A dialogue on civilization
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C.E.M. Joad discusses the meaning of civilization in a dialogue with his daughter. He argues there are three major factors that characterize a civilized person: 1) Creating beautiful things through art like Shakespeare, Raphael, and Beethoven did through their plays, paintings, and music. 2) Thinking new thoughts and thinking freely through science which leads to invention and progress. 3) Behaving ethically and following political and social rules. Joad believes exhibiting these three traits is what truly makes a person civilized.
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A dialogue on civilization
- 2. INTRODUCTION TO THE AUTHOR Cyril Edwin Mitchinson Joad (August 12, 1891 April 9, 1953) was a British philosopher and essayist. He was a lecturer and also a broadcasting personality who did wartime discussion programmes. He managed to popularise philosophy and became a celebrity. Some of his works include, For civilization, Future of life, God and evil, Great philosophies of the world, Guide to Modern Thought , Guide to philosophy .
- 3. C.E.M. JOAD
- 4. INTRODUCTION TO THE ESSAY A Dialogue on Civilization is an extract from the book The Story of Civilization. It is a conversation between the author and his daughter, Lucy, where he explains the meaning of civilization. He points out the three major factors that make a person civilized.
- 5. CREATING BEAUTIFUL THINGS According to the author, people who have money and live a luxurious life are not civilized. He says, Being civilized ought to be some credit to you, something you can be proud of. He mentions Shakespeare , Raphael and Beethoven to be civilized as they created beautiful things. Shakespeare Plays, Raphael - Pictures, Beethoven Music.
- 6. Shakespeare, Beethoven and Raphael
- 7. Having beautiful and gorgeous things is not being civilized. e.g. Caliphs and Princes in the Arabian Nights. They are all grown-up substitutes for treacle toffees and catapults and one would soon tire of them all. But some people stop their enjoyment for a short time and begin again. e.g. Romans.
- 8. He says, Civilization is not being splendid and grand and living in luxury but creating beautiful things. And these beautiful things he says, will stand the test of time. Beautiful things live. This process of creating beautiful things is called ART.
- 9. THINKING NEW THOUGHTS AND THINKING FREELY C.E.M. Joad says that thinking new thoughts and thinking them freely is the next sign of civilization. Many people have seen the kettle boil and apple fall before James Watt and Sir Isaac Newton. They did not invent anything because they did not think new thoughts. He says that it is because people think and invent, civilization happens.
- 10. Apple and Kettle
- 11. He then points out in order to think freely, one must have: Security Leisure Society Thinking new thought and thinking freely is what the author calls SCIENCE.
- 12. BEING GOOD The third and most important feature is being good and following the rules. Without this aspect, art and science would be of no use. According to Joad, being good means acting justly towards our neighbour, and respecting his property and obeying the laws, and perhaps other things as well. Hence the third is POLITICAL JUSTICE AND ETHICS.
- 13. CONCLUSION Thus C.E.M. Joad effectively brings out the three major aspects of being civilized - Art (creating beautiful things), Science ( thinking new thoughts and thinking freely), Ethics ( keeping the rules).