In "Heretics," Chesterton examines the ideas of several influential figures and intellectual movements of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He takes on prominent thinkers like Rudyard Kipling, H. G. Wells, George Bernard Shaw, and others, offering insightful and often humorous critiques of their beliefs and ideologies.Chesterton's central argument in the book is that modern philosophies and ideologies often tend to be incomplete and one-sided. He criticizes the intellectual trends of his era, including skepticism, materialism, and various forms of rationalism, which he perceives as missing the larger picture of reality and the human experience.Throughout the essays, Chesterton champions the value of tradition, orthodoxy, and religious faith. He sees these as important pillars of human civilization, providing a moral and philosophical foundation that modern thought risks losing.One of the most famous essays in "Heretics" is "On Mr. Rudyard Kipling and Making the World Small." In this essay, Chesterton praises Kipling's writing but critiques his narrow view of the world. He argues that true greatness in literature and art comes from a deep understanding of the vastness and complexity of existence, not from a reductionist approach.