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Intelligence Squared

Niall Ferguson On The Six Killer Apps Of Western Civilisation

Intelligence Squared

Intelligence Squared

News, Society & Culture, Arts, News Commentary

4.21.2K Ratings

🗓️ 24 March 2017

⏱️ 62 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Niall Ferguson is the most brilliant British historian of his generation. In this talk from February 2011, based on his book 'Civilisation: The West and the Rest', he asks how Western civilization came to dominate the rest of the world. His answer is that the West developed six “killer applications” that the Rest lacked: competition, science, democracy, medicine, consumerism and the Protestant work ethic. The key question today is whether or not the West has lost its monopoly on these six things. If it has and the Rest of the world can successfully download these apps, we may be living through the end of Western ascendancy. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/intelligencesquared. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

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0:45.4

Ladies and gentlemen.

0:50.7

One has an overwhelming desire to stammer these days.

1:01.5

But don't worry, I'm not going to do that again.

1:03.7

I just couldn't resist it after last night's delightful grand slam by the makers of the King's speech.

1:11.3

I'm going to talk to you tonight about a more modest production than that great movie,

1:18.5

about Civilization, a television series that will begin next Sunday on Channel 4 at 8 p.m. and the accompanying book which will be published

1:30.4

this week by Penguin. Now, civilization is actually a French word. A Dr. Johnson refused to

1:41.1

admit it to his dictionary.

1:49.6

He told Boswell he would allow civility, but not civilization, sir.

1:54.7

And yet we know what civilization means.

1:58.4

At least we assume we know.

2:09.6

I was five years old when kenneth clark's serious civilization was broadcast on the bbc i think the book of the series may have been the first history book i ever held in my hands.

2:18.3

I think my parents who are here tonight can confirm that.

...

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