A Worldwide

Context for
Western Philosophy

Historical Interlude A
 The Western Philosophical Tradition
• Begins in ancient Greece:
– Thales (624 - 546 B.C.E.)
– Socrates (469 - 399 B.C.E.)
• During this time there was a philosophical
awakening in many cultures:
– The Buddha in India
– Confucius and Lao-tzu in China
– They lived during the 6th century B.C.E.
 Buddhism
• Siddhartha Guatama (560 B.C.E.)
– Born to wealthy family.
– 4 sights awakened interest in
suffering.
– Left family to seek truth.
– Became “the awakened one”
– The Four Noble Truths
• Life is suffering
• The cause of suffering is selfish desire
• The cure is extinguishing this desire
• The 8 fold path is the way to do this.
– The path to Nirvana
 Taoism
• Lao-tzu
– The “Warring States” period in
China.
– Tao Te Ching
“The Way and its Power”
– Yin/Yang: the way in nature
• Yang is the aggressive phase.
• Yin is the passive phase.
– Wisdom lies in going with the
flow of nature – the way.
 Confucianism
• K’ung fu-tzu or Master K’ung
– Known in the west as Confucius
• Analects
– Subjects should obey rulers.
– Children should obey parents.
– Friends have a mutual
relationship.
– The present is out of step with
the past.
 The Vinegar Tasters
• Confucius: life is sour
– because it is out of step
with the past and heaven.
• Buddha: life is bitter
– because it is filled with
suffering.
• Lao tzu: life is sweet.
– Life is the way—yin/yang
 Native Americans
• Called indians because
Columbus thought he was
in India.
• Animism
– Nature is holy and alive.
– The earth, sky, trees,
animals and people have a
spirit of their own.
– We should love nature and
respect the spirits.
• Greek “objectivity”
– Implies a separation from
nature.
 African Philosophy: Egypt
• Focus on the afterlife
• Used astronomy to develop
accurate calendars.
• Eurocentrism
– Greece is the cradle of
contemporary civilization.
• Afrocentrism
– Much of Greek civilization
was borrowed from Egypt.
• Pythagoros, Socrates, Plato,
and Aristotle all visited the
Egyptians.
 Hebrews and Monotheism
• Developed in Middle East
• The Books of Proverbs and
Ecclesiastes
– Hebrews looked for wisdom
all over.
• Monotheism
– Set Judaism apart from other
polytheisms
 Goddess Religions and Monotheism
• The Great Mother
– From the dawn of history God was
worshiped as a woman, many
argue.
– Helen Reddy “
I am woman hear me roar”
• The Alphabet vs. the Goddess,
Shlain
– Men’s dominance tied to the
word.
• Texts have ignored the contributions
of women.
– Feminine values tied to the image.