ABSTRACT
The subject-matter of the present chapter can briefly be described as the problem of human freedom in thinking, in face of the social determination of thought. ‘Within human knowledge’—so Northrop has framed the question—’are all ideas conditioned by socio-cultural facts, or only some?’ 1 To this must be added a further, though kindred, query: within human societies and subsocieties, are all members conditioned in their ideas by socio-cultural facts, or only some? In other words: to what degree do the substructural forces control ideas, and to what degree do they control thinking men?
