<原報>比較文明における様式論的アプローチ

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In this essay the writer tries to grasp the significance of a stylistic approach to comparative civilizations through Alfred Kroeber's re-examination of Spengler's work. From the present point of view, Kroeber, as well as Alfred Weber and Arnold Toynbee, can be seen as one of the greatest contributors to the comparative study of civilizations. It is interesting and important to note that they all started their work in this field, greatly affected or shocked by Spengler. He was, in this sense, really their forerunner. One of Spengler's most brilliant insights lies in that he recognized more clearly than anyone else before him the idiosyncracies or 'physiognomies' of his cultures or civilizations. But his cultures are so completely self-sufficient and separated from one another that there is no possibility of their having any influence on, and diffusing cultural materials or contents to, one another. They are so to speak monads. This comes from Spengler's dogmatism and is, of course, far from the historic facts. Kroeber re-examined Spengler's work in his Style and Civilizations and found that it depended upon his strong sense of style. Here is, he says, a possibility that Spengler's insights will be reconstructed on an empirical base through a stylistic approach. For style is an element which can be studied on an empirical base.
共立薬科大学の論文