Test 2 Flashcards
(23 cards)
Early Pagan Structure of Reality
Chaotic and violent with humanity hopelessly at the will of volatile gods because they viewed themselves as being at the mercy of natural forces and order must be brought about by violence.
Greek Structure of Reality
The world is static and unchangeable. Everything starts in the same embryonic state and grows into maturity. Everything moves to fulfill its purpose and all things relate to all other things.
Biblical Structure of Reality
There is overarching order but the world is dynamic and changeable. This is known because God speaks and it is good. Since God created the world, and we are created in his image thus we can create. All things are leading towards the transfiguration of the world and thus the world is dynamic.
Pagan Human Condition
Humans are virtually helpless to battle fate and are destined for death. Knowledge of death is the burden of mankind.
Greek Human Condition
All people are immature and without knowledge. This is the embryonic state. People grow into mature, happy adults by being educated in how to be virtuous which helps them achieve their goals. Virtue is driven by habits more than choices.
Biblical Human Condition
We are both creators and creatures and we have a role in transforming the world but we mess it up by trying to become God. When we overstep and try to be like God we sin which causes misery and sending both yourself and the world to hell but no matter how badly we mess things up God can fix it.
Pagan Political Implications
They tended to be violent militaristic and patriarchal system. Within this system warriors and priests are the most important figures. Warriors fight and the priest makes good with the gods
Greek Political Implications
The goal of the society is to promote virtue and thus the political system should create an environment in which virtue can prosper by supporting strong families and schools. Philosophers make the best leaders because they know the most about nature and are thus the most virtuous and best equipped to help others.
Biblical Political Implications
Christianity encourages equality because we are all equal before God. Humans are also free. There is also community within the Kingdom of God. The Christian view allows for inductive science because you can trust your observations because you can trust God’s faithfulness and thus can trust you specific observations of the universe. The danger of our creative abilities is that it can lead to Nihilism.
Pagan Metaphor for Reality
Chaotic Fertility in personal terms
Greek Metaphor for Reality
Orderly fertility in impersonal terms
Biblical Metaphor for Reality
The spoken word
Why did Aristotle view morality as objective?
Aristotle thought that morality was objective because humans are part of an overarching natural order and thus there are set goals that take objective virtues to achieve.
What are Aristotle’s three types of Friendship?
Pleasure, utility and virtue
Use Aristotle’s concepts of relationship and friendship to explain the breakdown of the family
Virtue should be the basis of relationships but the breakdown of the pre-modern family and working together and procreating was caused by industrialization and the go to work father and stay at home mom. This meant that men and women no longer had shared goals and pleasure became the basis of relationships leading to a lesser form of friendship and the breakdown of marriage. The solution is coming up a way to bring the home and work life back together.
What defines an oral culture?
Hearing
Unseen
Figurative
Better memory
What defines literate culture?
Seeing
Seen
Literal
More impersonal
How did people in early Pagan societies think you could achieve immortality?
Only those who do great deeds can be immortal through great deeds (Gilgamesh).
Enkidu
Is the animal man created by the gods to humble Gilgamesh. He is tamed by a prostitute (Sex tames) and goes to fight Gilgamesh and they fight and then become friends. They overcome many trials but Enkidu is killed by the gods to discipline Gilgamesh for not sleeping with a goddess (whims of the gods). Filled with grieving and realizing he will die this is what starts Gilgamesh on his mission for immortality.
What is the goal of Gilgamesh’s journey?
to achieve eternal life
Fear and confidence (virtue)
courage
Fear and confidence (Vice of excess)
Rashness (Better vice)
Fear and confidence (Vice of deficiency)
cowardice (Worse vice)
