Scruton and Modernity: Culture as Knowledge of Purposes

This article provides a profound analysis of Roger Scruton's thought in the context of the challenges posed by modernity. The British philosopher argues that contemporary civilization, though saturated with technology, suffers from a deficit of meaning and a lack of "knowledge of purpose." The text examines the evolution of the concept of culture from Enlightenment rationalism, through Romantic and modernist attempts to replace religion with aesthetics, to the contemporary "culture of rejection." Scruton argues that high culture is not merely a luxury but an essential anthropological tool, allowing for the preservation of a measure of feeling and a map of purpose in a world devoid of traditional sacredness. This is essential reading for those seeking to understand the mechanisms of secularization and the role of ritual in building community.