The Human Situation

The Human Situation is a collection of lectures delivered by Huxley at Santa Barbara in 1959. The topics covered range from the nature of man to the foundations of language, with discourses on religion and nationalism thrown in for good measure.

Huxley brings his penetrating and prescient insights to bear on his topics, addressing them not as universal truths to be uncovered but rather as open questions to be examined from all angles. Of particular interest is his treatment of the ancient links between mysticism (‘the religion of immediate experience’) and mainstream Christian denominationalism (‘religion as the manipulation of symbols’).

The Human Situation stands on its own merits as a well-written, accessible text on issues that, even today, have broad impacts on public policy, human health, and social order. This book also serves as a useful primer or jumping-off point for further forays into philosophy, religion, and the life of the individual in modern times.