While this book is a bit dated (written in 1990 shortly before the
fall of the Soviet Union), I think it provides a remarkable
background to the intellectual climate of today. While the Soviet
Union has fallen, there are still those who stubbornly cling to
Marxism.
The seven men profiled are Darwin, Marx, Wellhausen, Freud, Dewey,
Keynes and Kierkegaard. In discussing Darwin, the author makes an
excellent point in explaining the limitations of scientific
knowledge. Since I had recently finished reading Ruth Hayhoe�s book
PORTRAITS OF INFLUENTIAL CHINESE EDUCATORS, the chapter on Dewey tied
in with Dr. Hayhoe�s book. Dewey apparently had a big influence on a
number of Chinese educators. So that chapter was definitely of
interest to me. Apparently the Chinese belief system of Confucianism
is most closely like the Western philosophies of Pragmatism ( Dewey)
and Existentialism (Kierkegaard). However I think Confucianism does
have some fixed points in it�s belief system such as filial piety.
Both Dewey and Kierkegaard wrote in somewhat contradictory fashion
arguing two opposite points on an issue. While I can understand the
idea of paradox. But Dewey and Kierkegaard, remind me of what I had
read in Weikart�s book FROM DARWIN TO HITLER. The mentality of the
Nazi�s and Darwinists was that morality was not a fixed set of
principles. Morality was always �evolving.� I don�t know if Dewey
or Kierkegaard realized that the philosophy could mean that killing
Jews was wrong one day, but in the interest of �evolution� it be all
right the next. I know of one half Jewish lady who at one time was
interested in the existentialism of Jean Paul Sartre. She even went so
far to read him in the original French language. Sartre who said
there was no good or evil, just authentication of self. Sartre gave
the example of an old lady crossing the street, while a truck is
heading in her direction. One could pull her to safety or one could
push her in front of the truck. All that matter was one authenticated
one�s self. This drove my friend to despair. For if all that mattered
was that one authenticated one�s self, then Hitler could justify his
actions on the grounds of authenticating himself. Fortunately this
lady remembered the faith of her father and turned to Christ.
The author is right to emphasize that Christians must be willing to
engage in the intellectual arena. No, the intellect is not the only
side to the Christian life. But too often the Christian community has
let the world do its thinking for them.
This book provides a good summary of the impact and intellectual
fallacies of these 7 influential thinkers. Christians need not be
intellectually intimidated by the academics and other followers of
these people.
Guy
# posted by GuyTak @ 5:16 PM
