Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Introduction
- Principal events in Fourier's life
- A brief note on further reading (in English)
- Translator's introduction
- The Theory of the Four Movements and of the General Destinies
- 1808 Introduction
- Preliminary discourse
- Plan
- First part: Exposition of some branches of the general destinies
- General ideas about the destinies
- Phases and periods of the social order in the third planet namely the earth
- Epilogue: On the proximity of the social metamorphosis
- Second part: Description of the various branches of the private or domestic destinies
- Third part: Confirmation derived from the inadequacy of the inexact sciences to deal with all the problems that the civilised mechanism presents
- Omitted chapter
- Note A
- Advice to the civilised
- 1818 Introduction
- Index
- Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought
Epilogue: On the proximity of the social metamorphosis
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 June 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Introduction
- Principal events in Fourier's life
- A brief note on further reading (in English)
- Translator's introduction
- The Theory of the Four Movements and of the General Destinies
- 1808 Introduction
- Preliminary discourse
- Plan
- First part: Exposition of some branches of the general destinies
- General ideas about the destinies
- Phases and periods of the social order in the third planet namely the earth
- Epilogue: On the proximity of the social metamorphosis
- Second part: Description of the various branches of the private or domestic destinies
- Third part: Confirmation derived from the inadequacy of the inexact sciences to deal with all the problems that the civilised mechanism presents
- Omitted chapter
- Note A
- Advice to the civilised
- 1818 Introduction
- Index
- Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought
Summary
What suspicions are likely to be aroused in people's minds as they reflect on this outline of past and future revolutions! At first they will be torn between curiosity and distrust, attracted by the idea of penetrating the mysteries of nature but afraid of being taken in by a clever fiction. Reason will tell them to doubt, while passion urges them to believe. Amazed to see a mere mortal unrolling the map of divine decrees before their eyes, providing a survey of eternity past and future, they will succumb to curiosity, they will tremble at the idea that a man has finally been able to
Dérober au destin ses augustes secrets;
and before the announcement of the experiment, even before the publication of my theory, I may well have more disciples to calm down than sceptics to convince.
The idea of the General Destinies I have just sketched in is too superficial not to provoke hundreds of objections, all of which I can foresee because they have frequently been raised in lectures where I have been able to provide much fuller answers than I am able to do in this treatise. So it would be quite pointless for me to try to allay these doubts until after I have explained the mechanism of progressive Series, which will clarify whatever is obscure and settle all conceivable objections.
Until then I shall do no more than remind you that the first two treatises will not be concerned with the theory of Social Movement.
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- Chapter
- Information
- Fourier: 'The Theory of the Four Movements' , pp. 101 - 106Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1996