University of California Press Civilization

In this collection of essays first published in 1941, the authors grapple with fundamental questions about the nature and evaluation of human social patterns. Their republication invites reflection on whether the intervening decades of historical turbulence and philosophical progress have addressed these enduring issues or if the analyses remain relevant. Professor Lenzen’s exploration of the scientific revolution highlights the interplay of philosophical decisions and practical conditions, such as the rejection of Aristotelian physics in favor of mathematical methods. While he underestimated the impact of military pressures on scientific progress, his central theses about the conceptual underpinnings of breakthroughs remain intact. Similarly, Professor Melden’s critique of "sociologism" and his insights into the conditions for objective judgment in the social sciences retain their pertinence in addressing the persistent challenges of relativism and explanatory frameworks. The essays also delve into the relationship between freedom and organization, a tension explored by Professors Pepper and Mackay, whose analyses of research and communication structures are even more relevant today. At a deeper level, the works of Professors Adams, Strong, and the concluding essay tackle the philosophical core of civilization: the nature and validity of value norms. Adams’ Platonic interpretations and Strong’s naturalistic inquiries provide complementary perspectives on the grounding of values in human needs and aspirations. The concluding essay seeks to reconcile descriptive and normative perspectives on civilization while bridging natural and spiritual values. Collectively, these studies aim to stimulate rigorous reflection on civilization's intellectual and moral underpinnings, a task as vital now as when these ideas were first articulated. This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1959.