Note publique d'information : Ernst Haeckel (1834-1919), zoologiste allemand et systématicien de grand talent, fut
aussi le principal vulgarisateur de la théorie darwinienne – ou plus exactement d'un
évolutionnisme moniste-matérialiste qui s'appuyait sur les acquis des nouvelles "sciences
de la nature" et qu'il exposa, dès 1866, dans sa Generelle Morphologie der Organismen.
Ni matérialiste ni spiritualiste (la matière et l'esprit sont indissociables), cette
conception du monde fondée sur l'idée de l'unité fondamentale de la nature organique
et de la nature inorganique devait réformer la morphologie et était destinée à se
substituer à la vision chrétienne du monde en remplaçant les vieux "dogmes de la métaphysique"
– Dieu, Liberté, Immortalité – par la trinité du "Bon, du Bien et du Beau". À partir
de 1868, le naturaliste n'eut de cesse de vulgariser son monisme dans un style toujours
plus polémique. Pourquoi Ernst Haeckel décida-t-il de remettre cette philosophie ancienne
au goût du jour à cette époque précise de sa vie ? Nourrissait-il d'autres ambitions
? Pourquoi rejeta-t-il, sa vie durant, aussi bien l'accusation de matérialisme que
d'athéisme ? Était-il un homme de son temps ? L'approche positiviste de cette étude
qui tient compte des éléments biographiques (1834-1866) ainsi que du contexte politique
et social de l'époque tente de répondre à ces questions.
Note publique d'information : Ernst Haeckel (1834-1919), German zoologist, was the first major popularizer of Darwinism
in Germany – or more precisely of a monistic-materialistic evolutionism founded on
some of the latest progress made in the natural sciences and which he exposed for
the first time in his book : Generelle Morphologie der Organismen (1866). Neither
materialistic nor idealistic, believing matter and spirit are inseparable, Haeckel’s
philosophy, which he called monism was based on the fundamental unity of organic and
inorganic nature. It aimed at reforming morphology and above all at substituting itself
for the Christian world’s vision while rejecting the old metaphysical dogmas "theism,
free will and immortality" and giving rational support to "the true, the good and
the beautiful". His "hard" determinism, his mechanism, his complete rejection of the
supernatural all inclined his contemporaries to classify him as a materialist. From
1868 to the end of his life, he never tired of popularizing his philosophical system
in a way that became extremely polemical. His dislike of the power of the church in
social and political matters and his liberal opposition to political figures resulted
in many controversies. On the other hand, during his entire life, he rejected the
accusation of materialism as well as of idealism. Why did he object ? Monism is known
to be a very ancient philosophy. Why did Haeckel choose to update it precisely at
this point in his life ? Did he have political ambitions ? A positivistic approach
taking into account his biography and the political and social context is meant to
understand and give answers to these questions
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