Plough, Sword, and Book: The Structure of Human History"British philosopher/anthropologist Gellner offers a comprehensive theory of history: humans settle into agriculture, produce surpluses, and divide into complex subgroups. Communication becomes pressing. Written language emerges as a controlling super-reality, bringing a Platonic illusion of an eternal world. Gradually, facts take precedence over concepts and "objective knowledge" is born. This scheme takes us from the tribal society to the Royal Society, but Gellner has not met all the challenges. There are still those who think that real knowledge is offered only by theology, or Platonic mathematical and logical reality, or a society free of class tension. And Franz Borkenau urged in End and Beginning (LJ 1/11/81) that all knowable reality is powerfully shaped by language. Thought-provoking but not conclusive."--Www.amazon (Nov. 8, 2010) |
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activities agrarian age agrarian society agrarian world ancien régime argument authority become central claims clerisy codified coercion cognitive complex concepts condition conflict constitute context contrast Counter-Reformation course criteria crucial culture David Hume deity diverse division of labour doctrine dominant economic effective egalitarian emergence endowed engendered Enlightenment ERNEST GELLNER ethos external fact faith favoured genetic genuine growth hence human ideas ideological important independent individual industrial inherent innovation instrumental rationality internal kind knowledge legitimation liberal linked logic mankind Marshall Sahlins Marxism Max Weber means ment merely modern society moral nature of things neolithic revolution normative notion Nuer once orderly organization perhaps perpetual pervasive Platonic political possess possible primitive prisoner's dilemma problem production Protestantism question radical reason referential religion ritual role rulers rules salvation sense single situation social order sphere status surplus theory Thrasymachus tion transcendent transformation truth unified unique valid values vision wealth