Linne(1707-1778, Carl von linnaeus) and Swedenborg (1688-1772)

Last week we took a look at the work of Ludvig Holberg in order to understand the early enlightenment notion of subjectivity. I argued that Holberg was emeshed in two seemingly contrary movements—the development of the absolute monarchy in Denmark with the accompanying re-organization of society, and the coming of Enlightenment thought to the north. On one hand, we discussed Jeppe of the Hill and saw how Holberg had some reservations about the creation of a new nobility, on the other hand we saw how his moral thoughts called for a species of education that called for the primacy of rationality. Taken together, these two works inform us of a belief system that valorized both the stability of the social order and called for a progressive notion of human scientific endeavor. It is my belief that this admixture of quietism towards authoritarian political practices with the notion of an intellectual life that claims freedom from dogma is typical of the tyranny of reason that we find in the Enligtenment. Today, we will begin a section where we will explore the consequences of an over estimation of the powers of the rational mind. We turn to two scientists, men of the enlightenment, in their mystical moments: Carl von Linne and Emmanuel Swedenborg.

First let’s paint a picture of Sweden during this time period using broad brush strokes. Swedish power reached both its apex and nadir under the kingship of Karl XII during the first decade of the 18^th century. With the defeat of his army at the battle of Poltava in 1712, Karl precipitated the collapse of his country’s economy. With his assassination (?) in Norway at the battle of Akershus , ended the absolute power of the monarchy. (The absolute Kingship will be re-established in 1773). During the time of the absolute kingship, literature was connected to state power, the church, and education. When the state came into crisis in Karl’s last days, there was a concomitant crisis in the world of Swedish letters. Out of this crisis grew a literature aimed at a bourgeois reading public—literature turned to appeal to the individual. Development of a public culture of museums, theater, and libraries.

Politically, this era is known as Frihetens tid. This time is marked by a weak state dominated by a parliament and the bureaucracy. Freedom of the press comes in 1766, and the natural sciences flourish. The 1720’s, 30’s, and 40’s saw the rise of periodicals, the mmost prominent being the Svenska Argus (1730’s) and Lärda Tidningen (1740). The first daily newspaper, Dagligt Allehanda came in 1760.

This time period was distinguished for great interest in science, technology, and economics. Vetenskapsakademien established in 1739—Linneaus was one of the founders. Swedenborg started out as a mine technician, wrote scientific literature and was a member of the noble estate during several parliamentary sessions. Linneaus married his cousin (1739). Let’s turn to the younger man Linneaus first, as he provides us with a good example of what I posited at the beginning of the hour, that the scientist confronting the unknown with the aid of his reason, eventually comes to a notion of the mystical. Linneaus devoted his scientific career to the classification of nature by family and type (genus and species)—he experienced nature as a creation of the divine and this tension between his desire to classify and his belief in a metaphysical orignation becomes apparent in Nemisis Divina. First let’s look at his life.

He originally wanted to be a doctor. He was introduced during his school; years to both medicinal elements and systematic botany—he then attended the Univsersity of Lund. (1727). He then got a job at Uppsala and began his study of plant sexuality. He took a series of field trips—first to Lappland—his writngs from this period expressed an interesting combination of Swedish nature and classical mythological allusions. It is here that he became acquainted with Sami culture. He openly admired their relationship to nature and the simplicity of their way of life. His thnological reports contributed to European notions of the noble savage and primitivism. He wrote Flora Lapponica during this period. 1735—Linneaus travels to the continent—he wind hid doctorate and gains a pan European reputation. He writes Systema naturae, Genera plantarum, and Fundamenta botanica—he layed out a system of plant classification that was based on stamens and pistils—the reproductive organs of the Flora. He opens up a medical practice in Stockholm, and later is named professor of practical medicine at Uppsala University. New travels to Öland and Gotland (1741). In 1760 he wrote Species plantorum where he systematized all the world’splants that were known to him. Specialized name giving and binary nomenclature.

Nemesis Divina:

In Linneaus scientific work, he created a hierarchal system based on universal progressions and developments. He tried to provide a view of an all encompassing orde based not only on the physical world, but also in dark narratives of god’s retribution. He started to develop his notion of Nemesis in the 1740’s and worked out his thoughts in 1765. He began to publish this work shortly thereafter, but the full mss was not collected until 1968. de Nemesis divina (on divine revenge) and a mss he kept secret called Theologica experimentalis—A system of correspondence intimately tied to the material world--