There are always two views of life and reality, of civilization and culture.
The first is the Local and Temporal view, it is bound by space and time,by consideration of the present. The frog that jumps from one side of hole to other of the bank of pond represents the first view.
The second is the cosmic view,that is free from the values and considerations of the hour and being so free which embraces the attitudes and outlooks which grow in the past and therefore might grow in the future. The bird that flies from one part of the Earth to the other across extensive fields of barley represents the second view.
If we take first view of things and look at modern civilization from the frog's angle, we are apt to gloss over its most obvious defects and extol it as the highest pic in human history.
To the superficial observer, modern civilization has many obvious advantages. The present age is the age of science and technology. Radio has revotionalised the whole world. Hospitals and schools are in greater abundance at present day than in in ancient age, even in poor country also the surgeon works wonders in operation theatre.
Science is the pride of modern civilization. But is argued that it both destructive and constructive agency.
Now the the question is that, Is Scientific Progress The Ultimate Test Of The Greatness Of Civilization?
Is this continuous supersession of old by the new weapons of science a sign of inherent greatness or a measure of absolute worth?
Now first of all I want to tell you about orthogenetic theory.
According to some historians and philosophers the evolution of the world follows straight line course. Today is better than yesterday, tomorrow will be better than today. In this view 19th century was advance on 18th century as 20th century is advance on 19th century and in the same way 21st century will go ahead of 20th century. This view of evolution is ORTHOGENETIC VIEW.
According to some other historians and philosophers, evolution follows diverse course in different lines. According to this view, the civilization of today is not necessarily greater than that of the yesterday.
We all know that all modern civilization is based onknowledge and is founded on science and industry. The modern cicilization is the product of mechine and mechine has destroyed the unpredictable spontaneity and the ininmitable variety of individual creative activity.
But to condemn modern civilization as a total failure would be a sweeping generalisation.
We know that most men in the 20th century still stalk on earth like beasts in human guise and the human and the divine in human are yet poles apart.But the greatest factor of modern civilization is ofcourse the INTERNATIONA MIND.
The internatiomal mind that has grown during the last about forty years is no doubt still in its infancy. But possibly a day might come when the international mind will grow into am ever wakeful force that will pervade and direct all human endeavours and fulfil all the muffled aspirations of the past.
good article very informative keep on writing.