Men Without Chests

(In response to C.S. Lewis's "Abolition of Man" chapter 1 Men Without Chests)

In this piece Lewis analysis how people should deal with emotions or logic. He does this by analyzing a text book. He states that the authors of the textbook choose to analyze the emotion of the piece rather than the literary techniques. Lewis acknowledges that it is easier to disprove an argument based on emotional analysis than it is to disprove an argument based on literary techniques.

I feel that this piece may have been directed to what I had said in class on Monday, in terms of something saying a whole lot when in reality it didn't say anything at all. Lewis quotes this belief in his paper, "Their words are that we 'appear to be saying something very important' when in reality we are 'only saying something about our own feelings'" This can be said about a lot of literature; however, we must be careful to fully use our logic before we make an emotional decision.

This goes back to our debate last week... "Someone can see where reason would be used over emotions in making a decision or understanding something, But one cannot see where emotional factors would be considered over logical ones." And I believe the point Lewis is making in this piece is that yes... logic and reason and literary techniques in analyzing literature are necessary and in some cases the only way to discern what is good. However, we cannot simply rule out the possibility that emotions have no weight in our decisions or judgment calls.

Some interesting quotes:
"The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles but to irrigate deserts."

"The heart never takes the place of the head: but it can, and should, obey it."

"In a sort of ghastly simplicity we remove the organ and demand the function. We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honour and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and bid the geldings be fruitful."