Physics and Philosophy

I found it interesting how both physics and philosophy seemed to "fall apart" at the same time. Physics, always trying to delve for a more fundamental understanding of the universe, led to the realization that we have no idea why atoms behave the way they way they do. Before that, there had been great confidence in the fact that physics seemed to be able to solve any problem that society faced. The new physics also led to terrible new discoveries. The ability to split the atom led to the creation of the atomic bomb. This also led to the ability to harness nuclear power for peaceful energy, but the results of the Manhattan Project had caused people to fear and distrust physics.

Philosophy also grew more confusing and more threatening at the same time. Freud was the most famous and most controversial psychologist of the time. His views were not so widely accepted as those of physics however, even though the new views of physics were basically saying we knew nothing. A much less popular -- and in my opinion much less valid -- science, psychology seemed to be following the trends of physics. This might be because the overall view of the universe changed with physics. I think it was this sort of thing that gave rise to the modern trend of agnosticism.