ABSTRACT
In a stable society, it is possible to think of one’s own generation as a phase in a long process, which transmits and perhaps modifies the accumulated heritage from a continuous past. It is possible to believe that the future of humanity is more or less secure and that intellectual advances accompany social progress. Under such con ditions, it is relatively easy to bestow value on most intellectual and artistic activities, and one is less likely to be troubled by the concern with relevance. It is less hard to tolerate and even encourage ivory towers.
