Isis may indeed pose a radical challenge, but the “civilisation” it challenges is a global civilisation rather than a uniquely western phenomenon. Human groups – including human civilisations – are fundamentally different from animal species, and historical conflicts differ greatly from natural selection processes. Yes, human groups may have distinct social systems, but these are not genetically determined, and they seldom endure for more than a few centuries. In 1940, Britain and Germany had very different traits, yet they were both part and parcel of “western civilisation”. They will make us ever more interdependent, as members of a single, rowdy, global civilisation.

Source: The Guardian September 09, 2016 07:52 UTC