logical positivism
A philosophy that sees meaning in only those beliefs that can be empirically proven, and that therefor rejects most of the concerns of traditional philosophy, from the existence of God to the meaning of happiness, as nonsense.
existentialism
A philosophy that stresses the meaninglessness of existence and the importance of the individual in searching for moral values in an uncertain world.
theory of special relativity
Albert Einstein’s theory that time and space are relative to the observer that only the speed of light remains constant.
id, ego, and superego
Freudian terms to describe the three parts of the self and the basis of human behavior, which Freud saw as basically irrational.
modernism
A label given to the artistic and cultural movements of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, which were typified by radical experimentation that challenged traditional forms of artistic expression.
functionalism
The principle that buildings, like industrial products, should serve as well as possible the purpose for which they were made, without excessive ornamentation.
Bauhaus
A German interdisciplinary school of fine and applied arts that brought together many leading modern architects, designers, and theatrical innovators.
Dadaism
An artistic movement of the 1920s and 1930s that attacked all accepted standards of art and behavior and delighted in outrageous conduct.
stream-of-consciousness technique
A literary technique, found in works by Virginia Woolf, James Joyce, and others, that uses interior monologue—a character’s thoughts and feelings as they occur—to explore the human psyche.
“modern girl”
Somewhat stereotypical image of the modern and independent working woman popular in the 1920s.
Dawes Plan
War reparations agreement that reduced Germany’s yearly payments, made payment dependent of economic prosperity, and granted large U.S. loans to promote recovery.
Great Depression
A worldwide economic depression from 1929 through 1939, unique in its severity and duration and with slow and uneven recovery.
Popular Front
A short-lived New Deal-inspired alliance in France led by Léon Blum that encouraged the union movement and launched a far-reaching program of social reform.
John Maynard Keynes
Economics guy?
Gustav Stresemann
persuaded the French to leave the Ruhr and changed the currency to the Rentenmark which helped solve hyperinflation.
Franklin Roosevelt
US President who campaigned the New Deal
James Joyce
Avant Garde novelist and poet.
Sigmund Freud
Psychologist! That one yeah the Id Ego Superego one
Nietzsche
Created nihilism.