europa
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- Aug 27, 2005
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It seems like the Western world is having trouble defining itself. An identity-war in which religion and philosophy play a crucial role, is currently being waged.
In the US, this war is very outspoken, but even in so-called "secular" Europe there are traces of the same intellectual struggle. During the writing of the European Charter, quarrels broke out when the "roots" of European (Western) culture were discussed. (Should references to religion be included? And if so, why stop at Christianity? Why not include other religions, and even polytheistic, pre-Christian traditions like the Greco-Roman ones?)
I particularly want to focus on these pre-Christian traditions, which have had such a tremendous influence on European (Western) thought. Wouldn't a revival of Greek philosophy and Roman thought be welcome to calm the current debate a bit?
Let's not forget that our world-view has been heavily influenced by these cultures. They brought us modern views of the state, of politics, of the arts, of philosophy, urbanism, architecture and of science, amongst other things.
What do you think of a Greco-Roman revival? Would it be useful in the current debate about what role religion should play in modern life? And shouldn't schools be teaching more Greek and Roman philosophy?
In the US, this war is very outspoken, but even in so-called "secular" Europe there are traces of the same intellectual struggle. During the writing of the European Charter, quarrels broke out when the "roots" of European (Western) culture were discussed. (Should references to religion be included? And if so, why stop at Christianity? Why not include other religions, and even polytheistic, pre-Christian traditions like the Greco-Roman ones?)
I particularly want to focus on these pre-Christian traditions, which have had such a tremendous influence on European (Western) thought. Wouldn't a revival of Greek philosophy and Roman thought be welcome to calm the current debate a bit?
Let's not forget that our world-view has been heavily influenced by these cultures. They brought us modern views of the state, of politics, of the arts, of philosophy, urbanism, architecture and of science, amongst other things.
What do you think of a Greco-Roman revival? Would it be useful in the current debate about what role religion should play in modern life? And shouldn't schools be teaching more Greek and Roman philosophy?