IMMODERATE GREATNESS

Civilization, for all its wonders and advantages, is destined to collapse due to its nature, writes Ophuls in this meticulously argued treatise.

Using the fall of Roman civilization as both example and metaphor—the title is part of a quote from Edward Gibbon’s The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1776)—Ophuls discusses the physical and human limitations inherent to any society. He identifies four basic biophysical factors and two human factors as being the deciding variables in determining when a civilization passes its peak and enters its decline; he explains how and why these factors not only lead to a civilization’s collapse, but how the nature of these factors works against developing viable solutions to the problems they present. Ophuls takes a multidisciplinary approach to constructing his arguments, drawing on concepts and copious sources from the sciences, political theory, historical research and literature to synthesize an argument that pleads for humanity to take a long view toward the use and preservation of resources. The writing is clear and succinct in this politico-historical analysis, and the logic of Ophuls’ arguments is patiently built, with careful thought and copious citations offered as support. However, not every point in Ophuls’ sophisticated theoretical structure is without a weakness. His arguments on culture and its apparent limitations depend too closely on a monocultural viewpoint, and one chapter displays a curious misunderstanding of certain aspects of the scientific method and its attendant viewpoints. Furthermore, although technology is discussed as a cultural force, scant attention is given to the role of transformative technologies—the telephone, TV and the Internet, for example—in how a culture develops and changes. Also, some readers may take issue with the inherent moral and political conservatism Ophuls displays in his discussions of moral decay and human limitation. Despite these flaws, as well as the lack of a prescriptive conclusion, Ophuls’ clear writing, thorough research and elegant logic make his treatise a thoughtful, discussion-provoking work.

Sound, sophisticated cultural analysis sure to spark a debate.