Essay Critique
Tre Spencer
Thomas Riddle
Humanities 115: Critical Thinking Fjt-02
12/05/12
Critique of Essay Who’s going to hell? That is the question. Well, it is at least for Bernard Lewis, Author of “I’m right, you’re wrong, Go to hell’—Religions and the Meetings of Civilizations”. In the essay Lewis discusses the different views of religions and how the subdivisions of those religions affect it as a whole. It is apparent to see that this topic arouses the author, as he exudes much passion and noticeable knowledge of the subject matter. The point of the essay is not very detailed and in fact leaves much left to be desired. I believe the main point of the essay is to establish a precedent of thought and perception among citizens opposed to the civilization responsible for the 9/11 tragedy. This essay is unclear and falsely generalizes very much of the information. Lewis decided to state many different erratic facts instead of a good precise few. Bernard Lewis was a college professor at Princeton when he wrote this article. Cool fact right? It means nothing to the reader if an explanation does not follow. As a college professor, it is expected of you to write with a sense of pride and academic correctness. Lewis however, in this essay showed only glimpses of well put together thoughts of argument. For example Lewis explains that, “At one time the general assumption of mankind was that "civilization" meant us, and the rest were uncivilized. This, as far as we know, was the view of the great civilizations of the past—in China, India, Greece, Rome, Persia, and the ancient Middle East. Not until a comparatively late stage did the idea emerge that there are different civilizations, that these civilizations meet and interact, and—even more interesting—that a civilization has a life-span: it is born, grows, matures, declines, and dies.” Lewis points to German Historian Oswald Spenglar’s philosophy developed after witnessing the decline of prominent Germany as one of the
Thomas Riddle
Humanities 115: Critical Thinking Fjt-02
12/05/12
Critique of Essay Who’s going to hell? That is the question. Well, it is at least for Bernard Lewis, Author of “I’m right, you’re wrong, Go to hell’—Religions and the Meetings of Civilizations”. In the essay Lewis discusses the different views of religions and how the subdivisions of those religions affect it as a whole. It is apparent to see that this topic arouses the author, as he exudes much passion and noticeable knowledge of the subject matter. The point of the essay is not very detailed and in fact leaves much left to be desired. I believe the main point of the essay is to establish a precedent of thought and perception among citizens opposed to the civilization responsible for the 9/11 tragedy. This essay is unclear and falsely generalizes very much of the information. Lewis decided to state many different erratic facts instead of a good precise few. Bernard Lewis was a college professor at Princeton when he wrote this article. Cool fact right? It means nothing to the reader if an explanation does not follow. As a college professor, it is expected of you to write with a sense of pride and academic correctness. Lewis however, in this essay showed only glimpses of well put together thoughts of argument. For example Lewis explains that, “At one time the general assumption of mankind was that "civilization" meant us, and the rest were uncivilized. This, as far as we know, was the view of the great civilizations of the past—in China, India, Greece, Rome, Persia, and the ancient Middle East. Not until a comparatively late stage did the idea emerge that there are different civilizations, that these civilizations meet and interact, and—even more interesting—that a civilization has a life-span: it is born, grows, matures, declines, and dies.” Lewis points to German Historian Oswald Spenglar’s philosophy developed after witnessing the decline of prominent Germany as one of the