Précis on The Abolition of Man

In The Abolition of Man, author C.S. Lewis writes about “Man’s conquest of Nature,” a phrase typically used to describe the progress of applied science. Lewis argues that “each new power won by man is a power over man as well.” He exemplifies this idea with three objects: the aeroplane, the wireless, and the contraceptive. In regards to aeroplanes and the wireless, we can throw bombs from these but also bomb ourselves; by contraception, possible generations are denied existence; this simply implies selective breeding. They are what one generation may prefer. Hence, from this perspective, what we see as “Man's power over Nature” actually turns out to be “a power exercised by some men over other men with Nature as its instrument.” As men seek to conquer Nature, humans are not only “the general who triumphs” but are also “the prisoners who follows the triumphal car.”

The final stage is when humanity gains full control of itself. C.S. Lewis writes, “Human nature will be the last part of Nature to surrender to Man.” He suggests that the ruling minority will be the “Conditioners” or people “who really can cut out posterity in what shape they please.” Human conscience will thus work in a way the Conditioners want it to work. Human concepts about morality (good and evil) are among the many things for them to decide upon.

The human race’s motives have essentially become manipulated by these Conditioners, and since their power is effective, human beings will be subjected to such forces of nature as happen to have acted upon the Conditioners. Thus, Man’s conquest of Nature will render Nature’s conquest of Man--the Abolition of Man. Since the existence of modern science, Man’s conquest of Nature has paradoxically caused Man to surrender to Nature because what is conquered by Man ultimately belongs to the realm of Nature. This surrender may require some “repression of elements in what would otherwise be our total reaction” to what we are conquering.

A “magician’s bargain” is an analogy for the final stage; we are sacrificing our souls in return for power. This also serves as a reminder of the common impulse where both science and magic had begun to merge in early modern times. Although magic had failed and science had succeeded, both were engaged in the same purpose and that was “to extend Man’s power to the performance of all things possible.”

He continues, “But you cannot go on `explaining away' forever: you will find that you have explained explanation itself away.” By this, Lewis says that we cannot go on “seeing through things” forever because “seeing through all things” will render everything invisible and thus cause us to see nothing.

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Side note: Sorry Prof. Carrico and everybody else for making you guys read another précis of The Abolition of Man for the nth time :(


Maria Chow