Customer Reviews

From Rationalism to Irrationality: The Decline of the Western Mind from the Renaissance to the Present

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Singer presents a tour-de-force analysis of the major thinkers in western history, and does so from a Christian (specifically Calvinist/Reformed) perspective. He not only includes the usual suspects (famous philosophers), but also delves into economics (Keynes), Sociology (Durkheim), Education (Dewey) and Political thought (Pareto) and other areas.

The treatment is of western thought, and he is very broad in tracing its history through phases like humanism, idealism, darwinism, existentialism and the like. Even though it is long and dense, it is not a bad read. Some familiarity with the history of ideas, especially philosophy would be helpful but is not necessary. His main thesis is that a rational interpretation of reality includes the view that the world, man, and history have meaning and purpose. A view that does not include this teleology is inherently irrational and works itself out in irrational conclusions and often destructive outcomes. This irrationalism is the logical and necessary consequence of the importation of classical thought into the mainstream of European thought during the Renaissance. Only a Christian/Reformed worldview, with its teleology, can be a rational and sustainable philosophical foundation.

If one wants a Christian perspective on western thought, and the problems associated with these other worldviews, this is it. However, I gave it only four stars because sometimes his conclusions or arguments leave a little something to be desired (he doesn't tie the bow around the package as well as others).

Singer also wrote a book called the "A Theological Interpretation of American History," which is a much shorter, but decent book. With the two, a reader would have a good grasp of western thought as viewed from a reformed perspective. In other words, they are good surveys from a Christian worldview. The caveat with Singer is that he is a stauch Calvinist, so he argues against anything that doesn't fully reflect an orthodox Calvinistic perspective (i.e. he has problems with America's fouding documents). So, I can recommend Singer's books and would like to see someone bring them up to the current discussion.