Eivind Austad Trio - Life On Mars

Is there a button for enlightenment?

Pinker’s new book "Enlightenment now" has got many pages and many perspectives. From pedestrian deaths in the US 1927-2015 to natural desaster deaths, from democracy versus autocracy 1800-2015 to liberal values across time and generations 1980-2005 - it’s a broad range, and Pinker shows up a lot of positive development. As driving force he identifies „enlightenment“; but as Max Weber has pointed out in the preface of his „Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism“, the development ‚from myth to logos‘ started much earlier, with the „greek wonder“ in ancient Athens (Christian Meier). And it only took place in the occident (Europe, US). The enlightenment was one step in that long and winding road. Now „We live longer, suffer less, learn more, get smarter, and enjoy more small pleasures and rich experiences.“ (Pinker) But the future is not the extension of the past. The fabric of logos is weakening, the humanities in Western universities today declare NARRATION instead of logos. The reactionary countries of autocracy and brutal dictatorship - as are Russia and Red China - are gaining power. No bright outlook. Pinker neglects these tendencies.

Beethoven "Spring" Sonata for violin and piano, movt 1