A lecture showing what damage is done when absolutes are reduced to subjectivity.
Plot
Moved by the progressive modern determination to remove ourselves from ideals and to make absolute values irrelevant, Lewis sets out to show that no one can survive the destruction of Truth, and that the long human struggle to subject the world, if taken too far, leads to the inevitable end of man’s own abolition.
Morality
This book is concerned almost wholly with morality, its necessary existence, and what happens when men do or do not ascribe to it. While Lewis deals with it from a purely logical point of view, his view is nevertheless biblical.
Spiritual Content
Lewis contrasts the reality of Value as an absolute abstract with the idea of its being a mere extension of Nature. He touches on various worldviews, both Eastern and Western, which ascribe to the reality of Value and its importance.
Violence
None.
Drug and Alcohol Content
None.
Sexual Content
Lewis refers to sex as regards brute instinct.
Crude or Profane Language or Content
None.
Conclusion
This is a good book for the thinking Christian. While deeply immersed in Lewis’ philosophical background, the style itself is logical and easy to follow. It will undoubtedly take the reader several times through to get the full impact of this book, but that is part of its beauty, and it is well worth the reading. Lewis sketches the progression of man’s conquest over Nature and, ultimately, his encroaching victory over Reason itself. But his point (and he aptly executes his design) is to show the irreparable damage that a victory over Reason and a reduction to mere subjection of Values will do. This is a lecture which is still, sadly, applicable to our day.
This review is brought to you by Jenny.
