Seminar Paper

On
Origin of Philosophical Thought
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for Award of Degree of
B.A. (H) English
Canadian Literature

Submitted by: Submitted to:

Aditya Kumar Singh Dr. Shashi S. Singh

A0706121052 Assistant Professor

Amity Institute of English Studies and Research

AMITY UNIVERSITY UTTAR PRADESH

India
Introduction

To determine the origin of philosophy one must define what a philosophical thought is which,
as some scholars of metaphilosophy (field of philosophy dedicated to understanding its
nature) would conclude, is practically impossible. However, for the sake of argument, one
could consider it a thought or a question that aims to determine the nature of existence or any
other preexisting phenomenon, concept or object - a “Why?” Unfortunately, it is also
impossible to know the first time a person asked such a question. However, it can be
determined that it probably started around a fire. It is believed that our earliest ancestors sat
around a fire at night, with their friends, families and tribes to stay warm and protect
themselves from animals and told stories about things over which they had no control or
information, such as thunder, or fire and so creation myths were born. Eventually, the people
attributed a personality to these aspects of nature and slowly began to worship them.
Therefore, the first systematic philosophy was probably a religious institution.

Mesopotamia

It is a common misconception to assume the Greeks to be the pioneers of philosophy. Their

contribution to Western philosophy is unmatched, however, chronologically, they were
preceded by many other civilizations of the Old World- a term coined after the discovery of
the Americas (the New World) which referred to the Afro-Eurasia. Such as the Sumerian
civilization in Mesopotamia.

According to H. Radau in his journal article, The Cosmology of the Sumerians,

“… the Sumerian conception the earth as a World Edifice consisted of three parts: the
heavenly ocean or AN, the terrestrial ocean or KI, the LIL, which stands between the AN and
the KI. These three parts were assigned to the first triad or raht of the Sumerian pantheon, i.
e., to Anu, Ea, Bel.”

The majority of the Sumerian creation myth known to us comes from a single fragmented
tablet that was excavated in 1893, inscribed with Sumerian language dated back to 1600 BC.
It talks about how Anu, Ea and other Sumerian deities created the world, the Sumerians and
suitable living conditions for all. It also talks about how the gods are not going to deliver the
mankind from the great impending flood. However, as some part of the tablet was missing,
the myth is still not completely known. The Sumerians not only developed one of the first
writing systems but also literature, like the Epic of Gilgamesh, code of ethics, like Code of
Lipit-Ishtar etc.

Ancient India

According to the Hindu tradition, the origin of the various philosophical ideas that were
developed in the philosophical systems lies in the Vedas, a body of texts that seem to have
been composed around two thousand years Before the Common Era (BCE). Composed in
Vedic Sanskrit and archaic Indo-Aryan language, there are scriptures: Rigveda, Yajurveda,
Samaveda and Atharvaveda. The oldest being Rigveda, older than many other Indo-Aryan
texts. Manuscripts found in paper, palm leaves and birch bark form, either in full or in
portions, have been discovered in various scripts like, Devnagari, Grantha, Malyalam,
Sharada etc., and show some differences. It constitutes of the Samhita (hymns to the deities,
the oldest part of the Rigveda), the Brahmanas, commentaries on the hymns, the Aranyakas
or "forest books", the Upanishads.

While the Vedas contain a variety of different themes, ranging from hymns for deities and
rules of fire sacrifices to music and magic, there is no doubt that one finds in them an
exemplary spirit of inquiry into “the one being” that underlies the diversity of empirical
phenomena, and into the origin of all things.

Ancient Greece

Although the Greeks weren’t the first to develop philosophy, they were the first to have the
first recorded philosopher. Which brings about yet another misconception where people think
of Socrates as the philosopher, however, it is Thales, (624–545 BCE), sought to describe the
cosmos in terms of a first principle, or arche, which was the primal source of all things, and
suggested that water was this arche.

He belonged to a philosophy known as presocratic philosophy which was its attempt to

provide rational explanations of the cosmos as a whole, much like the other older
civilizations. However, this was in contrast to commonly-held Greek mythology, which
provided theological interpretations – such as the myth of Uranus and Gaia – to emphasize
the role of various gods and goddesses who would continue to be worshipped even as Greek
philosophy developed across the centuries. The Presocratic philosophers became some of the
first to reject Greek theology, instead seeking in its place to provide empirical theories
explaining how the world came to be and why it functions the way it does.

Then comes Socrates, who instead of just building on the study of Presocratics, changed the
focus of philosophy, primarily with his conduct of philosophical inquiries, also known as the
Socratic dialogue. He was eventually accused of corrupting the minds of the youth of the
city-state of Athens and was given the death penalty by ingesting hemlock.

Considering he did not write anything, he owes his influence on the subsequent millennium
that saw various schools of thought to his contemporaries, primarily his friend Plato. Who
wrote notable works like The Republic.

Why?

A question that arises is why does it originate or what does it require for a civilization to have
the capacity for the creation of knowledge systems and cultural bloom? It begins with the
cradle of civilization itself- a geographical location that witnesses the creation of a
civilization independent of any other civilization. Civilizations occur around water bodies,
such as Mesopotamia (literally meaning land between rivers) that situated between Tigris and
Euphrates rivers. As the civilization spreads and establishes, it develops culture, traditions
etc.

However, why is it that there were certain locations which saw the emergence of
philosophical thought, for example, Greece in Western philosophy. Well, there are some
common elements responsible for such emergence. Such as, political stability: stable political
environment provides the necessary foundation for other aspects of society to thrive. When a
society is free from major conflicts and disruptions, it can divert its resources and energy
towards cultural, scientific, and economic pursuits.

Economic Prosperity: Economic prosperity and wealth, often facilitated by trade, agriculture,
or other forms of economic activity, are vital for supporting and patronizing art, culture, and
intellectual endeavors. A strong and growing economy can fund and sustain creative and
scholarly pursuits.
Patronage: The support of patrons, whether they be wealthy individuals, monarchs, or
institutions, is essential for nurturing the arts and sciences. Patronage provides financial
backing and encouragement to artists, scientists, and intellectuals.

Cultural Exchange: Interaction and exchange between different cultures and societies can
lead to the cross-pollination of ideas and the enrichment of artistic, scientific, and
philosophical traditions. These interactions often spark innovation and creativity. And several
other elements.

Conclusion

To conclude, the origin of philosophy is hard to pinpoint exactly. It likely began with early
humans asking questions around communal fires, trying to make sense of the world and
existence. Sumer, Ancient India, and Greece all played roles in early philosophical thought.
Various factors, like stability and curiosity, contributed to the development of philosophy in
different civilizations. Philosophical inquiry has been a continuous and universal human
pursuit.