Explore the ideas shaping the modern world and the spiritual life at its center.
This scholarly study surveys the major currents in contemporary thought, tracing how you can move from historical roots to the questions that define today’s intellectual landscape. It presents a clear, accessible account of how philosophy, science, religion, and culture interact in forming our present-day world.
The book frames the topic by outlining the history of its central terms and problems, then follows the evolution of ideas through philosophy, law, society, and morality. It emphasizes the role of the spiritual life as a unifying force in understanding reality, knowledge, and value.
- Large-scale overview of modern thought from its historical beginnings to contemporary views
- Discussion of evolution, civilization, morality, and religion within a single framework
- Explanations of key concepts like the spiritual life and immanence vs. transcendence
- Connections between philosophy, science, and social life through the ages
Ideal for readers of philosophy, history of ideas, and intellectual history seeking a cohesive map of the modern mind.
Eucken won the Nobel Prize in literature in 1908.