INTRODUCTION TO THE AUTHOR Cyril Edwin Mitchinson Joad (August 12, 1891 – April

9, 1953) was a British philosopher and essayist.

He was a lecturer and also a broadcasting personality

who did wartime discussion programmes.

He managed to popularise philosophy and became a

celebrity.

Some of his works include, For civilization, Future of

life, God and evil, Great philosophies of the world, Guide

to Modern Thought , Guide to philosophy .

C.E.M. JOAD

INTRODUCTION TO THE ESSAY

‘A Dialogue on Civilization’ is an extract from the book

‘The Story of Civilization’.

It is a conversation between the author and his

daughter, Lucy, where he explains the meaning of

civilization.

He points out the three major factors that make a

person ‘civilized’.

CREATING BEAUTIFUL THINGS

According to the author, people who have money and

live a luxurious life are not civilized.

He says, “Being civilized ought to be some credit to

you, something you can be proud of…”.

He mentions Shakespeare , Raphael and Beethoven to

be civilized as they created beautiful things.

Shakespeare – Plays, Raphael - Pictures, Beethoven –

Music.

Shakespeare, Beethoven and Raphael

Having beautiful and gorgeous things is not being

civilized. e.g. Caliphs and Princes in the Arabian

Nights.

They are all grown-up substitutes for treacle toffees

and catapults and one would soon tire of them all. But

some people stop their enjoyment for a short time and

begin again. e.g. Romans.

He says, “Civilization is not being splendid and grand

and living in luxury” but creating beautiful things.

And these beautiful things he says, will stand the test

of time. “Beautiful things live.”

This process of creating beautiful things is called ‘ART’.

THINKING NEW THOUGHTS AND THINKING FREELY

C.E.M. Joad says that thinking new thoughts and

thinking them freely is the next sign of civilization.

Many people have seen the kettle boil and apple fall

before James Watt and Sir Isaac Newton. They did not

invent anything because they did not think new

thoughts. He says that it is because people think and

invent, civilization happens.

Apple and Kettle

He then points out in order to think freely, one must

have:

Security

Leisure

Society

Thinking new thought and thinking freely is what the

author calls ‘SCIENCE’.

BEING GOOD The third and most important feature is being good

and following the rules. Without this aspect, art and

science would be of no use.

According to Joad, “…being good means acting justly

towards our neighbour, and respecting his property

and obeying the laws, and perhaps other things as

well.”

Hence the third is ‘POLITICAL JUSTICE AND ETHICS’.

CONCLUSION

Thus C.E.M. Joad effectively brings out the three

major aspects of being civilized - Art (creating

beautiful things), Science ( thinking new thoughts and

thinking freely), Ethics ( keeping the rules).