return to list of latest ideas

Single Idea 20948

[catalogued under 24. Political Theory / B. Nature of a State / 5. Culture]

Full Idea

Spengler relies upon the idea of human cultures as organisms which grow and then inevitably die, having lost their vitality.

Gist of Idea

Human cultures are organisms which grow, and then fade and die

Source

report of Oswald Spengler (The Decline of the West [1918]) by Andrew Bowie - Introduction to German Philosophy 2 'Herder'

A Reaction

He should have thought more about technology. If the 'West' collapses and is replaced by China (say), the new Chinese culture will be barely distinguishable from the West, because they will pursue similar technologies.

Book Reference

Bowie,Andrew: 'Introduction to German Philosophy' [Polity 2003], p.52