The Ambiguous Legacy of the Enlightenment

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Format: Paperback
Pub. Date: 1995-08-01
Publisher(s): UPA
List Price: $43.04

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Summary

As the twentieth century closes, having withstood two world wars, a massive economic depression, and the rise of murderous, despotic regimes that based their existence on rationalistic theories, the legacy of the Enlightenment has come under new scrutiny. This new collection of essays from the Claremont Institute examines both the beneficial aspects of the Enlightenment as well as those considered detrimental. Including essays by political and social scientists such as Charles Kesler and Ernest van den Haag as well as scientists like Edward Teller and Sir Fred Hoyle, this book examines why in the postmodern world of the late twentieth century, the application of reason, rationalism, and the scientific method to explain natural, social, and economic phenomena takes place almost without a second thought. While these modes of looking at the world have provided considerable benefits, especially when related to the natural realm, the perpetual use of reason and rationalism to explain man's existence has nudged theology aside, allowing secular humanism to displace reliance on a divine Providence and often leaving mankind spiritually adrift. Co-published with the Claremont Institute.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Contributors
The Roots of the Enlightenmentp. 1
Blumenberg and the Legitimacy of the Modern Agep. 22
Enlightenment to Ideology: the Apotheosis of the Human Mindp. 38
The Desolation of Realityp. 68
America's Place in the Enlightenmentp. 85
The Different Enlightenments: Theory and Practice in the Enlightenmentp. 102
The Permanent Limitations of Biologyp. 120
The Assumptions and Techniques of Sciencep. 142
Future Achievements to Be Gained Through Sciencep. 169
The Limitations of Physicsp. 182
The Limitations of Astronomyp. 196
Further Limitations of Astronomyp. 201
Beyond Sciencep. 208
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.

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