Isaac D. Smoak C.S. Lewis Dr. Root 7 November 2012 The Abolition o !

an Lewis" like the #reat writers who make a mark on histor$" %oes not oc&s on the 'roblems o his own #eneration b&t looks orwar% an% a%%resses the 'roblems he sees in the comin# #enerations. In this treatise o the h&man min%" h&man learnin#" an% the Tr&th" Lewis be#ins with an e(am'le o a book or hi#her learnin# in chil%ren e%&cation. )e will &se this work to take a hea% on attack on the intellect&alism o his %a$. )e states bol%l$ that the wa$ intellect&als an% Con%itioners are a''roachin# the Tr&th is ca&sin# the *abolition o man.+ Lewis, claim abo&t tr&th is shockin# in a %a$ like to%a$,s. Lewis %oes not sh$ awa$ rom h&manit$,s abilit$ to &n%erstan% tr&th. Neither %oes he sh$ awa$ rom con irmin# that &ltimate Tr&th" which he calls the Tao" cannot be &ll$ e('laine% or &n%erstoo%. Lewis %escribes the Tao as the &ltimate o&n%ation or ever$thin# we %o- *I nothin# is sel .evi%ent" nothin# can be 'rove%. Similarl$" i nothin# is obli#ator$ or its own sake" nothin# is obli#ator$ at all.+ Th&s" i we %o not stan% &'on a Tr&th that is &n%erstoo% b$ h&manit$ as a whole" not beca&se it can be e('laine% intellect&all$" b&t sim'l$ beca&se it e(ists an% #overns the wa$ we think an% behave. /&rthermore" e%&cation sho&l% instill in chil%ren the thirst to %iscover more o this sel .evi%ent tr&th an% sho&l% teach the '&rs&it o knowle%#e as the en% #oal or all aca%emic '&rs&its. Lewis reall$ convince% me o a Tr&th that is everlastin# an% li e.chan#in#. 0rowin# &' s&rro&n%e% b$ Christian circles" I have o ten #rown tire% o hearin# the common 'hrase that there are some thin#s we can never &n%erstan% with 0o%. In The Abolition of Man" Lewis leaves 0o% o&t o it this time. )e oc&ses solel$ on h&manit$ an% e%&cation. 1$ the en% o the book he #ives a ver$ convincin# ar#&ment or the Tao an% it,s o&n%ation or seekin# an% &n%erstan%in# tr&th an% learnin#.