“Unfortunately, the optimistic view that "classical civilization" handed down certain fundamental works that managed to include the knowledge contained in the lost writings has proved groundless. In fact, in the face of a general regression in the level of civilization, it's never the best works that will be saved through an automatic process of natural selection.”

—  Lucio Russo

1.1, "The Erasure of the Scientific Revolution", p. 8
The Forgotten Revolution: How Science Was Born in 300 BC and Why It Had to Be Reborn (2004)

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "Unfortunately, the optimistic view that "classical civilization" handed down certain fundamental works that managed to …" by Lucio Russo?
Lucio Russo photo
Lucio Russo 9
Italian historian and scientist 1944

Related quotes

Kevin Kelly photo

“The work of managing a natural environment is inescapably a work of local knowledge.”

Kevin Kelly (1952) American author and editor

Out of Control: The New Biology of Machines, Social Systems and the Economic World (1995)

Werner von Siemens photo
Calvin Coolidge photo

“Wherever we look, the work of the chemist has raised the level of our civilization and has increased the productive capacity of our nation.”

Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933) American politician, 30th president of the United States (in office from 1923 to 1929)

As quoted in Sid Meier's Civilization V (2010).

Chris Hedges photo
Winston S. Churchill photo

“"All civilization", said Lord Curzon, quoting Renan, "all civilization has been the work of aristocracies"…. It would be much more true to say "The upkeep of aristocracies has been the hard work of all civilizations".”

Winston S. Churchill (1874–1965) Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

The People's Rights [1909] (London: Jonathan Cape, 1970), pp. 53-54
Early career years (1898–1929)

Angus King photo

“We proved that with civility, common sense, building bridges, working with coalitions and working with people one at a time, we could do something.”

Angus King (1944) United States Senator from Maine

As quoted in "Former Gov. King announces he'll run for U.S. Senate" in The Portland Press Herald (6 March 2012) http://www.pressherald.com/news/King-has-made-up-his-mind-Pingree-hasnt.html
Context: We proved that with civility, common sense, building bridges, working with coalitions and working with people one at a time, we could do something. … I can speak for the middle. … The real issue is the system itself.

Viktor Schauberger photo
Francis Galton photo

“One of the effects of civilization is to diminish the rigour of the application of the law of natural selection.”

Francis Galton (1822–1911) British polymath: geographer, statistician, pioneer in eugenics

"Hereditary Talent and Character" in MacMillan's Magazine Vol. XII (May - October 1865), p. 326.
Other works
Context: One of the effects of civilization is to diminish the rigour of the application of the law of natural selection. It preserves weakly lives that would have perished in barbarous lands.

John C. Maxwell photo

“Managers work with processes – leaders work with people.”

John C. Maxwell (1947) American author, speaker and pastor

Source: John C. Maxwell Official FB https://www.facebook.com/100044605381690/posts/499643584865817/?d=n

Related topics