The discarded image
an introduction to medieval and Renaissance literature
by C. S. Lewis · first published 1964
88% recommend13% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Explains the medieval model of the universe and worldview, showing how people before the Copernican shift thought; well-sourced, readable, and a good starting point for general readers and history-minded engineers.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
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…which changed my view on many things: Robert C. Allen - The Industrial Revolution: A very short introduction (don't be fooled by the book series, every sentence carries its weight). C.S. Lewis - The Discarded Image (we get so many things wrong about what people before us thought and why).
on “Ask HN: Which books do you consider real gems in your field of work/study?” ↗…it changed over time to adapt to new discoveries, until it finally broke around the time of Galileo & Copernicus. C.S. Lewis wrote a very interesting little work on the Medieval worldview called The Discarded Image that goes into some of this. He was writing mostly as a literary historian, but covers the scientific understanding to the extent that it informed literature. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Discarded_Image
on “Big Bang Abandoned In New Model of the Universe” ↗…Alexander Dewdney, The Planiverse Joseph Heller, God Knows Alan Lightman, Einstein's Dreams Non-fiction: Jane Goodall, In the Shadow of Man Gian-Carlo Rota, Indiscrete Thoughts C. S. Lewis, The Discarded Image Michael E. Brown, How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming Robert Kegan, In Over Our Heads Michael Harris, The Atomic Times I may add guilty pleasures like the Legacy of the Force series, but I…
on “Ask HN: What are the best unknown books you have read?” ↗If you are interested in an actual “window into the medieval mind”, I have found none better than C.S. Lewis’s little-known book “The Discarded Image”. It is well-sourced, comprehensive, crunchy, and extremely readable. https://portalconservador.com/livros/C-S-Lewis-The-Discarded...
on “A Window into the Medieval Mind” ↗I recommend C.S. Lewis’ The Discarded Image if this article resonates.
on “Cultural anorexia: The pursuit of thicker desires in a thinning world” ↗They believed the universe was ordered and maintained by a celestial hierarchy with the Creator at the top. Places like Middle Earth and Narnia are metaphors of the model. Lewis's "The Discarded Image" is not an easy read, but would help anyone who wants to know more. A more current and more easily understood starting place would be Michael Heiser's "The Unseen Realm", which is squarely theological…
on “Tolkien Expressed a “Heartfelt Loathing” for Walt Disney” ↗Agreed on The Discarded Image, it really is very good. I've read it together with Huizinga's The Autumn of the Middle Ages and they both provide fascinating insights into not just how people lived but more importantly what they thought.…
on “Ask HN: Which books do you consider real gems in your field of work/study?” ↗I'd interested to take a look if you have any further info about which moral philosophers and which works cite The Discarded Image? I admit I haven't read that one myself; my own take on him as a philosopher stems from reading Mere Christianity and summaries of Surprised by Joy, and not being aware of any references to his work…
on “Future of Humanity Institute shuts down” ↗