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Tolerance
The history of Tolerance (or the lack thereof) in the history of man as described by one of the best popular historians of all time
- GenresHistoryNonfiction
311 pages
First published January 1, 1925
57 people are currently reading
313 people want to read
About the author
Hendrik Willem van Loon
281 books81 followersHendrik Willem van Loon (January 14, 1882 – March 11, 1944) was a Dutch-American historian and journalist.
Born in Rotterdam, he went to the United States in 1903 to study at Cornell University. He was a correspondent during the Russian Revolution of 1905 and in Belgium in 1914 at the start of World War I. He later became a professor of history at Cornell University (1915-17) and in 1919 became an American citizen.
From the 1910s until his death, Van Loon wrote many books. Most widely known among these is The Story of Mankind, a history of the world especially for children, which won the first Newbery Medal in 1922. The book was later updated by Van Loon and has continued to be updated, first by his son and later by other historians.
However, he also wrote many other very popular books aimed at young adults. As a writer he was known for emphasizing crucial historical events and giving a complete picture of individual characters, as well as the role of the arts in history. He also had an informal style which, particularly in The Story of Mankind, included personal anecdotes.
Born in Rotterdam, he went to the United States in 1903 to study at Cornell University. He was a correspondent during the Russian Revolution of 1905 and in Belgium in 1914 at the start of World War I. He later became a professor of history at Cornell University (1915-17) and in 1919 became an American citizen.
From the 1910s until his death, Van Loon wrote many books. Most widely known among these is The Story of Mankind, a history of the world especially for children, which won the first Newbery Medal in 1922. The book was later updated by Van Loon and has continued to be updated, first by his son and later by other historians.
However, he also wrote many other very popular books aimed at young adults. As a writer he was known for emphasizing crucial historical events and giving a complete picture of individual characters, as well as the role of the arts in history. He also had an informal style which, particularly in The Story of Mankind, included personal anecdotes.
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January 25, 2019
This is truly a remarkable book, by an author perhaps better known today in China (going by the number of editions of this book available there) than in the West. It is a sweeping history of the world, told in simple language with entertaining humor and wide erudition. van Loon chronicles the fight for tolerance, marked by painstaking gains, a few brief periods of splendor and sharp reversals and dark times when all hope seems to be lost. Unlike optimists who see the arc of history bending toward justice, van Loon seems to contemplate an unchanging human nature, but with enough goodness in it that all hope is never lost.
But if that sounds depressing, van Loon makes up for it with dollops of humor and an irreverent attitude, and a fearless, cheerful iconoclasm. His most trenchant criticism is reserved for organized religion, specifically Christianity since he focuses mostly on European history. He highlights episodes glossed over in traditional histories - for example, how soon after Constantine's great conversion, Christians turned on their former oppressors, the pagans with almost the same lions-in-the-circus ferocity that they had had to endure, so that within one generation there was not a single altar to the old gods in the whole empire. Or the ruthless persecution of the Albigensians, the Socinians and other "heretics" over trivial doctrinal differences.
But the Protestants who rebelled against the Catholic church were no less intolerant. van Loon says the only result of the Reformation was to replace one gigantic jailhouse with.many smaller, but equally oppressive, ones. John Calvin comes in for particular criticism. Having broken with the Church over freedom of conscience, he set up in Geneva an even more regimented theocracy where he was the sole arbiter of conscience and any deviation from rigid orthodoxy could be punished with a flogging or excommunication or exile. Or in the case of hapless Michael Servetus, burning at the stake. Calvin's example is only a reminder that much of religion is only a cover for the exercise of tyrannical power by old men.
But in the second half of the book, van Loon also discusses the many scholars, thinkers and reformers who have sought to make their societies more tolerant -- including Erasmus, Rabelais, the unfortunate Giordano Bruno, Spinoza, Frederick the Great of Prussia, Voltaire. The last-named one gets the lengthiest treatment, but van Loon tempers his admiration with the observation that much of what Voltaire did was with an eye toward publicity. Like many social reformers and thinkers before and since, Voltaire was a master of the carefully choreographed publicity event. How the iconoclastic idealism of the French Revolution turned so quickly to intolerance also comes in for lengthy study.
In the end, van Loon ends on a cautionary note, that we should not exult that out times are somehow more progressive and enlightened than those earlier eras of ignorance and superstitions. For van Loon, the modern man in the business suit is not much different mentally or morally from the hunter-gatherer in skins. The price of liberty is constant vigilance against the opportunistic forces of intolerance.
But if that sounds depressing, van Loon makes up for it with dollops of humor and an irreverent attitude, and a fearless, cheerful iconoclasm. His most trenchant criticism is reserved for organized religion, specifically Christianity since he focuses mostly on European history. He highlights episodes glossed over in traditional histories - for example, how soon after Constantine's great conversion, Christians turned on their former oppressors, the pagans with almost the same lions-in-the-circus ferocity that they had had to endure, so that within one generation there was not a single altar to the old gods in the whole empire. Or the ruthless persecution of the Albigensians, the Socinians and other "heretics" over trivial doctrinal differences.
But the Protestants who rebelled against the Catholic church were no less intolerant. van Loon says the only result of the Reformation was to replace one gigantic jailhouse with.many smaller, but equally oppressive, ones. John Calvin comes in for particular criticism. Having broken with the Church over freedom of conscience, he set up in Geneva an even more regimented theocracy where he was the sole arbiter of conscience and any deviation from rigid orthodoxy could be punished with a flogging or excommunication or exile. Or in the case of hapless Michael Servetus, burning at the stake. Calvin's example is only a reminder that much of religion is only a cover for the exercise of tyrannical power by old men.
But in the second half of the book, van Loon also discusses the many scholars, thinkers and reformers who have sought to make their societies more tolerant -- including Erasmus, Rabelais, the unfortunate Giordano Bruno, Spinoza, Frederick the Great of Prussia, Voltaire. The last-named one gets the lengthiest treatment, but van Loon tempers his admiration with the observation that much of what Voltaire did was with an eye toward publicity. Like many social reformers and thinkers before and since, Voltaire was a master of the carefully choreographed publicity event. How the iconoclastic idealism of the French Revolution turned so quickly to intolerance also comes in for lengthy study.
In the end, van Loon ends on a cautionary note, that we should not exult that out times are somehow more progressive and enlightened than those earlier eras of ignorance and superstitions. For van Loon, the modern man in the business suit is not much different mentally or morally from the hunter-gatherer in skins. The price of liberty is constant vigilance against the opportunistic forces of intolerance.
December 5, 2012
Can't believe it is still so relevant today
September 4, 2014
Fascinating book. The Chinese version I found in the library over the summer was really horrible, so I had to drop it down mid-way. I will hopefully find a English copy and finish reading it soon.
Favorite quote:
“大凡为宽容而战的人，不论彼此有什么不同，都有一点是一致的：他们的信仰总是伴随着怀疑；他们可以诚实地相信自己正确，却又从不能使自己的怀疑转化为坚固绝对的信念。”
Favorite quote:
“大凡为宽容而战的人，不论彼此有什么不同，都有一点是一致的：他们的信仰总是伴随着怀疑；他们可以诚实地相信自己正确，却又从不能使自己的怀疑转化为坚固绝对的信念。”
April 21, 2021
One of the best histories I’ve read. It’s the history of religious intolerance in the West. It explains so much that I didn’t even know needed explaining. Not cheerful reading, but I feel like I have a much broader view of history.
August 23, 2021
353-Tolerance-Hendrik Loon-History-1925
Barack
2021/08/23
" Tolerance ", first edition in 1925. The book consists of 30 chapters, divided into four parts in chronological order: ancient Greece and Rome, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and a new chapter in modern times. Each chapter takes a specific person or historical event as the theme, such as the death of Socrates, the Inquisition, the Crusades, etc., and tells about the tolerance and intolerance that occurred in the history of the development of human civilization. This is a history of the development of Western religions, but also a history of the evolution of human civilization.
Hendrik Loon was born in Rotterdam, the Netherlands in 1882 and died in 1944. Studied at Cornell University, University of Munich. Representative works: " The Story of Mankind ", " Tolerance ", etc. He is a historian, journalist, and children's book writer.
Table of Contents
Chapter I: The Tyranny of Ignorance
Chapter II: The Greeks
Chapter III: The Beginning of Restraint
Chapter IV: The Twilight of the Gods
Chapter V: Imprisonment
Chapter VI: The Pure of Life
Chapter VII: The Inquisition
Chapter VIII: The Curious Ones
Chapter IX: The War Against the Printed Word
Chapter X: Concerning the Writing of History in General and This Book in Particular
" If Justinian (a plague upon his head!) had been a little less thorough and had saved just a few of those old picture experts in a sort of literary Noah's Ark, he would have made the task of the historian a great deal easier. For while (owing to the genius of Champollion) we can once more spell out the strange Egyptian words, it remains exceedingly difficult for us to understand the inner meaning of their message to posterity. ”
When a dynasty change occurs, materials related to the previous dynasty will always be destroyed and cleaned up as much as possible. In fact, because a regime is like an organism, it is first of all to maintain their own survival, so it is bound to put his body does not belong to exclude things.
“ The poor heathen, misunderstanding the intentions of the white men, had welcomed them with a salvo of spears and arrows. ”
This statement seems to provide a good excuse for the subsequent massacre of whites. From the perspective of human history, when one civilization discovers another, in the beginning, it may be polite and gentle. But once the other party's civilization is found to be weak, it will reveal the animal, cruelest, and predatory side. So from this perspective, the treatment of vigilance strange civilization, to ensure its own security, is obviously very necessary.
“ This is not a handbook of anthropology. It is a volume dedicated to the subject of tolerance.' But tolerance is a very broad theme. ”
In fact, to be strong enough, probably can take place "tolerance" strike? Either one's own objective strength is strong enough, or the inner spiritual strength is very strong.
“ One thing, however, is certain. He never could have accomplished all this alone. In order to succeed he was obliged to sink his individuality in the complex character of the tribe. ”
" Go alone fast, everyone walks far. " Humans are social animals. Our survival and development are dependent on others. If we don't know how to cooperate with others, it will restrict our development.
“ He, therefore, reduces every event that is at all out of the ordinary not to a primary cause but to interference on the part of an invisible spirit, and when he notices a rash on his arms he does not say, “Damn that poison ivy! ”But he mumbles, “I have offended a god. The god has punished me,” and he runs to the medicine-man, not, however, to get a lotion to counteract the poison of the ivy, but to get a charm 'that shall prove stronger than the charm which the irate god (and not the ivy) has thrown upon him. ”
If we are unable to understand the causal relationship between things and do not know which factors are responsible for the bad results, we will fall into confusion and fear. This loss and fear make it hard for us to believe in the power of reason. Human reason is too weak, at the time of loss, irrational and superstitious worship will prevail.
" A sudden and apparently spontaneous outbreak of a very high form of civilization is only possible when all the racial, climatic, economic, and political conditions are present in an ideal proportion or as nearly an ideal condition and proportion as can be in this imperfect world ."
Although we acknowledge rationalism, sometimes we also realize that the world is actually full of randomness, including the emergence of life itself is extremely random. Even our daily lives, when we look back at antecedents, will find a lot of things that seem to occur are not inevitable, randomness, in the end, is the probability of an unconscious, or we can not see through the so-called deep What about the fate in the dark?
“ Of course, in spite of all these very human shortcomings, Zeus remained a very great god, the mightiest of all rulers and a personage whom it was not safe to displease. But he was reasonable.' He could be approached if one knew the proper way. And, best of all, he had a sense of humor and did not take either himself or his world too seriously. ”
Greek mythology, gods often with a sense of humor, will not be so serious, quite anthropomorphic; these gods are more like a person with exceptional ability, he reflected out, but also more is human, rather than divine.
“ For Thales had reached the point (and that was his great merit) where he dared to regard all nature as the manifestation of one Eternal Will, subject to one Eternal Law, and entirely beyond the personal influence of those divine spirits which man was forever creating after his own image. And the eclipse, so he felt, would have taken place just the same if there had been no more important engagement that particular afternoon than a dogfight in the streets of Ephesus or a wedding feast in Halicarnassus. "
There is a certain eternal truth in the world, it is not transferred by human will, and it has no human emotions. "Heaven and earth are not benevolent, and everything is a humble dog", "Heaven" has no feelings, likes, or dislikes, only objective rules.
" But here, as many other scientists after him were to discover, he trod upon dangerous ground, for he discussed something with which people were familiar. The sun and the moon were distant orbs. The average Greek did not care what names the philosopher wished to call them. But when the professor began to argue that all things had gradually grown and developed out of a vague substance called “original matter”—then he went decidedly too far. Such an assertion was in flat contradiction with the story of Deucalion and Pyrrha, who after the great flood had repopulated the world by turning bits of stone into men and women. ”
Scientists are fearless in the pursuit of truth. If these topics are far away from people's daily lives and will not threaten the stability of society itself, it may be okay. But once when they study a threat to social stability, to carry out such studies who apparently will be because of the spread of this new idea would be persecuted, even destroy the flesh.
November 30, 2024
This is an amazing take on and evolution of intolerance and tolerance over the last few thousand years on planet earth. BUT… don’t buy the digital edition. It is rife with typos. Whoever transposed from paper to digital did not bother to proof it afterwards. It can be very confusing. That said, the author’s historical knowledge and sandpaper dry sense of humour makes it an entertaining journey. Well worth the read. Very pertinent to the high priests of today: The medical industry and Big Pharma.
July 11, 2020
西马库斯说，我们仰望同一片天上的星星，都是这个星球的匆匆过客，居住在同一个苍穹下。每个人都在努力寻找终极真理，走哪条路去寻找真有那么重要吗？生存之谜太玄妙了，不应该只有一条路通向正确答案。《宽容》是一部宗教史也是一部伟大的思想史，是很特殊的、饱含感情和期许的历史著作。在暗潮汹涌的当下，它格外具有现实意义。如果对西方宗教渊源不够了解，阅读中会时时感到困难，但这并未掩盖房龙思想的光芒。人类历史也许就是一部不宽容史。一切战争和残酷都源于此，而战胜恐惧能让人类战胜不宽容。不知道我们什么时候能真正学会去尝试理解，学会慷慨和仁慈？这是人类的必经之路，但希望这一天能早日到来。
April 23, 2011
A nice book on the history of intolerance in the western world, and unfortunately its theme is still relevant today.
May 6, 2024
这本书可能在中国比西方更受欢迎，或是因为作者在书中反思了中世界宗教对思想的禁锢以及宗教改革以来各种运动的矫枉过正，这让刚经历文革不久的文化人深有同感。20年前读大学期间，老师多是文革后89学潮一代。得知这本书是听一位选修《西方主流社会思潮》的同学推荐。
这本评论为主的书因为缺少情节推动，读起来并没有非常引人入胜。当年半途而废，近来心血来潮，突然想把之前未读完的书做个了结。可惜，悉尼图书馆没有收录。在亚马逊书店，有很多中文版，而英文版只有一款。买了英文版，发现居然是盗版，很多单词是断开的。英文版读起来很吃力，因为跟不上作者天马行空的思路，也抓不住字里行间的幽默。不过，这本书很厚，不用一气呵成速读打卡。对照中文版阅读发现，同样表达一个意思原来有如此高明的中/英文用法。
前半本书按时间顺序总结人类从蛮荒时代到文艺复兴的“宽容/不宽容”史，后半本书着重介绍文艺复兴以来几位推动宽容的伟人，包括《愚人颂》的伊拉斯谟（荷兰）和《巨人传》的拉伯雷（意大利）。本书所指的宽容是当权者的宽容，不是私交领域的宽容。当一种信仰或主义当权的时候，能否容忍异己的声音，是衡量宽容的标准。任何自诩宽容的主义或信仰，一旦掌握了权力，都很容易腐败，还美其名曰“整风”或“统一思想”，难以宽容。纵观历史，天主教如此，改革宗如此，共产党也是如此。字里行间散发着作者对基督教、君士坦丁、加尔文等人的反感，好像经历过文革的人对毛泽东的厌恶。好在，西方经历千年磨难终于熬出宗教信仰自由，中国还任重而道远。
谈到宗教改革，躲不开要提到德国的马丁·路德与日内瓦的加尔文。两人都是推翻罗马教廷禁锢欧洲人思想的先驱，但作者对加尔文持批评态度，认为加尔文主义不过是新瓶装旧酒，掌握权力之后的新教一点不比天主教宽容。加尔文本人也曾像“红卫兵”一样，因信仰不同而把人斗死。
作为中国读者，可能熟悉很多西方人的中文译名，但对英文名字和相应所处时代可能比较陌生。以下是读此书时，随手做的笔记。不知哪段文字触碰了豆瓣审核的红线，无法保存和发表，就搬迁到这里。
Tolerance: The allowance of freedom of action or judgment to other people, the patient and unprejudiced endurance of dissent from one's own or the generally received course or view. (Encyclopedia Britannica)
【Miracle of the Survival of Man】
Primitive society was dominated by a single idea, an all-overpowering desire to survive.
How and in what manner and why the most defenseless of all mammals should have been able to maintain himself against microbes and mastodons and ice and heat and eventually become master of all creation.
The struggle for tolerance did not begin until after the discovery of the individual.
#希腊文明# 西方文明萌芽阶段。希腊文明发源地并非今日的希腊首都雅典，而是土耳其西部（小亚细亚Asia Minor）的Ionia。
【泰勒斯】英文名Thales of Miletus，米利都学派创始人，现代科学奠基人，大致与春秋中后期的老子同一时代。Miletus位于Ionia。
【丢卡利翁与皮拉】英文名Deucalion & Pyrrha，希腊神话人物，角色类似圣经中的亚当+夏娃与诺亚的合体。
【苏格拉底】英文名Socrates，出身贫寒，大致与战国初期的墨子同一时代。
【柏拉图】英文名Plato，出身显赫，苏格拉底学生，大致与战国初期的鬼谷子同一时代。
【亚里士多德】英文名Aristotle，柏拉图学生，亚历山大大帝的师友，大致与战国中期的孙膑同一时代。
【伊本·路世德】英文名Ibn Rushd，拉丁名阿威洛伊Averroe，大致与南宋理学家朱熹同一时代，在中世纪时代普及了亚里士多德的学术成就。
【伊壁鸠鲁】英文名Epicurus，是epicure的词源，可译作“吃货”。古希腊哲学家，大致与战国末期的屈原同一时代。伊壁鸠鲁学派创始人，主张静态的幸福，宅着的宁静。
【伊壁鸠鲁悖论】如果上帝想阻止“恶”而阻止不了，那么上帝就是无能的；如果上帝能阻止“恶”而不愿阻止，那么上帝就是坏的；如果上帝既不想阻止也阻止不了“恶”，那么上帝就是既无能又坏；如果上帝既想阻止又能阻止“恶”，那为什么我们的世界还有“恶”？
【芝诺】英文名Zeno，古希腊哲学家，大致与战国末期的屈原同一时代。斯多葛学派创始人，是stoical的词源，可译作“坚忍”，主张随遇而安顺应天命，认为人人皆有神性，个人是神的一部分。
【芝诺悖论】阿基里斯比兔子跑得还快，但还是追不上乌龟。如果让乌龟领先阿基里斯1000米，再让阿基里斯追赶，假定阿基里斯的速度是乌龟的10倍。当阿基里斯跑了1000米，乌龟还领先100米；当阿基里斯再追100米，乌龟还领先10米……阿基里斯可以无限逼近乌龟，但就是追不上。
【第欧根尼】英文名Diogenes，古希腊哲学家，大致与亚里士多德同一时代，是犬儒学派Cynicism杰出代表，主张“像狗一样”过着极简生活。
一张图(The School of Athens-Raphael)认识希腊名宿。
正中两人左侧手指天的红衣是柏拉图，右侧手指地的蓝衣是亚里士多德。两人是雅典学院核心代表。背景墙左侧阿波罗，希腊特尔斐Delphi守护神；右侧雅典娜，希腊雅典Athena守护神。
柏拉图左面白衣叉手青年是亚历山大大帝，再向左的绿衣是苏格拉底。
亚里士多德右面红衣是芝诺，再向右的三人中有一人是波斯人琐罗亚斯德（Zarathustra），德国哲学家尼采代表作《查拉图斯特拉如是说》中的查拉图斯特拉是琐罗亚斯德的另一译名。琐罗亚斯德是琐罗亚斯德教创始人，金庸小说中明教和日月神教的原型就是琐罗亚斯德教。
柏拉图左下正在书写的是毕达哥拉斯，身后中东打扮的是阿拉伯学者阿维洛依，再向左头戴桂冠的是伊壁鸠鲁。
柏拉图和亚里士多德下方，思考者是赫拉克利特Heraclitus，传世名句“人不能两次踏入同一条河流”，袒胸倚坐的是第欧根尼，犬儒学派代表人物。
右侧拿着圆规的是阿基米德或欧几里德，手持天体身穿黄袍的是托勒密，再向右是画家本人拉斐尔Raphael。
【亚历山大】英文名Alexander，亚历山大帝国创始人，大致与战国中期的孟子同一时代，希腊文化最杰出领袖。亚历山大帝国疆域从爱琴海的希腊一直向东扩展至土耳其、埃及、伊拉克、伊朗、阿富汗、巴基斯坦直至印度河流域。亚历山大去世后的300年，原帝国领域进入希腊化时代，希腊文化从此得以发扬光大。
#罗马文明# 西方文明扎根阶段。罗马帝国长达1500年，是人类史上最长的王朝，疆域跨越欧亚非，以希腊文明为源头，融合了亚非文明。在此时期，基督教开始流行。此前的诸多神灵信仰只算“mystery”，从基督教开始才有更系统的“religion”。
【凯撒】英文名Caesar，罗马帝国奠基人，罗马文化最杰出的领袖，罗马帝国首位皇帝屋大维的养父，大致与西汉末期牧羊的苏武同一时代。
【屋大维】英文名Octavius，罗马帝国开国皇帝。凯撒与屋大维把罗马从共和国带入帝国，开创了长达200年的黄金时期，史称“罗马和平”。
【罗马和平】Pax Romana depended for its success upon a liberal application of the principle of "live and let live."
【提比略】英文名Tiberius，罗马帝国第二位皇帝，屋大维养子。宗教宽容态度：If the Gods think that they have just claims for grievance, they can surely take care of themselves.
【五贤帝】96-180 AC 接连统治罗马帝国的五位皇帝，其中第三位哈德良Hadrian，在英国境内修建了抵御苏格兰人的哈德良长城；第五位马可·奥勒留Marcus Aurelius，流传后世《沉思录》，被誉为哲学家皇帝。五贤帝所处时代，东汉刚刚经历光武中兴+明章之治。
【罗马尼亚Romania与罗马Rome】最初是达契亚王国，历史跨度大致从张骞出使西域到班超出使西域，后被罗马帝国征服成为达契亚行省。现代的罗马尼亚语源自罗马帝国的拉丁语。
【叙利亚Syria与亚述Assyria】亚述帝国历史跨度大致从炎黄时期到春秋五霸，疆域大概包括叙利亚、伊拉克与埃及。
The world "church," the "kirk," is the "house of the Lord."
【保罗与巴拿巴】英文名Paul & Barnabas，最早将基督教从中东发源地传到罗马帝国核心区的使徒。
【狄奥多西】英文名Theodosius，与东晋陶渊明处在同一时代，统一的罗马帝国末代皇帝，死后将帝国交给两个儿子，分别管理东西两个罗马帝国。在位期间，宣布基督教为国教，废除古奥运会，称其是异端活动。
【圣女贞德】英文名Joan of Arc，与明朝郑和处在同一时代，法国历史上最伟大的女性，天主教将她奉为圣人，在英法百年战争中帮助法国击退英国，挽救了法国民族。
Everything in this world tends to become organized. Eventually even those who believe in no organization at all must form a Society for the Promotion of Disorganization, if they wish to accomplish anything.
【丕平献土】矮子丕平，英文名Peppin the Short，所处时代与唐玄宗李隆基大致相当，是红桃K查理曼大帝的父亲，法兰克王国加洛林王朝奠基人。为让篡权合法化，将意大利从拉文纳到罗马的五城区献给教皇，从而得到教皇加冕，史称丕平献土，从此教皇国成立。
【希罗多德】Herodotus，约公元前484-425，与战国初期墨子同一时代，古希腊历史学家，著《历史》一书，从古罗马时代开始被誉为“历史之父”，地位类似于司马迁。
九牛二虎
2024年5月6日
这本评论为主的书因为缺少情节推动，读起来并没有非常引人入胜。当年半途而废，近来心血来潮，突然想把之前未读完的书做个了结。可惜，悉尼图书馆没有收录。在亚马逊书店，有很多中文版，而英文版只有一款。买了英文版，发现居然是盗版，很多单词是断开的。英文版读起来很吃力，因为跟不上作者天马行空的思路，也抓不住字里行间的幽默。不过，这本书很厚，不用一气呵成速读打卡。对照中文版阅读发现，同样表达一个意思原来有如此高明的中/英文用法。
前半本书按时间顺序总结人类从蛮荒时代到文艺复兴的“宽容/不宽容”史，后半本书着重介绍文艺复兴以来几位推动宽容的伟人，包括《愚人颂》的伊拉斯谟（荷兰）和《巨人传》的拉伯雷（意大利）。本书所指的宽容是当权者的宽容，不是私交领域的宽容。当一种信仰或主义当权的时候，能否容忍异己的声音，是衡量宽容的标准。任何自诩宽容的主义或信仰，一旦掌握了权力，都很容易腐败，还美其名曰“整风”或“统一思想”，难以宽容。纵观历史，天主教如此，改革宗如此，共产党也是如此。字里行间散发着作者对基督教、君士坦丁、加尔文等人的反感，好像经历过文革的人对毛泽东的厌恶。好在，西方经历千年磨难终于熬出宗教信仰自由，中国还任重而道远。
谈到宗教改革，躲不开要提到德国的马丁·路德与日内瓦的加尔文。两人都是推翻罗马教廷禁锢欧洲人思想的先驱，但作者对加尔文持批评态度，认为加尔文主义不过是新瓶装旧酒，掌握权力之后的新教一点不比天主教宽容。加尔文本人也曾像“红卫兵”一样，因信仰不同而把人斗死。
作为中国读者，可能熟悉很多西方人的中文译名，但对英文名字和相应所处时代可能比较陌生。以下是读此书时，随手做的笔记。不知哪段文字触碰了豆瓣审核的红线，无法保存和发表，就搬迁到这里。
Tolerance: The allowance of freedom of action or judgment to other people, the patient and unprejudiced endurance of dissent from one's own or the generally received course or view. (Encyclopedia Britannica)
【Miracle of the Survival of Man】
Primitive society was dominated by a single idea, an all-overpowering desire to survive.
How and in what manner and why the most defenseless of all mammals should have been able to maintain himself against microbes and mastodons and ice and heat and eventually become master of all creation.
The struggle for tolerance did not begin until after the discovery of the individual.
#希腊文明# 西方文明萌芽阶段。希腊文明发源地并非今日的希腊首都雅典，而是土耳其西部（小亚细亚Asia Minor）的Ionia。
【泰勒斯】英文名Thales of Miletus，米利都学派创始人，现代科学奠基人，大致与春秋中后期的老子同一时代。Miletus位于Ionia。
【丢卡利翁与皮拉】英文名Deucalion & Pyrrha，希腊神话人物，角色类似圣经中的亚当+夏娃与诺亚的合体。
【苏格拉底】英文名Socrates，出身贫寒，大致与战国初期的墨子同一时代。
【柏拉图】英文名Plato，出身显赫，苏格拉底学生，大致与战国初期的鬼谷子同一时代。
【亚里士多德】英文名Aristotle，柏拉图学生，亚历山大大帝的师友，大致与战国中期的孙膑同一时代。
【伊本·路世德】英文名Ibn Rushd，拉丁名阿威洛伊Averroe，大致与南宋理学家朱熹同一时代，在中世纪时代普及了亚里士多德的学术成就。
【伊壁鸠鲁】英文名Epicurus，是epicure的词源，可译作“吃货”。古希腊哲学家，大致与战国末期的屈原同一时代。伊壁鸠鲁学派创始人，主张静态的幸福，宅着的宁静。
【伊壁鸠鲁悖论】如果上帝想阻止“恶”而阻止不了，那么上帝就是无能的；如果上帝能阻止“恶”而不愿阻止，那么上帝就是坏的；如果上帝既不想阻止也阻止不了“恶”，那么上帝就是既无能又坏；如果上帝既想阻止又能阻止“恶”，那为什么我们的世界还有“恶”？
【芝诺】英文名Zeno，古希腊哲学家，大致与战国末期的屈原同一时代。斯多葛学派创始人，是stoical的词源，可译作“坚忍”，主张随遇而安顺应天命，认为人人皆有神性，个人是神的一部分。
【芝诺悖论】阿基里斯比兔子跑得还快，但还是追不上乌龟。如果让乌龟领先阿基里斯1000米，再让阿基里斯追赶，假定阿基里斯的速度是乌龟的10倍。当阿基里斯跑了1000米，乌龟还领先100米；当阿基里斯再追100米，乌龟还领先10米……阿基里斯可以无限逼近乌龟，但就是追不上。
【第欧根尼】英文名Diogenes，古希腊哲学家，大致与亚里士多德同一时代，是犬儒学派Cynicism杰出代表，主张“像狗一样”过着极简生活。
一张图(The School of Athens-Raphael)认识希腊名宿。
正中两人左侧手指天的红衣是柏拉图，右侧手指地的蓝衣是亚里士多德。两人是雅典学院核心代表。背景墙左侧阿波罗，希腊特尔斐Delphi守护神；右侧雅典娜，希腊雅典Athena守护神。
柏拉图左面白衣叉手青年是亚历山大大帝，再向左的绿衣是苏格拉底。
亚里士多德右面红衣是芝诺，再向右的三人中有一人是波斯人琐罗亚斯德（Zarathustra），德国哲学家尼采代表作《查拉图斯特拉如是说》中的查拉图斯特拉是琐罗亚斯德的另一译名。琐罗亚斯德是琐罗亚斯德教创始人，金庸小说中明教和日月神教的原型就是琐罗亚斯德教。
柏拉图左下正在书写的是毕达哥拉斯，身后中东打扮的是阿拉伯学者阿维洛依，再向左头戴桂冠的是伊壁鸠鲁。
柏拉图和亚里士多德下方，思考者是赫拉克利特Heraclitus，传世名句“人不能两次踏入同一条河流”，袒胸倚坐的是第欧根尼，犬儒学派代表人物。
右侧拿着圆规的是阿基米德或欧几里德，手持天体身穿黄袍的是托勒密，再向右是画家本人拉斐尔Raphael。
【亚历山大】英文名Alexander，亚历山大帝国创始人，大致与战国中期的孟子同一时代，希腊文化最杰出领袖。亚历山大帝国疆域从爱琴海的希腊一直向东扩展至土耳其、埃及、伊拉克、伊朗、阿富汗、巴基斯坦直至印度河流域。亚历山大去世后的300年，原帝国领域进入希腊化时代，希腊文化从此得以发扬光大。
#罗马文明# 西方文明扎根阶段。罗马帝国长达1500年，是人类史上最长的王朝，疆域跨越欧亚非，以希腊文明为源头，融合了亚非文明。在此时期，基督教开始流行。此前的诸多神灵信仰只算“mystery”，从基督教开始才有更系统的“religion”。
【凯撒】英文名Caesar，罗马帝国奠基人，罗马文化最杰出的领袖，罗马帝国首位皇帝屋大维的养父，大致与西汉末期牧羊的苏武同一时代。
【屋大维】英文名Octavius，罗马帝国开国皇帝。凯撒与屋大维把罗马从共和国带入帝国，开创了长达200年的黄金时期，史称“罗马和平”。
【罗马和平】Pax Romana depended for its success upon a liberal application of the principle of "live and let live."
【提比略】英文名Tiberius，罗马帝国第二位皇帝，屋大维养子。宗教宽容态度：If the Gods think that they have just claims for grievance, they can surely take care of themselves.
【五贤帝】96-180 AC 接连统治罗马帝国的五位皇帝，其中第三位哈德良Hadrian，在英国境内修建了抵御苏格兰人的哈德良长城；第五位马可·奥勒留Marcus Aurelius，流传后世《沉思录》，被誉为哲学家皇帝。五贤帝所处时代，东汉刚刚经历光武中兴+明章之治。
【罗马尼亚Romania与罗马Rome】最初是达契亚王国，历史跨度大致从张骞出使西域到班超出使西域，后被罗马帝国征服成为达契亚行省。现代的罗马尼亚语源自罗马帝国的拉丁语。
【叙利亚Syria与亚述Assyria】亚述帝国历史跨度大致从炎黄时期到春秋五霸，疆域大概包括叙利亚、伊拉克与埃及。
The world "church," the "kirk," is the "house of the Lord."
【保罗与巴拿巴】英文名Paul & Barnabas，最早将基督教从中东发源地传到罗马帝国核心区的使徒。
【狄奥多西】英文名Theodosius，与东晋陶渊明处在同一时代，统一的罗马帝国末代皇帝，死后将帝国交给两个儿子，分别管理东西两个罗马帝国。在位期间，宣布基督教为国教，废除古奥运会，称其是异端活动。
【圣女贞德】英文名Joan of Arc，与明朝郑和处在同一时代，法国历史上最伟大的女性，天主教将她奉为圣人，在英法百年战争中帮助法国击退英国，挽救了法国民族。
Everything in this world tends to become organized. Eventually even those who believe in no organization at all must form a Society for the Promotion of Disorganization, if they wish to accomplish anything.
【丕平献土】矮子丕平，英文名Peppin the Short，所处时代与唐玄宗李隆基大致相当，是红桃K查理曼大帝的父亲，法兰克王国加洛林王朝奠基人。为让篡权合法化，将意大利从拉文纳到罗马的五城区献给教皇，从而得到教皇加冕，史称丕平献土，从此教皇国成立。
【希罗多德】Herodotus，约公元前484-425，与战国初期墨子同一时代，古希腊历史学家，著《历史》一书，从古罗马时代开始被誉为“历史之父”，地位类似于司马迁。
九牛二虎
2024年5月6日
May 4, 2022
This is a good compilation of facts. But unfortunately, it does not thoroughly answer the question of why. For example, I do agree that Ancient Greece is more tolerant to different opinions, whereas the other eras or places are not, but why? What are the necessary or sufficient reasons driving a culture to be tolerant?
Also, another question that always intrigues me in anthropology is that, to prehistorical humans, why people do not pursue causality in the material world, but mostly all resort to spirits from gods or ancestors. Is that more explanatory than the actual causality, or it just fits some intuitive anthropomorphic theories?
Also, another question that always intrigues me in anthropology is that, to prehistorical humans, why people do not pursue causality in the material world, but mostly all resort to spirits from gods or ancestors. Is that more explanatory than the actual causality, or it just fits some intuitive anthropomorphic theories?
March 24, 2018
Van Loon's compassion was basically not tolerated by the world's bumps and restlessness. There are such books that everyone knows how clear the truth is when reading them, however, when they do something, they have to bite the bullet and try to tear the reality down.
April 19, 2021
Highly recommended for an understanding of mankind
Surprisingly interesting and engaging read. A lot of history that I had not come upon before. I read this for a book club and looking forward to the discussion
Surprisingly interesting and engaging read. A lot of history that I had not come upon before. I read this for a book club and looking forward to the discussion
August 13, 2018
encyclopedic
June 16, 2022
一切都不寬容都是源自於恐懼
這本入門級文化思想史非常易讀
講解了西方社會的不寬容歷史
不論何種年代都適合讀
這年頭資訊爆炸配上演算法過濾
人也變得越不寬容甚至走向極端
這本入門級文化思想史非常易讀
講解了西方社會的不寬容歷史
不論何種年代都適合讀
這年頭資訊爆炸配上演算法過濾
人也變得越不寬容甚至走向極端
October 1, 2025
So far loving it. Each chapter is a REAL history lesson. The kink of history lesson I would have loved to have at school, knowing I am really learning something from Man’s history.
April 10, 2015
A fascinating search for some tolerance somewhere in the history of civilization. Almost none is found. Very well written and easy to read. The author writes in a narrative style which makes this rather difficult subject quite comprehensible. I borrowed this book from the library. When I finished it, by wife began reading it. She, too, finds it quite fascinating and well written. If you are confused as to why mankind can't ever seem to get along, read this book and you'll see that the problem is not a new one. It still needs to be solved.
September 20, 2024
van Loon's compassion would not be tolerated by the turmoil and turbulence of the world. There are this kind of books that everyone knows it's telling the truth and educating us on the real principles of lifes, but when we start to do something ourselves, we can only grit our teeth and tear up the books and principles.
October 9, 2008
a wonderful and very hard to find book
October 22, 2013
The Ancient Man - English.
December 18, 2017
“恐惧是不宽容的根源”“知道一切就会理解一切”房龙文采飞扬，没有一定的背景知识读起来会有些晕头转向。不知是不是译本的问题，有些地方条理不清晰。
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