Civilization Through The Ages

In this age of amazing intellectual ferment, every science has been marching fast except sociology, specially the branch which deals with civilized man. This seems to be the serious complaint of the author of this outstanding work. According the same state as it was in the time of Auguste Comte who is supposed to have created this science. But in the course of nearly a century since the author wrote this remarkable book, the progress which this science has made is simply breath-taking. The patient and persevering exploration and researches of archaeologists and philologists are bridging the gulf between the Past and the Present, and placing within the easy reach of the student of sociology the varied phenomena of the civilization of antiquity. The author describes three stages and three epochs of world civilizations. In the first stage of civilization social organism is chiefly occupied with its animal existence and is characterized by the predatory spirit. The second stage is marked by intellectual development and the sovereignty of reason is established. In the third stage more attention is paid to the spiritual than the animal life or to the inner than outer life of man. The three epochs of civilization constituted the epochs of human progress. This progress is divided into three epochs. The first epoch began about the sixth millennium BC and ended about 2000 BC. It covers the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Babylonia and China. The second epoch extends between 2000 BC to 700 AD and comprises the civilization of India, Greece, Rome and others. The third epoch commenced about 700 AD till the present age in which we are living . The most important fact of the third epoch is the rise and progress of the modern civilization of Europe. Each of these epochs was ushered in by important racial and political movements. The author has in a grand sweep covered the romance of the march of human civilization from the most primitive to the most modern stage of progress. The movements which he has cursorily covered have indicated forces which operate for ethical and spiritual development of man. It is a priceless asset for any library whether public or private and a must for all cultivated minds.