Are Great Men and Women a Product of Circumstance?
Few books have ever struck us as much as Will Durant’s 100-page masterpiece The Lessons of History, a collection of essays which sum up the lifelong thoughts of a brilliant historian. We …
Will Durant
Is Human Progress Real or An Illusion?
Against the historical backdrop of nations, morals and religions that rise and fall, “the idea of progress finds itself in dubious shape”, according to Will and Ariel Durant in their …
What History Teaches us about The Concentration of Wealth
History is economics in action, at least according to Karl Marx. Whether in a group or as an individual, we vie for food, fuel, raw materials and our place in the hierarchy. Even art is often rooted …
The Three Buckets of Knowledge
The three most fundamental sources of knowledge are physics, math, and human history. They offer us endless learning and mental models. Here’s how mastering the three buckets of knowledge can give you …
Religion and History: Will Durant on the Role of Religion and Morality
“Even the skeptical historian develops a humble respect for religion, since he sees it functioning, and seemingly indispensable, in every land and age.” *** Will and Ariel Durant have …
The Meaning of History
“The present is the past rolled up for action and the past is the present unrolled for understanding.” — Will Durant *** In the audio version of The Lessons of History, you can find excerpts of …
Will Durant: The Age of Play
A breathtaking passage from Will Durant’s Fallen Leaves: Last Words on Life, Love, War, and God: See him, the newborn, dirty but marvelous, ridiculous in actuality, infinite in possibility, …
The Role of Race in History
“History,” write the Durants in The Lessons of History, “is color-blind, and can develop a civilization (in any favorable environment) under almost any skin.” The ancient …
Three Lessons of Biological History
Human history is a fragment of biological history. If we are to learn enduring lessons it is best to go back in time Our view of the world is fairly shallow. We look backward but rarely to a time …