The Historical View Of Lewis Mumford

Based on historical method and interdisciplinary angle of view, this dissertation analyses Lewis Mumford’s perspective of city history. Though analyses Mumford’s view and concept of city development in different historical periods, combined with city history’s current research and relevant area’s research achievements, this dissertation comprehensively and systematically point out that Mumford’s perspective of city history still has academic value and practical significance even to this day.As a bedding for the research of Mumford’s perspective of city history, the first chapter analyzes the origin of Mumford’s conception of city through three aspects. Based on Mumford himself and Miller’s biography of Mumford, Mumford’s life could be viewed systematically, then we could realized that his memory of New York, Geddes’ s city theory, feelings about humanity and country in his life all have great impact on the shaping of Mumford’s conception of city. Based on this background, we could have a deeper view of Mumford’s perspective of city history.The second chapter analyzes the academic value of Mumford’s conception of city on the origin of cities. On the one hand, this chapter concludes Mumford’s ideas about the origin of cities. On the other hand, this chapter analyzes domestic research situation and deficiency on the origin of cities. Through comparative study, this chapter point out that Mumford’s research on the origins of cities could be a mirror on the perspective, method, thought for domestic research on the origin of cities.Third chapter analyzes the nature of city in the Mumford’s ancient city perspective. The first quarter uses Mumford’s conception of “container” and “magnet”, combined with domestic and overseas research achievements deeply analyzes new kingdom city’s functions, and point out that new kingdom Egypt’s city has both the political and religious functions. The second quarter though the Mumford’s perspective of ecology and region analyzes ancient Greece’s formation and development. Through the analysis of ancient Greece, knowing its restricted by nature, and deeply rely on the country,we could see that harmonious development between city and country, nature are very necessary. In this case, we could realize the academic value of the ecology and region perspective for the ancient Greece city research, and also know the practical significance for the harmonious development between city and country, nature. The third quarter for the perspective of humanity, combined with the domestic and overseas’ scholar’s research achievement, through the analysis of ancient Rome city’s culture, then pointed out the city culture are very important for the rise and fall of a city.The fourth chapter uses comparative study for the discussion of Mumford’s focus on medieval city planning. The first quarter through the historian’s historical understanding of medieval city analyzes the overall planning of medieval city. The second quarter analyzes Mumford’s view of medieval city planning. Though the comparative study, we could realize that Mumford’s biased on the conception of medieval city, and based on his unique perspective, we could also realize the realistic value of medieval city planning.The fifth chapter analyzes Mumford’s focus on the two modern city development tendencies. This chapter through the analysis of Mumford’s conception of suburbanization and megalopolis, point out that his research on this two development tendencies has ages localization, then we could do the more objective and right judge on this two issues.Based on the analysis of above, we could see that, although Mumford’s view of city history has the ages localization and deficiency, his ideas about many relevant research on the city history have academic value and practical significance even to this day. In addition to that, through the analysis of Mumford’s view of city history, we find that all his idea is united in the conception of ecology city, region city, and humanity city. Based on this, research the Mumford’s view of city history has more reference value.