In search of civilization - John Armstrong

What is civilization?
Why do we need it?
And what can civilization offer us in an age of irony?

The idea of civilization is a complex one, tangled up for years in ideas of colonialism and politics. John Armstrong explores the nature and aims of civilization in this elegant and witty book, examining how civilizing forces from the Greeks to the Renaissance have shaped and coloured our ideas of what a Good existence means. Only by bringing conversations about civilization back into our everyday lives, Armstrong reveals, can we rediscover our chance for wisdom and happiness.

Associate Professor John Armstrong is Philosopher in Residence at the Melbourne Business School and Senior Advisor to the Vice-Chancellor of Melbourne University. Born in Glasgow and educated at Oxford and London, he has lived in Australia since 2001. He is the author of several internationally acclaimed books on art, aesthetics and philosophy, including The Secret Power of Beauty and Conditions of Love.

A passionate and often very personal defence of civilization's qualities
Financial Times

His style is fluent, his personality engaging, his wit sharp, his mind cultivated and his sensibilities keen
The Times

John Armstrong is a Good Thing . . . determined to return moral philosophy to the intercourse of ordinary people
The Times Higher Education Supplement