Philosophy and the Social Problem
by Will Durant
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About This Book
THE purpose of this essay is to show: first, that the social problem has been the basic concern of many of the greater philosophers; second, that an approach to the social problem through philosophy is the first condition of even a moderately successful treatment of this problem; and third, that an approach to philosophy through the social problem is indispensable to the revitalization of philosophy.By “philosophy” we shall understand a study of experience as a whole, or of a portion of experience in relation to the whole.By the “social problem” we shall understand, simply and very broadly, th...
Chapters (73)
- PHILOSOPHY AND THE SOCIAL PROBLEM
- CONTENTS
- PART I HISTORICAL APPROACH
- PHILOSOPHY AND THE SOCIAL PROBLEM INTRODUCTION
- CHAPTER I THE PRESENT SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SOCRATIC ETHIC
- I History as Rebarbarization
- II Philosophy as Disintegrator
- III Individualism in Athens
- IV The Sophists
- V Intelligence as Virtue
- VI The Meaning of Virtue
- VII “Instinct” and “Reason”
- VIII The Secularization of Morals
- IX “Happiness” and “Virtue”
- X The Socratic Challenge
- CHAPTER II PLATO: PHILOSOPHY AS POLITICS
- I The Man and the Artist
- II How to Solve the Social Problem
- III On Making Philosopher-Kings
- IV Dishonest Democracy
- V Culture and Slavery
- VI Plasticity and Order
- VII The Meaning of Justice
- VIII The Future of Plato
- CHAPTER III FRANCIS BACON AND THE SOCIAL POSSIBILITIES OF SCIENCE
- I From Plato to Bacon
- II Character
- III The Expurgation of the Intellect
- IV Knowledge is Power
- V The Socialization of Science
- VI Science and Utopia
- VII Scholasticism in Science
- VIII The Asiatics of Europe
- CHAPTER IV SPINOZA ON THE SOCIAL PROBLEM[82]
- I Hobbes
- II The Spirit of Spinoza
- III Political Ethics
- IV Is Man a Political Animal?
- V What the Social Problem Is
- VI Free Speech
- VII Virtue as Power
- VIII Freedom and Order
- IX Democracy and Intelligence
- X The Legacy of Spinoza
- CHAPTER V NIETZSCHE
- I From Spinoza to Nietzsche
- II Biographical
- III Exposition
- IV Criticism
- V Nietzsche Replies
- VI Conclusion
- PART II SUGGESTIONS
- CHAPTER I SOLUTIONS AND DISSOLUTIONS
- I The Problem
- II “Solutions”
- III Dissolutions
- CHAPTER II THE RECONSTRUCTIVE FUNCTION OF PHILOSOPHY
- I Epistemologs
- II Philosophy as Control
- III Philosophy as Mediator between Science and Statesmanship
- CHAPTER III ORGANIZED INTELLIGENCE
- I The Need
- II The Organization of Intelligence
- III Information of Panacea
- IV Sex, Art, and Play in Social Reconstruction
- V Education
- CHAPTER IV THE READER SPEAKS
- I The Democratization of Aristocracy
- II The Professor as Buridan’s Ass
- III Is Information Wanted?
- IV Finding Mæcenas
- V The Chance of Philosophy
- CONCLUSION
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