The Abolition of Man

by C. S. Lewis

Publisher:

HarperOne

, 2001

Overview

In the classic The Abolition of Man, C.S. Lewis, the most important Christian writer of the 20th century, sets out to persuade his audience of the importance and relevance of universal values such as courage and honor in contemporary society. He also makes a cogent case that a retreat from these pillars of our educational system, even if in the name of “scientism,” would be catastrophic. Both astonishing and prophetic, The Abolition of Man is one of the most debated of Lewis’ extraordinary works. National Review chose it as number seven on their “100 Best Nonfiction Books of the Twentieth Century.”

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Key Features

• Sets out to persuade readers of the importance and relevance of universal values
• Focuses on values such as courage and honor in contemporary society

Contents

• Men Without Chests
• The Way
• The Abolition of Man

Top Highlights

“In a sort of ghastly simplicity we remove the organ and demand the function. We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honour and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and bid the geldings be fruitful.” (Page 26)

“For every one pupil who needs to be guarded from a weak excess of sensibility there are three who need to be awakened from the slumber of cold vulgarity. The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles but to irrigate deserts. The right defence against false sentiments is to inculcate just sentiments. By starving the sensibility of our pupils we only make them easier prey to the propagandist when he comes. For famished nature will be avenged and a hard heart is no infallible protection against a soft head.” (Pages 13–14)

“No emotion is, in itself, a judgement; in that sense all emotions and sentiments are alogical. But they can be reasonable or unreasonable as they conform to Reason or fail to conform. The heart never takes the place of the head: but it can, and should, obey it.” (Page 19)

“From this point of view, what we call Man’s power over Nature turns out to be a power exercised by some men over other men with Nature as its instrument.” (Page 55)

“Man’s final conquest has proved to be the abolition of Man.” (Page 64)

Praise for the Print Edition

A real triumph.

—Owen Barfield, author, Saving the Appearances: A Study in Idolatry

Product Details

• Title: The Abolition of Man
• Author: C.S. Lewis
• Series: Signature Classics
• Publisher: HarperOne
• Publication Date: 2009
• Pages: 128
• Christian Group: Evangelicals and Anglican
• Resource Type: Literature
• Topic: Philosophy and Apologetics

About C. S. Lewis

Clive Staples Lewis, (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963) was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably one of the most influential writers of his day. He was a Fellow and Tutor in English Literature at Oxford University until 1954, when he was unanimously elected to the Chair of Medieval and Renaissance Literature at Cambridge University, a position he held until his retirement. He wrote more than thirty books, allowing him to reach a vast audience, and his works continue to attract thousands of new readers every year. His most distinguished and popular accomplishments include Out of the Silent Planet, The Great Divorce, The Screwtape Letters, and the universally acknowledged classic Mere Christianity. Read more about his life and legacy.