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The two principles of the Transient and the Absolute are fundamental to man's self-perception. While we perceive ourselves as transient biological phenomena, with a limited span of existence, we also view ourselves as immaterial creatures whose personalities persist and are not subject to change. This original philosophical essay surveys the totality of human experience from this dual perspective, showing the presence and the constant interaction of the two principles in the civilizational endeavors of humanity. The author analyzes our constant search for the absolute among transient manifestations in diverse domains, such as religion, philosophy, art, society, and politics. This volume offers a unifying view of the great diversity of human experience, based on the author's insight into man's self-perception.
List of contents
Introduction
Personal Experience
Theoretical Questioning
Individual Activity
Crucial Changes in Life
Religion
Philosophy
The Order of Nature
The Collective
Political Authority
Aesthetic Expression
Conclusions
Bibliography
Index
About the author
MORDECAI ROSHWALD is Professor Emeritus of Humanities at the University of Minnesota, where he taught for twenty-five years. He has published numerous scholarly articles and several books, including
Humanism in Practice (1955),
Level Seven (1959), and
Modern Technology: The Promise and the Menace (1999).
