Breaking Traditions:
Fin de Siecle 1896 and 1996
INTRODUCTION
Edith Kurzweil:
I want to welcome you to another
PartiSall
R eview
con–
ference, this one on "Breaking Tradi tions: 1896 and 1996." We chose these
dates rather than the year 2000 not onJy because we wanted
to
be differ–
ent, but because 1996 is Austria's millenium and Adelphi's centennial. We
have asembled a lively and learned bunch of experts and intellectuals who
will compare the thinking within their disciplines and the concerns of
their culture then and now. Igor Webb, the Senior Vice President and
Acaderruc Officer of Adelphi University, will introduce our theme. But
before we begin, I want to thank those who made this conference possi–
ble: the Austrian Cultural Institute, Daniel and Joanna S. Rose, Joan
C.
Schwartz, and, of course, Igor Webb.
Igor Webb:
As you know, the prophets of the nineteenth century, like
Edward Bellamy, put their faith in cience and reason to achieve "true" civ–
ilization in the twentieth century. Some relied on technological advances;
others on the transformation of the social order. They all felt poised on the
verge of a great change, one that would finally set humanity on the road to
utopia.
In many ways our century has surpassed the wildest visions of these
dreamers.
We have triumphed over cold, heat, darkness, space, and are even con–
tending with death. We can pluck the ailing heart from our chests and
replace it with another made of plas tic valves and pumps. We have wrest–
ed from nature authority over conception, and parturition. We envision
fashioning our children more or less as we like,just as we cultivate apples
that can travel the globe without a blemish or can fabricate all manner of
artificial tastes, sights and sound.
Yet we are also haunted by the plausible danger that we may, by our
own acts, destroy life itself.
Indeed, our very triumphs over nature seem to threaten our survival
on earth. We cannot drink the water or breathe the air without peril. Our
knowledge of the secrets of matter has also enabled us to create weapons
that can destroy entire populations at a single blow, and endanger all life.
Our ability to see and
Ii
ten to everything and to communicate instantly
