From Stone Age to Space Age:
What Civilization has given us
Alone among all other species, man's numerical increase is a function of increasing mastery over nature- increase of POTENTIAL POPULATION DENSITY- as reflected historically in the increase of actual population density. In transforming his conditions of existence, man transforms himself. The transformation of the species itself is reflected in the increase in estimated of estimated life expectancy over mankind's historical span.
Such changes are primarily located in, and have accelerated over, the last 600 years of man's multi-thousand year existence. Institutionalization of the concept of man in the image of God the Creator during the Golden Renaissance, through the Renaissance creation of the soverign nation-state, is the conceptual origin of the latter expansion of hte potential which uniquely makes man what he is.