, with the aim of proving that souls do not exist. The idea was that, after death, they would dissect each other and (hopefully) show a direct relationship between brain shapes and sizes and the character, abilities and intelligence of individuals. The book argues that this strange scientific pact, and anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
itself, which the group's members helped to develop, had its genesis in aggressive, evangelical atheism
Atheism
Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...
.
Essentially, The End of the Soul is a study of science and atheism in France in late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. It illustrates how anthropology grew in the context of an impassioned struggle between the forces of tradition, especially the Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
faith, and those of a more freethinking modernism, and posits that it became for many a secular religion. Among the figures discussed are novelist Emile Zola
Émile Zola
Émile François Zola was a French writer, the most important exemplar of the literary school of naturalism and an important contributor to the development of theatrical naturalism...
, statesman Leon Gambetta
Léon Gambetta
Léon Gambetta was a French statesman prominent after the Franco-Prussian War.-Youth and education:He is said to have inherited his vigour and eloquence from his father, a Genovese grocer who had married a Frenchwoman named Massabie. At the age of fifteen, Gambetta lost the sight of his right eye...
, American birth control advocate Margaret Sanger
Margaret Sanger
Margaret Higgins Sanger was an American sex educator, nurse, and birth control activist. Sanger coined the term birth control, opened the first birth control clinic in the United States, and established Planned Parenthood...
, and Arthur Conan Doyle
Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle DL was a Scottish physician and writer, most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, generally considered a milestone in the field of crime fiction, and for the adventures of Professor Challenger...
.
The End of the Soul received the Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson was an American essayist, lecturer, and poet, who led the Transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century...
Award for 2004 from the Phi Beta Kappa Society
Phi Beta Kappa Society
The Phi Beta Kappa Society is an academic honor society. Its mission is to "celebrate and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences"; and induct "the most outstanding students of arts and sciences at America’s leading colleges and universities." Founded at The College of William and...
as a book that "is an important contribution to knowledge, serious scholarship with a broad pertinence to the human condition."