Chapter 4 Flashcards
In the essay by Lewis, he looks at several moments in the past as possible key turning points in history. List them.
1) Greek and Romans transition
2) Fall of the Roman Empire, with barbarian invasions and the christening of Europe
3) End of the Middle Ages and beginning or Renaissance
4) Reformation
5) Age of Science, characterized by the general acceptance of Copernicanism, the dominance of Descartes, and the creation of the Royal Society
Where does C. S. lewis place the key turning point in history?
In the Age of Jane Austen and Scott
Why does Lewis refer to himself as an old dinosaur?
Because he considers himself to be part of the old Western culture, the old ways and traditions of the world before the age of Jane Austen.
How does Burke in his “Speech on Moving His Resolutions for a Conciliation with the Colonies” describe the situation of the American colonies that he is talking about?
He says “Surely it is an awful subject; or there is none so on this side of the grave.” (and says that he scarcely knows how to comprehend it in the terms of any description.)
What kind of peace does Burke say he proposes in this speech?
He says “It is a simple peace; sought in its natural course, and its ordinary haunts.” (It is a peace of good intentions, not sought by war, intricate negotiations, or judicial determination of complex questions.)
Edmund Burke is the father of what political vision?
Modern Conservatism
Why does Burke sympathize with the American colonists?
Because they had just complaints against Parliament. Parliament was trying to tax the colonies when it had not done so in the past, like a parent adding more rules on a teenager.
What was Burke’s work in regards to the East India Company and Warren Hastings?
He helped build some of the key policies which guided the Company as it ruled and contributed to Queen Victoria’s rule in other countries like India. Burke also tried to bring Warren Hastings back to England to be put on trial for his abuse and maltreatment of the people in India.
What do conservatives believe?
They believe it is best to preserve the goods of the past, and to only remove them if there is a good reason and a better good to replace them. They believe it is best to change things slowly and oppose rapid, radical change.
According to the lecture, how is political society like a sweater?
If the government pulls on one string, makes a change, it can unwittingly untie the whole sweater through unpredictable consequences that will result from the change.
What is Burke’s view of human nature?
He viewed human nature as fallen and corrupted.
