Materialism Spurs the Sciences
The beginning of civilisation is the discovery of some useful arts, by which men acquire property, comforts, or luxuries. The necessity or desire of preserving them leads to laws and social institutions. The discovery of peculiar arts gives superiority to particular nations ... to subjugate other nations, who learn their arts, and ultimately adopt their manners;— so that in reality the origin as well as the progress and improvement of civil society is founded in mechanical and chemical inventions.
Sir Humphry Davy, Consolations in travel, or, The last days of a philosopher (1830)
Notes
Progress in civilization comes from the need for institutions to protect material gains.
References
Schemas
Not in any schema.
Triples
Not related to other memes yet.
Watson’s reading
Tags generated by IBM Watson from the text. Percentages are its confidence.
Categories
- art and entertainment 17%
- religion and spirituality 17%
- society 15%