C.E.M. Joad discusses the meaning of civilization in a dialogue with his daughter. He argues there are three major factors that characterize a civilized person: 1) Creating beautiful things through art like Shakespeare, Raphael, and Beethoven did through their plays, paintings, and music. 2) Thinking new thoughts and thinking freely through science which leads to invention and progress. 3) Behaving ethically and following political and social rules. Joad believes exhibiting these three traits is what truly makes a person civilized.

2. INTRODUCTION TO THE AUTHOR
 Cyril Edwin Mitchinson Joad (August 12, 1891 – April
9, 1953) was a British philosopher and essayist.
 He was a lecturer and also a broadcasting personality
who did wartime discussion programmes.
 He managed to popularise philosophy and became a
celebrity.
 Some of his works include, For civilization, Future of
life, God and evil, Great philosophies of the world, Guide
to Modern Thought , Guide to philosophy .

3. C.E.M. JOAD

4. INTRODUCTION TO THE ESSAY
 ‘A Dialogue on Civilization’ is an extract from the book
‘The Story of Civilization’.
 It is a conversation between the author and his
daughter, Lucy, where he explains the meaning of
civilization.
 He points out the three major factors that make a
person ‘civilized’.

5. CREATING BEAUTIFUL THINGS
 According to the author, people who have money and
live a luxurious life are not civilized.
 He says, “Being civilized ought to be some credit to
you, something you can be proud of…”.
 He mentions Shakespeare , Raphael and Beethoven to
be civilized as they created beautiful things.
 Shakespeare – Plays, Raphael - Pictures, Beethoven –
Music.

6. Shakespeare, Beethoven and
Raphael

7.  Having beautiful and gorgeous things is not being
civilized. e.g. Caliphs and Princes in the Arabian
Nights.
 They are all grown-up substitutes for treacle toffees
and catapults and one would soon tire of them all. But
some people stop their enjoyment for a short time and
begin again. e.g. Romans.

8.  He says, “Civilization is not being splendid and grand
and living in luxury” but creating beautiful things.
 And these beautiful things he says, will stand the test
of time. “Beautiful things live.”
 This process of creating beautiful things is called ‘ART’.

9. THINKING NEW THOUGHTS AND
THINKING FREELY
 C.E.M. Joad says that thinking new thoughts and
thinking them freely is the next sign of civilization.
 Many people have seen the kettle boil and apple fall
before James Watt and Sir Isaac Newton. They did not
invent anything because they did not think new
thoughts. He says that it is because people think and
invent, civilization happens.

10. Apple and Kettle

11.  He then points out in order to think freely, one must
have:
 Security
Leisure
Society
 Thinking new thought and thinking freely is what the
author calls ‘SCIENCE’.

12. BEING GOOD
 The third and most important feature is being good
and following the rules. Without this aspect, art and
science would be of no use.
 According to Joad, “…being good means acting justly
towards our neighbour, and respecting his property
and obeying the laws, and perhaps other things as
well.”
 Hence the third is ‘POLITICAL JUSTICE AND ETHICS’.

13. CONCLUSION
Thus C.E.M. Joad effectively brings out the three
major aspects of being civilized - Art (creating
beautiful things), Science ( thinking new thoughts and
thinking freely), Ethics ( keeping the rules).