"'The Tree of Knowledge is not that of Life'; or, from the Enlightenment to 19th century Gothic literature, the Rise and Fall of Scientific Utopias Mémoire de Master 1 Sous la direction de Mme Christine Murphy Berthin, professeure à Parix X Nanterre (original) (raw)

This research paper explores the evolution of scientific utopias from the Enlightenment through 19th-century Gothic literature, emphasizing the tension between aspirations for societal progress and the realities of human nature and societal structures. By examining various theories of degeneration and philosophical perspectives—including those of Marx and Nietzsche—the work discusses the interplay between societal change and human evolution, ultimately contemplating the possibilities and limitations of posthumanism. Through literary and theoretical analysis, the paper seeks to contextualize the anxieties and hopes surrounding human development in light of historical contexts.