First published 1972
Joseph Wood Krutch takes aim at the deterministic orthodoxies that dominate contemporary culture. A distinguished teacher and critic, Krutch argues against the prevailing belief systems that reduce human experience to mechanical processes. His approach represents a striking shift from his earlier work The Modern Temper, published twenty-five years prior, where he embraced the skeptical currents of his time. Now Krutch turns his critical eye toward the rigid thinking patterns he once appreciated. He examines how deterministic views have become unquestioned assumptions in modern intellectual life, constraining our understanding of human nature and possibility. The book offers readers a framework for questioning these widespread cultural orthodoxies and reclaiming a more nuanced view of human agency and meaning.
Genres: philosophy, psychology, 20th-century, american, non-fiction, academic
Vibes: intellectual, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: academic-critique, questioning-assumptions
Period: 20th-Century
261 pages · Unknown Binding · Grosset & Dunlap