Background
Becker was born on an Iowa farm in United States on September 8, 1873, the son of Charles De Witt (a farmer) and Almeda (Sarvay) Becker.
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1931
(Here a distinguished American historian challenges the be...)
Here a distinguished American historian challenges the belief that the eighteenth century was essentially modern in its temper. In crystalline prose Carl Becker demonstrates that the period commonly described as the Age of Reason was, in fact, very far from that; that Voltaire, Hume, Diderot, and Locke were living in a medieval world, and that these philosophers “demolished the Heavenly City of St. Augustine only to rebuild it with more up-to-date materials.” In a new foreword, Johnson Kent Wright looks at the book’s continuing relevance within the context of current discussion about the Enlightenment. “Will remain a classic―a beautifully finished literary product.”―Charles A. Beard, American Historical Review “The Heavenly City of the Eighteenth-Century Philosophers remains one of the most distinctive American contributions to the historical literature on the Enlightenment. . . . [It] is likely to beguile and provoke readers for a long time to come.”―Johnson Kent Wright, from the foreword Here a distinguished American historian challenges the belief that the eighteenth century was essentially modern in its temper. In crystalline prose Carl Becker demonstrates that the period commonly described as the Age of Reason was, in fact, very far from that; that Voltaire, Hume, Diderot, and Locke were living in a medieval world, and that these philosophers “demolished the Heavenly City of St. Augustine only to rebuild it with more up-to-date materials.” In a new foreword, Johnson Kent Wright looks at the book’s continuing relevance within the context of current discussion about the Enlightenment. “Will remain a classic―a beautifully finished literary product.”―Charles A. Beard, American Historical Review “The Heavenly City of the Eighteenth-Century Philosophers remains one of the most distinctive American contributions to the historical literature on the Enlightenment. . . . [It] is likely to beguile and provoke readers for a long time to come.”―Johnson Kent Wright, from the foreword
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(‘Carl Becker explains the Declaration as a classic docume...)
‘Carl Becker explains the Declaration as a classic document of the Age of Enlightenment, a conscious product of the natural rights philosophy of John Locke and other British thinkers, and a text that spoke powerfully to an international audience.’ The New York Times This important study of the Declaration of Independence compares early drafts of the Declaration with the final version to discuss what influenced its conception; why it came about; and how it was interpreted by successive generations. Drawing on key philosophers of the Enlightenment period, such as Descartes, Rousseau, and John Locke, Becker explores the revolutionary tradition in the Western world, which for the American Founding Fathers was inspired heavily by the earlier Civil Wars in England, and the protest writers of pre-Revolutionary France. Becker’s thought-provoking analysis of the Declaration makes clear its importance to both the students of American history and of liberty. ‘Still one of the great analyses of the Declaration of Independence explaining section by section the history and philosophy behind it.’ Library Thing Carl Lotus Becker (September 7, 1873 – April 10, 1945) was an American historian. He was John Wendell Anderson Professor of History in the Department of History at Cornell University from 1917 to 1941. He was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1923. He was best known for The Heavenly City of the Eighteenth-Century Philosophers (1932), four lectures on The Enlightenment delivered at Yale University, and this work, The Declaration of Independence—A Study in the History of Political Ideas was first published in 1922.
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(In this much-needed examination of Buddhist views of deat...)
In this much-needed examination of Buddhist views of death and the afterlife, Carl B. Becker bridges the gap between books on death in the West and books on Buddhism in the East. Other Western writers have addressed the mysteries surrounding death and the afterlife, but few have approached the topic from a Buddhist perspective. Here, Becker resolves questions that have troubled scholars since the beginning of Buddhism: How can Buddhism reconcile its belief in karma and rebirth with its denial of a permanent soul? What is reborn? And when, exactly, is the moment of death? By systematically tracing Buddhism’ s migration from India through China, Japan, and Tibet, Becker demonstrates how culture and environment affect Buddhist religious tradition. In addition to discussing historical Buddhism, Becker shows how Buddhism resolves controversial current issues as well. In the face of modern medicine’ s trend toward depersonalization, traditional Buddhist practices imbue the dying process with respect and dignity. At the same time, Buddhist tradition offers documented precedents for decision making in cases of suicide and euthanasia. In this much-needed examination of Buddhist views of death and the afterlife, Carl B. Becker bridges the gap between books on death in the West and books on Buddhism in the East. Other Western writers have addressed the mysteries surrounding death and the afterlife, but few have approached the topic from a Buddhist perspective. Here, Becker resolves questions that have troubled scholars since the beginning of Buddhism: How can Buddhism reconcile its belief in karma and rebirth with its denial of a permanent soul? What is reborn? And when, exactly, is the moment of death? By systematically tracing Buddhism’ s migration from India through China, Japan, and Tibet, Becker demonstrates how culture and environment affect Buddhist religious tradition. In addition to discussing historical Buddhism, Becker shows how Buddhism resolves controversial current issues as well. In the face of modern medicine’ s trend toward depersonalization, traditional Buddhist practices imbue the dying process with respect and dignity. At the same time, Buddhist tradition offers documented precedents for decision making in cases of suicide and euthanasia. In this much-needed examination of Buddhist views of death and the afterlife, Carl B. Becker bridges the gap between books on death in the West and books on Buddhism in the East. Other Western writers have addressed the mysteries surrounding death and the afterlife, but few have approached the topic from a Buddhist perspective. Here, Becker resolves questions that have troubled scholars since the beginning of Buddhism: How can Buddhism reconcile its belief in karma and rebirth with its denial of a permanent soul? What is reborn? And when, exactly, is the moment of death? By systematically tracing Buddhism’ s migration from India through China, Japan, and Tibet, Becker demonstrates how culture and environment affect Buddhist religious tradition. In addition to discussing historical Buddhism, Becker shows how Buddhism resolves controversial current issues as well. In the face of modern medicine’ s trend toward depersonalization, traditional Buddhist practices imbue the dying process with respect and dignity. At the same time, Buddhist tradition offers documented precedents for decision making in cases of suicide and euthanasia.
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educator professor writer scholars literary stylist
Becker was born on an Iowa farm in United States on September 8, 1873, the son of Charles De Witt (a farmer) and Almeda (Sarvay) Becker.
Remaining for graduate work, Becker studied under Frederick Jackson Turner, famous historian of the early 20th century, in the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Becker got his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1896 and Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1907.
Becker's writings typify the “public intellectual”—the academic thinker who interprets his specialized field for the general public. His books included highly successful history textbooks such as The United States: An Experiment in Democracy (1920), Modern History: The Rise of a Democratic, Scientific, and Industrialized Civilization (1931), and The Story of Civilization (1938).
Becker's ideas, and even some of his phrases, were adapted by writers of other textbooks as well. He resisted being labeled, but is considered to have been one of the earliest historical relativists of this century: that is, he believed that history was a matter of interpretation and revision.
Concerning his career as a lecturer, Becker was uninspiring at the podium, according to former student William H. McNeill in a 1986 essay in Mythistory and Other Essays. He prepared his lectures carefully in advance to compensate for his shyness.
Carl Becker worked in Pennsylvania State College as an instructor of history from 1899 to 1901 and in Dartmouth College in Hanover at the same position from 1901 to 1902. That same year he began to serve at the University of Kansas, Lawrence as an assistant professor of European History during 5 years. He took the position of an associate professor in 1907 and the next year - a position of professor until 1916. That same year he worked at the University of Minnesota as a professor of history. He took the same position at the Cornell University during 5 years from 1917. He became a professor emeritus and university historian in 1941, holding that position for five years.
In one of his best-known books, The Heavenly City of the Eighteenth Century Philosophers (1932), Becker not only examined the ideas of the Philosophes, such as their belief in progress and human perfectibility, but also stressed their intellectual fervour and their success in bridging traditional Christianity and Enlightenment secularism.
(‘Carl Becker explains the Declaration as a classic docume...)
(‘Carl Becker explains the Declaration as a classic docume...)
(Becker, a lover of paradox, put forward the view that the...)
(Here a distinguished American historian challenges the be...)
(In this much-needed examination of Buddhist views of deat...)
Deeply committed to democracy, Becker concluded that democratic values were indeed "Some Generalities that Still Glitter" (published in 1940) and that they had "a life of their own apart from any particular social system or type of civilization". He also stated his opposition to dictatorship in general.
Quotations:
"There are two histories: the actual series of events that once occurred; and the ideal series that we affirm and hold in memory. The first is absolute and unchanged...; the second is relative, always changing...[Historians] are...of that ancient and honorable company of wise men of the tribe...bards and storytellers and minstrels...soothsayers and priests, to whom in successive ages has been entrusted the keeping of the useful myths."
"All historical writing, even the most honest, is unconsciously subjective, since every age is bound, in spite of itself, to make the dead perform whatever tricks it finds necessary for its own peace of mind. "
'Generally speaking, men are influenced by books which clarify their own thought, which express their own notions well, or which suggest to them ideas which their minds are already predisposed to accept. "
"All historians, even the most scientific, have bias, if in no other sense than the determination not to have any. "
"No class of Americans, so far as I know, has ever objected ... to any amount of governmental meddling if it appeared to benefit that particular class. "
"History is the memory of things said and done. "
"The logic of all this seems to be that it is all right for young people in a democracy to learn about any civilization or social theory that is not dangerous, but that they should remain entirely ignorant of any civilization or social theory that might be dangerous on the ground that what you don't know can't hurt you ... a complete denial of the democratic principle that the general diffusion of knowledge and learning through the community is essential to the preservation of free government. "
"History is an indispensable even though not the highest form of intellectual endeavor. "
In keeping with the sense of ambiguity inherent in the label “relativist,” Becker has been seen by many scholars as an enigmatic, ironic, and ambiguous figure, both personally and professionally.
Quotes from others about the person
“[Becker was] both a progressive and an anti-progressive ... a relativist whose writing contained lessons on morality.” - Richard Nelson
“The high literary art of Carl Becker was a source of wonder to his contemporaries as it is to later generations,” - Charlotte Watkins Smith
In 1901 Becker married Maude Hepworth Ranney, a widow with a young daughter, and they had one son: Frederick De Witt Becker.
