Book description
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.
John Armstrong's new book, lyrical, courageous and uplifting, is
seeking to do nothing less than reform the ambitions of western
societies and encourage the growth of a set of values he captures with a
highly unusual and intriguing word: "civilisation".
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.
