The Abolition of Man summary

The Basis of All Value Judgments

In the thought provoking book, The Abolition of Man, revered author C.S. Lewis delves into the realm and impact of value judgments. Lewis starts by critiquing a textbook, which he respectfully veils as "The Green Book" and its authors as "Gaius and Titius." He faults the book's deconstruction of the term 'values', voicing alarm at this manner of teaching that strips morality of any objective standard.

Lewis posits that Gaius and Titius, by suggesting that all value judgments are nothing more than subjective statements about our emotional states, deny the existence of any universal moral law, consequently uprooting the very foundation of ethics. With this perspective, Lewis ushers us into understanding the universal moral law or 'Tao', grounded not on shifting subjective feelings but on objective, unchanging truth.

The Tao: The Universal Moral Law

Upon presenting his assertion, Lewis invites us to explore 'Tao', defining it as the encompassing reality that transcends cultures and individuals, the root of all genuine value judgments, the source of all moral rules that govern humans. He asserts that 'Tao' is not an external imposition, but an intrinsic, universal order that aligns with human nature, and underscores that value judgments are not mere emotional responses, but acknowledgments of objective truths embedded in 'Tao'.

'Tao', according to Lewis, is impaired when it is redefined and subject to the individual’s subjective emotional states. He asserts that when authentic morality is replaced by subjective feelings, man is devalued and debased, and society's moral compass is unhinged.

Consequences of Abandoning the Tao

The middle part of The Abolition of Man discusses in depth the possible consequences of our abandonment of the 'Tao'. This section paints a bleak picture of a future where moral subjectivism reigns, leading to the abolition of humanity’s nature and the rise of a condition where the empirical 'man' manipulates the emotional 'man'. Lewis argues that in such a society, the real power is handed to those who control the societal norms, opening avenues to despotism and manipulation.

Lewis further alarms us about a future where a class of conditioners have the power to shape future generations according to their will. Here, man ceases to be a creature with inherent worth governed by moral laws, becoming instead a malleable product designed by the conditioners.

The Case for Realizing Objective Values

Lewis’s argument reaches a climax when he urges the rejection of moral subjectivism and the embracing of the objective values enshrined in 'Tao'. He ardently appeals to his readers to acknowledge that real right and wrong exist outside their personal feelings. Only by doing this, Lewis believes, can humanity mature morally and spiritually instead of being reduced to a product of conditioning and manipulation.

In essence, The Abolition of Man confronts its readers with the chilling consequences of breaking away from universal objective values and echoes an urgent plea for embracing them as the underpinning of a truly human society. It offers a fierce defense of the objective truth and moral order that C.S. Lewis believes are imperative to preserving our humanity.