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

by Gerhard Falk (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The slow ascent of Man to a life of reason is best portrayed by examining the long history of secularization which religion has provoked in every age. It is customary to assume that secular attitudes are a recent development and that religion ruled unchallenged in "the past". This is not so. Dr. Falk's book serves to show that even the most ancient writings now extant indicate that religion always had its opponents and that opposition to religion, at least in Western Civilization, was particularly strong in ancient Greece among the pre-Socratic "lovers of wisdom".

Product Details

• Hardcover: 317 pages
• Publisher: Edwin Mellen Press (July 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0773469567
• ISBN-13: 978-0773469563
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #6,779,704 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding reference work for the educated only, December 25, 2002

By	Michael Weiss (Shaker Heights, OH USA) - See all my reviews

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.