Carl L. Becker
Carl L. Becker: A Life of Scholarship and Reflection
Full Name and Common Aliases
Carl Lotus Becker was an American historian and educator, best known for his contributions to the fields of history and philosophy.
Birth and Death Dates
Born on July 6, 1873, in Ohio, USA, Becker passed away on March 20, 1949.
Nationality and Profession(s)
Nationality: American
Profession(s): Historian, Educator
Becker's academic career spanned multiple institutions, including Cornell University, where he taught history from 1914 until his retirement in 1938. His expertise in the fields of European intellectual history, particularly the Enlightenment and Romanticism, earned him a reputation as a leading historian.
Early Life and Background
Growing up in Ohio, Becker developed an interest in philosophy and literature at an early age. He attended Oberlin College, where he graduated with honors in 1895. Becker's academic pursuits took him to the University of Berlin, where he studied under renowned historians such as Heinrich von Treitschke.
Major Accomplishments
Becker made significant contributions to the field of history through his research and teaching. He was a pioneer in the study of European intellectual history during the 18th century, focusing on the Enlightenment period and its impact on modern thought. Becker's work challenged traditional views of the Enlightenment as a purely rational and secular movement.
Notable Works or Actions
Some of Becker's notable works include:
The Heavenly City of the Eighteenth-Century Philosophers (1932) - This influential book examined the role of philosophy in shaping modern thought.
The Revolutionary Era (1908) - A comprehensive study of the American Revolution and its impact on world history.
Becker's teaching career was marked by innovative approaches to pedagogy. He believed that historians should not only teach facts but also provide context and encourage critical thinking.
Impact and Legacy
Carl Becker's work continues to influence historians today. His emphasis on the importance of understanding historical context has become a cornerstone of modern historiography. By highlighting the complexities of Enlightenment thought, Becker helped to redefine our understanding of this pivotal period in world history.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
Becker's quotes and writings are widely quoted for their insight into the human experience. His ability to balance historical analysis with philosophical reflection has made him a beloved figure among scholars and students alike. By challenging traditional views and encouraging critical thinking, Becker left an indelible mark on the world of history and education.
Through his work, Carl Becker reminds us that understanding the past is essential for shaping our future. As we navigate the complexities of modern life, Becker's words offer guidance and inspiration, urging us to approach historical inquiry with nuance and compassion.
Quotes by Carl L. Becker
History is an indispensable even though not the highest form of intellectual endeavor.
Corporations have at different times been so far unable to distinguish freedom of speech from freedom of lying that their freedom has to be curbed.
Generally speaking, men are influenced by books which clarify their own thought, which express their own notions well, or which suggest to them ideas which their minds are already predisposed to accept.
Logic is something the mind has created to conceal its timidity, a hocus-pocus designed to give formal validity to conclusions we are willing to accept if everybody else in our set will too.
Reason is incompetent to answer any fundamental question about God, or morality, or the meaning of life.
To ask whether the natural rights philosophy of the Declaration of Independence is true or false, is essentially a meaningless question.
All historians, even the most scientific, have bias, if in no other sense than the determination not to have any.
All historical writing, even the most honest, is unconsciously subjective, since every age is bound, in spite of itself, to make the dead perform whatever tricks it finds necessary for its own peace of mind.
Virginia was in fact a landowning aristocracy, without nobility or merchant class, or any considerable small peasant farming class; and the other Southern colonies, except North Carolina, were on the whole similar to Virginia in these respects.