C.S. Lewis published The Abolition of Man in 1943. The short book developed from three lectures he delivered at Durham University in February of that year, later known as the Riddell Memorial Lectures.
Lewis argued against forms of moral relativism and against educational approaches that treated values as merely subjective emotions. He defended the existence of objective moral principles, which he called the Tao, while drawing examples from several religious and philosophical traditions rather than presenting a narrow denominational argument.
The book is often read alongside Lewis’s other nonfiction works, including Mere Christianity and Miracles. Its title does not mean that humanity will literally disappear. Instead, Lewis warned that technological power detached from moral formation could reduce human agency and dignity. The work remains influential in debates about education, ethics, technology, and the meaning of human nature.