Author: J. Dorsey Forrest

Publisher: Forgotten Books

Published: 2015-09-27

Total Pages: 424

ISBN-13: 9781330608821

Excerpt from The Development of Western Civilization: A Study in Ethical Economic and Political Evolution This essay represents the expansion of a dissertation offered for the degree of Ph.D. in the University of Chicago. It is the outgrowth of the study of certain present-day problems. Feeling the need of an explanation of the development of the conditions and institutions in which I was immediately interested, I was led backward step by step into an inquiry into social evolution in general. I have become convinced that a genetic explanation must underlie any other explanation. No fact can be understood until it is viewed in relation to the various other facts with which it is functionally connected; but all of these together are not adequately explained except in the light of their evolution. A sufficient statement of the method and purpose of this study is given in the introductory chapter. To cover so vast a field in such a work as this the selection of materials for special examination becomes very difficult. I have not desired to rehearse the more common facts of history; but in tracing the general social movement, I have endeavored to account for the more important facts with which the histories deal. If slight reference is made to some important influence, as that of the Mohammedans, or to some striking activity, as that of the crusaders, it is simply because I think they are sufficiently accounted for in the general statement. Perhaps I should have made more direct application of my point of view to some of these important side movements. Minor counteracting forces and purely individual or local influences have not required treatment. The footnotes contain reasonably full reference to authorities for facts and opinions. I have not thought it desirable to expand them further by citing authorities for statements of facts that have become common property. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.