The Path to the Present

This book is a history of human views and ideas and their related motives and consequences, from pre-history and early civilization through Judaic, Greek, and Christian heritages, and all the way up to humanistic and modern perspectives. It draws from many sources in the humanities, including anthropology, history of religion, theology, philosophy, history, and cultural studies. It is addressed to an audience of readers who have an interest in the history of ideas, including students or thinkers of any kind who are interested in the existential issues that have occupied hearts and minds since the beginning of humanity. For the purpose of storytelling, the present is placed in a future timeframe, when the current historical period of modernity will have reached its probable conclusion. Seen from this contrafactual perspective, a historical narrative can weave together what would otherwise have been random changes and give meaning to the unfolding of history. It is a story that leads to a possible future in which, with the benefit of hindsight, people can understand the errors of the past and chart a course towards the peaceful flourishing of humanity.

Paolo Petrignani is a writer who combines a narrative style with a deep multi-disciplinary approach to cultural history, with the aim of providing a perspective on the great existential issues of humanity to a wide audience of readers. With no academic affiliation, the author has retired from a career in business to pursue independent research and a writing career in history and cultural studies.