책소개

Standing at the threshold of the 21st century, humanity faces a massive wave that is entirely unpredictable. We live in an era where the word "change" feels inadequate, and we are forced to use the term "shift." What is the essence of this shift? And why must we question, illuminate, and reflect upon its fundamental meaning so profoundly? To discuss a civilizational shift is not merely to consume a buzzword; it is to pose the most primal questions regarding the purpose and limits of human existence and the possibilities of our future. This book, titled "Civilizational Transition," seeks to answer these questions.

목차

Prologue: Why Must We Speak of a Civilizational ‘Shift’ Now?

Part 1: Past Civilizations, Today’s Lessons
The Birth and Development of Civilization
The First Cities and States: Fundamental Elements of Civilization
The Collision and Integration of Civilizations
The Collapse and Regeneration of Civilizations
Choices at the Crossroads of Civilization

Part 2. Signs of Transition: Where is Modern Civilization Heading?
Causes of Collapse and Conditions for Regeneration: Lessons from the Maya, Rome,
and Easter Island
What were the causes of collapse in these three cases?
Technological Revolution: The Era of Digital, Artificial Intelligence, and Biotechnology
The Fourth Industrial Revolution: A Society Changed by AI, Big Data, and Gene Editing
The Climate Crisis and Ecological Limits
What is the essence of the climate crisis?
Environmental Destruction, Climate Change, Resource Depletion, and the Challenge of
Sustainability
Globalization and the Hyper-connected Society
The Collapse of Economic, Informational, and Cultural Boundaries: The Birth of a New
Network
The Pandemic and Changes in the Health Paradigm

Part 3. The Turning Point of Civilization: Crises and Opportunities
The Impact of Pandemics, Including COVID-19 on Civilization
Democracy, Authoritarianism, and the New Political Order
Changes and Conflicts in Values and Political Systems
Change in Economic Paradigms
Crisis of Capitalism, Alternative Economic Models, Digital Currency, Basic Income, etc.
Fusion of Culture and Identity
Multiculturalism, Global Citizenship, and the Coexistence and Fusion of Cultures

Part 4: New Civilization, New Future
Strategies for Sustainable Development and the Survival of Civilization
Future Crises Facing Humanity and Hopeful Transformation Strategies
The Harmony of Technology and Humanity
The Future of Humanity, Ethics, and Creativity in a Digital Society
Solidarity and Cooperation: The Power of Collective Intelligence
Communal Solidarity for Overcoming Crises and Designing the Future
The Imagination of Future Civilization
SF, Art, and Philosophy Presenting a Blueprint for a New Civilization

Epilogue: Choices to be Made at the Turning Point of Civilization

책리뷰

저자소개

Choung, Wan is a professor at Kyung Hee University Law School. Alongside teaching law, he has pursued deep reflections on human existence through courses on "Culture in Digital Society" at Humanitas College, exploring philosophy, religion, and cultural theory. He has authored numerous legal texts as well as humanities works, including Culture in Digital Society, Cyber Entropy, poetry collections Digital Gaze and Digital Gaze II, an essay collection The Street of Happiness, and educational books such as Philosophical Thought in Cheonbugyeong and A Critical Biography of Dictators.