In Search of Civilization: Remaking a tarnished idea - Softcover

Armstrong, John

Softcover

ISBN 10: 184614003X ISBN 13: 9781846140037

Verlag: Allen Lane, 2009

Inhaltsangabe

In Arthur Ransome's charming tale of childhood adventure, Secret Water, four children are pretending to be savages approaching an outpost of the civilized world.

'What is civilization?' asks Bridget, the youngest.

'Ices,' explains her brother, 'and all that sort of thing.'

It is probably the briefest definition of the term on record in English, though it doesn't quite do justice to the grand idea of civilization. But if it isn't ices then what exactly is meant by civilization, and why do we need it?

Today, the debate around civilization and its meaning has almost disappeared. If talked about at all, it will be as part of a different debate: the political tensions between different parts of the world, colonial history, developments in engineering.Yet the promise of civilization is greater: if considered in its full meaning civilization can be a way of reconnecting grand, societal forces - economic liberty, social freedom - with the more intimate and deeper needs of life - wisdom, maturity, a flourishing of culture. In In Search of Civilization John Armstrong argues cogently and passionately that our sources of wisdom, maturity and happiness are rapidly drying up.Only by reviving a conversation about civilization can we put in place the conditions for our renaissance.

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Associate Professor John Armstrong is Philosopher in Residence at the Melbourne Business School and Senior Advisor to the Vice-Chancellor of Melbourne University. Born in Glasgow and educated at Oxford and London, he has lived in Australia since 2001. He is the author of several internationally acclaimed books on art, aesthetics and philosophy, including The Secret Power of Beauty and Conditions of Love.

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Acclaim for John Armstrong:

The Secret Power of Beauty

'Like Alain de Botton, Armstrong writes in a translucently intelligible and thoroughly graceful style' Sunday Times

'A romp through many incarnations of beauty - people, music, sculpture and architecture' Observer

'Resonant and thought provoking' New Statesman

Love, Life, Goethe

'In this lucid and engaging book, John Armstrong blows away the dust from this most misunderstood of major writers, and reveals a fascinating and often likeable figure whose work is of the utmost relevance to the problems we face today' Independent on Sunday

'Given the (manifest) imperfections of our world, Armstrong's book stands out as timely' The Times Literary Supplement

'So illuminating ... wonderfully executed' Tablet

Conditions of Love

'Wise, discursive ... as a gentle corrective to our ideas about ourselves, it is powerful and valuable' Sunday Times

'An elegant little book ... perceptive and tender' Evening Standard

'The reader is left attracted, amused, left fulfilled and eager for more' Independent on Sunday

Aus dem Klappentext

In Arthur Ransome's tale of childhood adventure, Secret Water, four children are pretending to be savages approaching an outpost of the civilized world.

'What is civilization?' asks Bridget, the youngest.

'Ices,' explains her brother, 'and all that sort of thing.'

It is probably the briefest definition of the term on record in English, though it doesn't quite do justice to the grand idea of civilization. But if it isn't ices then what exactly is meant by civilization, and why do we need it?

Today, the debate around civilization and its meaning has almost disappeared. If talked about at all, it will be as part of a different discussion about the political tensions between different parts of the world, about colonial history, or about developments in science. Yet the promise of civilization is greater: if considered in its full meaning civilization can be a way of reconnecting grand, societal forces - economic liberty, social freedom - with the more intimate and deeper needs of life and a flourishing of culture.

In In Search of Civilization John Armstrong argues cogently and passionately that our sources of wisdom, maturity and happiness are rapidly drying up. Only by reviving a conversation about civilization can we put in place the conditions for our renaissance.

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Allen Lane
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2009
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 184614003X
• ISBN 13: 9781846140037
• Einband: Tapa blanda
• Anzahl der Seiten: 208
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: Nicht verfügbar