Human Nature and the Crisis of Civilisation

ContentsPrefaceIntroduction: Human Nature and the Crisis of CivilisationPart I — The Foundations of Human ExistenceMatter, Life and ConsciousnessEvolution and the Emergence of Human NatureBirth, Trauma and the Formation of the SelfPart II — The Symbolic Foundations of CivilisationMyth, Religion and MeaningCulture as a Human AdaptationThe Origins of Power, Hierarchy and Social OrderPart III — The Crisis of ModernityCapitalism, Alienation and the Loss of MeaningInstitutions, Ideologies and the Construction of RealityCollective Trauma and the Fragmentation of SocietyPart IV — Towards an Ethics for the FutureResponsibility, Autonomy and Human AgencyRestorative Justice and the Transformation of ConflictBeyond Capitalism: Towards a New Social ParadigmConclusion: Reimagining Human Nature and CivilisationBibliographyHuman Nature and the Crisis of Civilisation explores one of the most urgent questions of our time: why has a species capable of extraordinary creativity, cooperation and compassion created systems that threaten its own future?Drawing on psychology, philosophy, anthropology, evolutionary theory and social criticism, Daniel Waterman examines the deep roots of our contemporary crises. The book challenges conventional ideas about human nature and argues that many of the conflicts shaping modern civilisation are connected to unresolved psychological, cultural and symbolic patterns.From the origins of consciousness and culture to the development of economic systems, political institutions and social values, this interdisciplinary work investigates how humanity arrived at its present condition—and what possibilities exist for transformation.Combining insights from depth psychology, trauma studies and critical theory, Human Nature and the Crisis of Civilisation offers a profound reflection on ethics, responsibility and the search for a more sustainable future.