Ancient Global History Lecture 6 (week 7) “The

Transcript:Ancient Global History Lecture 6 (week 7) “The:
Ancient Global History Lecture 6 (week 7) “The Axial Age” German ‘Achsenzeit’ – coined by Karl Jaspers in his book Vom Ursprung und Ziel der Geschichte (The Origin and Goal of History) published in 1949 (also see his book ‘The Way to Wisdom’, translated into English and published 2003). Refers to period 8th century BCE – 3rd century BCE Period of ‘pivotal’ thinkers across several cultures: Persia, India, China, Greece and Rome in religion and philosophy (without, he claimed, contact between them….) Not just random coincidence but an empirical fact of history – a ‘moment’ in our human story As such, this Axial age is important as ‘the spiritual foundations of humanity were laid simultaneously and independently in China, India, Persia, Judea, and Greece. And these are the foundations upon which humanity still subsists today’ (The Way to Wisdom 2003.98) Karl Jaspers German philosopher + psychiatrist. Exiled during WWII – along with his Jewish wife, just managed to avoid being sent to concentration camps Other works: cf 1957 The Great Philosophers – series of examinations of most important figures in intellectual history (looked at Socrates, Aristotle, Descartes); Way to Wisdom (1951) – a series of radio lectures on why human beings not only do but also must philosophize. Way to Wisdom: Chapter 9 ‘The History of Man’ (passages taken verbatim from his Axial Age book) “No reality is more essential to our self-awareness than history. It shows us the broadest horizons of mankind, brings us the contents of tradition upon which our life is built, shows us standards by which to measure the present, frees us from unconscious bondage to our own age, teaches us to see man in his highest potentialities and his imperishable creations” Way to Wisdom 1951.96. “History sometimes appears to be a chaos of accidental happenings, an eddying flood. It passes on, from one turmoil, from one catastrophe to the next, with brief intervals of happiness, little islands which is spares for a time, until they too are engulfed. All in all – as Max Weber put it – a road paved by the devil with demolished values” 1951.96-7. See text of his assessment of the Axial age - handout What was going on: China: Spring and Autumn Period/ Warring States: intense warfare + production of ‘100 schools of thought’ India: Aryan Civilisation – development of Vedic society and religion (Upanishads – key parts of the