Beyond Civilization

Prelude

Part I: The Past History of Civilization

1. An Overview of History
Section I Historical Turning Points
Section II Cultural Consciousness
Section III Countering Critics
2. The Axial Age
Section I The Mystery of the Axial Age
Section II Ethics, Empire, and Literacy
Section III Problems of Literacy
3. Modernity
Section I The Rise of the West
Section II The West and Modernity
Section III In Defense of the West
4. Post-Civilization
Section I The Ambiguities of Modernity
Section II Catalysts
Section III The Events of the Twentieth Century

Part II: The Present Predicament of Civilization

5. The Forces of Modernity
Section I A Brief Overview
Section II Capitalism
Section III The State
Section IV Science and Technology
Section V Post-Industrial or Information Society
6. Society
Section I Megalopolis
Section II Social Ranking
Section III Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft
Section IV Friendship, Kinship, and Family
7. Culture
Section I A Historical Introduction to Global Culture
Section II Capitalism and Culture
Section III The State and Culture
Section IV Science and Technology and Culture
Section V The Global and the Local
8. Individualism
Section I The Origins of Individualism
Section II Individualism in the West
Section III Individualization and Atomization

Part III: The Future Prospects of Civilization

9. Catastrophes of Nature and Culture
Section I The Uncertainties of Prediction
Section II Jonas and Jonahs
Section III Scenarios of Cultural Disaster
10. The Future as it Might Be
Section I Drifting to Disaster
Section II Restoring Society
Section III Conserving Cultures
Section IV Recovering Individualism

Valedictory Remarks

Endnotes

Index