Will Durant - Icon Profile | Alexandria
Will Durant (1885-1981) was an American philosopher, historian, and prolific author who, alongside his wife Ariel Durant, crafted one of the most ambitious and accessible narratives of human civilization through their monumental work "The Story of Civilization." Initially a seminary student turned philosopher, Durant's intellectual journey exemplifies the transformation of early 20th-century American scholarship from religious doctrine to secular humanism.
Born in North Adams, Massachusetts, to French-Canadian parents, Durant's early life was marked by poverty and religious education. His first encounter with philosophical texts at Saint Peter's College sparked an intellectual awakening that would shape his entire career. After abandoning his religious studies, he earned his doctorate in philosophy from Columbia University under the mentorship of John Dewey, whose pragmatic approach would significantly influence Durant's later works.
Durant's breakthrough came with "The Story of Philosophy" (1926), which transformed complex philosophical ideas into engaging narratives accessible to the general public. The book's unprecedented success—selling more than two million copies—established Durant's reputation as a masterful synthesizer of human knowledge. However, his most significant contribution to intellectual history began in 1935 with the first volume of "The Story of Civilization," a project that would span four decades and eleven volumes, co-authored with his wife Ariel.
The Durants' legacy extends beyond their published works. Their approach to historical narrative, which emphasized cultural synthesis over political chronology, revolutionized popular historical writing. They received the Pulitzer Prize for Literature in 1968 for "Rousseau and Revolution," and in 1977, they were awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Durant's philosophy of history, which viewed civilization as "social order promoting cultural creation," continues to influence contemporary discussions about historical interpretation and cultural development.
The enduring relevance of Durant's work lies in his ability to weave together the threads of philosophy, art, science, and daily life into a coherent narrative of human progress. His famous observation that "civilization is a stream with banks" captures both the continuity and evolution of human culture, challenging modern readers to consider how past achievements inform our present understanding and future possibilities. How might Durant's integrative approach to human knowledge help us navigate today's increasingly fragmented intellectual landscape?