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From Haeckelian Monist to Anti-Haeckelian Vitalist: The Transformation of the Icelandic Naturalist Thorvaldur Thoroddsen (1855–1921)

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Abstract

Iceland has not been known as a contributor tothe history of science. This small nation inthe North-Atlantic has only in recent decadesmade its mark on international science. Butthe Icelandic naturalist Thorvaldur Thoroddsen(1855–1921) is an exception to thisgeneralisation, for he was well known at theturn of the 20th century in Europe and Americafor his research on the geography and geologyof Iceland. Though Thoroddsen's contributionto these sciences is of great interest there isanother very interesting side to his career.This is his transformation from ``mechanist'' to``vitalist,'' which is the main focus of thispaper. Thoroddsen, who began his career as afollower of Darwinism and Haeckelian monism,started to express his worries aboutmaterialism in society in 1902 culminating in afull-fledged denial of materialism in politicsand science in 1910.

Thoroddsen's transformation is in its nature avery complex process, but overall it can betraced to his view that materialism wasdestroying the Danish and Icelandic societies.In the years before 1902 Thoroddsen was amonistic atheist, relatively liberal in hispolitics, a firm believer in the power of thenatural sciences, and considered the laws ofphysics the key to human progress. His viewswere strikingly similar to the ones Haeckelexpounded in The Riddle of the Universe(1899), whose reception in Germany is exploredin this paper in order to contextualiseThoroddsen's transformation. Between 1902 and1910, however, Thoroddsen rejected thisworldview in favour of conservative politicsand ontological dualism, becoming a staunchbeliever in a higher, godly, authority. Thetheories of Darwin and Haeckel were nowobsolete and needed to be replaced by the ideaof purpose, direction and the final goal oflife (Teleology).

In order to understand Thoroddsen'stransformation, I focus on the interaction ofscientific knowledge, politics and othercultural issues in his writings. This is doneby looking at Thoroddsen's views on biology, onthe natural sciences in general, and onpolitics as published in Icelandic articles,manuscripts and letters in the period 1872 to1910. I show that the transformation was dueto influences from the German holisticmovement, Thoroddsen's engagement with theRoyal elite in Denmark and its politicalconcerns, new developments in physics, and frompersonal traumas and professionaldisappointments. I also show that Thoroddsen'stransformation seems to be a good example ofthe social shaping of scientific knowledge.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CHSTM, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK;

    Steindór J. Erlingsson

  2. The Reykjavik Academy, Hringbraut 121, 107, Reykjvík, Iceland

    Steindór J. Erlingsson

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Erlingsson, S.J. From Haeckelian Monist to Anti-Haeckelian Vitalist: The Transformation of the Icelandic Naturalist Thorvaldur Thoroddsen (1855–1921). Journal of the History of Biology 35, 443–470 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021115027965

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