29 pages • 58-minute read
The Abolition of Man
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Essay Topics
Lewis argues that the Tao is a universal system of values accepted, with minor variations, by all cultures. Do you find his argument for a moral consensus convincing? Why or why not?
Why does Lewis consider the goals of science as comparable to the goals of magic?
In discussing acts of self-sacrifice for one’s country, Lewis states that modern education must either debunk this moral value or reinterpret it as an element of instinct. In your opinion, can this particular moral value be justified rationally?
Create a defense for subjectivism that is different from the defense used by the authors of The Green Book.
What is the difference between education and propaganda, in Lewis’s view?
What does Lewis mean by nature, and how is nature related to instinct?
For Lewis, how does sentiment, or emotion, relate to the pursuit and the love of truth?
The Tao consists of rational rules, yet Lewis also says that these rules cannot be proven and must be assumed. Explain how something can be simultaneously rational and unprovable.
Lewis states that “from within the Tao itself comes the only authority to modify the Tao” (47). What are some examples of ways that the Tao could be modified?
Have any of Lewis’s predictions about education and society come true, in your judgment? Discuss your response in detail and support your views with factual evidence.
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