Choose life : a dialogue

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Arnold J. Toynbee, a historian renowned for his 12-volume work, offered a grand synthesis of world history, focusing on the rise and fall of civilizations rather than nation-states. He was regarded as an 'international sage' alongside figures like Einstein and Russell. Daisaku Ikeda, a prominent spiritual leader of a global lay Buddhist organization, engaged in discussions with Toynbee from 1971 to 1974 about pressing societal issues that remain relevant today. Topics such as pollution, dwindling resources, conflict, the role of religion, and population growth are even more urgent now than they were decades ago. This volume, reissued for a new generation, captures the inspiring challenge posed by both men: will humanity choose to revolutionize its thinking and morals to salvage its destiny, or will it face disaster through self-destruction and environmental degradation? The text acknowledges the threat posed by the imbalance between human immaturity and technological advancement, yet it conveys an optimistic message: the evils created by humanity can be addressed with human solutions.