Lewis Mumford

American critic of civilization and urban researcher. Born in Flushing, New York. Studied at the City University of New York, Columbia University, and the New School for Social Research, but dropped out of all of them. While working as an editor for magazines such as Dial and American Caravan, he continued to write energetically, and has written over twenty books. During his university years, he was strongly influenced by the urban research of Scottish biologist Patrick Geddes (1854-1932), but he also investigated New York, Boston, Pittsburgh, and other cities, and established an unshakable position as an urban researcher. His works The Story of Utopia (1922), The Culture of Cities (1938), and his magnum opus The City in History (1961) explored the subjective conditions for human survival in cities. During this time, he also published a series of books criticizing machine civilization and proposing the reconstruction of human life. He wrote four books, including Sticks and Stones (1924), which dealt with American civilization, Technics and Civilization (1934), which focused on Western civilization, and The Power of Pentagon (1970), which was published after the war. He also continued to be active in social activities, such as founding the Regional Planning Association, and contributed to the TVA plan.

[Kazuko Nakajima]

"The Myth of the Machine, by Mumford, translated by Higuchi Kiyoshi (1971, Kawade Shobo Shinsha) " ▽ "The Pentagon of Power: The Myth of the Machine, Part 2, translated by Ikuta Tsutomu and Kihara Takeichi (1973, Kawade Shobo Shinsha)" ▽ "Interpretations and Predictions: An Anthology 1922-1972, I and II, by Mumford, translated by Ikuta Tsutomu and Kihara Takeichi (1975, Kawade Shobo Shinsha)" ▽ "The Genealogy of Utopia: What is the Ideal City?, New Edition, by Mumford, translated by Seki Yuzaburo (2000, Shinsensha)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

アメリカの文明評論家、都市研究家。ニューヨーク州フラッシング生まれ。ニューヨーク市立大学、コロンビア大学、New School For Social Researchで勉学するがいずれも中退。雑誌『Dial』や『American Caravan』の編集に携わる一方、精力的な著述活動を続け、著書は二十数冊に上る。大学時代にスコットランドの生物学者ゲッデスPatrick Geddes（1854―1932）の都市研究に強く影響されたが、自らもニューヨーク、ボストン、ピッツバーグなどを調査し、都市研究家として揺るがぬ地位を得た。『ユートピア物語史』The Story of Utopia（1922）、『都市の文化』The Culture of Cities（1938）および大著『歴史の都市・明日の都市』The City in History（1961）は、都市における人間の主体的な生存条件を探究したものである。またこの間、機械文明への批判と人間生活の再建を提案した一連の著書を出した。アメリカ文明を扱った『杖(つえ)と石』Sticks and Stones（1924）など4冊、西欧文明に目を向けた『技術と文明』Technics and Civilization（1934）、戦後の『権力のペンタゴン』The Power of Pentagon（1970）である。その他、地域計画協会を設立するなど積極的な社会活動を続け、TVA計画にも貢献した。

［中島和子］

『マンフォード著、樋口清訳『機械の神話』（1971・河出書房新社）』▽『生田勉・木原武一訳『権力のペンタゴン――機械の神話第2部』（1973・河出書房新社）』▽『マンフォード著、生田勉・木原武一訳『解釈と予測――アンソロジー1922～1972』ⅠⅡ（1975・河出書房新社）』▽『マンフォード著、関裕三郎訳『ユートピアの系譜――理想の都市とは何か』新版（2000・新泉社）』

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