It's interesting that the metaphor of seasons to track the change in civilization was used. Inherently, this implies a cyclical nature of civilization which, as was mentioned, could be aborted in the birth stage.
Moreover, seasons such as spring and winter come with certain connotations that could have influenced the placement of these ideas - enlightenment during winter appears incongruous.
Indeed Spengler was most overt about it. Toynbee was more hesitant, though in some parts of his magnum opus, he too was likening the Roman Empire in the reign of Augustus to an "Indian Summer". It appears that later scholars were most hesitant about some of Spenglers metaphysical analogies
It's interesting that the metaphor of seasons to track the change in civilization was used. Inherently, this implies a cyclical nature of civilization which, as was mentioned, could be aborted in the birth stage.
Moreover, seasons such as spring and winter come with certain connotations that could have influenced the placement of these ideas - enlightenment during winter appears incongruous.
Indeed Spengler was most overt about it. Toynbee was more hesitant, though in some parts of his magnum opus, he too was likening the Roman Empire in the reign of Augustus to an "Indian Summer". It appears that later scholars were most hesitant about some of Spenglers metaphysical analogies