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Man's Ascent to Reason: The Secularization of Western Culture

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The author's thesis is that the slow ascent of Man to a life of reason is best portrayed by examining the long history of secularization that religion has provoked in every age. To that end, he traces the history of secular thought in western civilization from pre-Socratic Greeks to the French enlightenment of the 18th century and beyond. Among the milestones he finds on the way are the Greek conquest of Rome, the transition to the Renaissance and the Reformation, the age of Copernicus, non-conformist thought, characteristics of the enlightenment in England and France, and sociology and secular humanism. He ends with the Triumph of Reason.

This is a magnificent reference work. It should be noted, however, that it is not for someone with less than a college education; the language is educated English.