Classic Reads: The Abolition of Man

Based on a series of lectures first published in 1944, The Abolition of Man is a remarkably current argument about the nature of truth and the shaping of society.

     Lewis' argument begins with the assertion that the ability to judge correctly must be learned; value is not attributed to a thing based on emotion, but based on its intrinsic value.  He writes of the weaknesses in modern education systems that fail to teach students to judge correctly.
     In the next portion of the argument, Lewis writes against what he calls the Innovators, who search for a primitive basis for moral judgement outside of an objective standard of moral truth.  Lewis terms this standard the Tao, and writes that grounded in values held by societies across history and culture.  He writes that without a grounding in the Tao, there is no ground for accepting or rejecting any subset of values.

This thing which I have called for convenience the Tao, and which others may call Natural Law or Traditional Morality or the First Principles or Practical Reason or the First Platitudes, is not one among a series of possible systems of value.  If it is rejected, all value is rejected.  If any value is retained, it is retained.  The effort to refute it and raise a new system of value in its place is self-contradictory.  There has never been, and never will be, a radically new judgement of value in the history of the world (43)

     In the final chapter, Lewis concludes his argument that without reference to an objective system of moral truth, humanity eventually destroys itself.  Without a moral standard, power degenerates into tyrrany.

When all that says 'it is good' has been debunked, what says 'I want' remains (65)

   Lewis' argument in favour of a traditional, trans-cultural standard for value, truth, and right remains remarkably current for present discussion about society-shaping and moral values.

An open mind, in questions that are not ultimate, is useful.  But an open mind about the ultimate foundations of either Theoretical or of Practical reason is idiocy (48)

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