Western civilization has existed for a long time, but suddenly everyone is talking about it. Some are eager to save it, while others are happy to see it disappear.
However, do you know what Western civilization is? Is
a European cathedral or a Nazi concentration camp? Is it "freedom" or slavery guaranteed by the US Constitution? Is it a life-saving medicine or a poisonous gas?
This article, History will answer this interesting question in all aspects. Please listen to History. ≥▽≤
Some people like to focus on negative aspects - genocide, slavery, and environmental destruction. But since ancient times, they have existed in many civilizations.
There are also many positive aspects in the West - religious tolerance, abolition of slavery, universal human rights, the development of scientific methods: the West once claimed that it had achieved such a range and scale.
makes the West more outstanding than these achievements. With the development of Western thought, it protected the rights of women and other nations, and took the lead in the industrial age, creating the subject of the modern world. ^0^
Of course, progress cannot be achieved overnight. But the trajectory of history is clear.
Why? Why was the Western civilization so successful? What are the things that we are worth learning from today?
The reasons are endless, but in this article, the history can start with the doctrine and philosophy that originated from two ancient cities, namely the holy city of Jerusalem in the West and the ancient Greek Athens. ≥▽≤
Jerusalem represents the religious revelation reflected in the Jewish and Christian traditions: Believe in a good God who created an orderly universe and demands his most important creation—human behavior morality.
Another city - Athens, which represents the rationality and logic reflected by the great Greek thinkers Plato and Aristotle and others.
These two ways of thinking - enlightenment and reason are always tug-of-war with each other. ^0^
Western Jewish and Christianity believe that some basic truths are passed on to us by a transcendent existence. We did not invent these truths, but received them from God.
The laws he has made for us are crucial to establish a well-functioning moral civilization and to live a happy life. ≥▽≤
and Ancient Greek thoughts believed that we can only understand the truth through observation, experiment and measurement. They believe that it has nothing to do with faith, but facts are driving us to understand and explore the universe.
Western civilization has found a way to balance religious beliefs with human rationality.
This balance works like this:
"Jewish, Christian traditions teach us that God created an orderly universe and that we have an obligation to make the world a better place. This provides us with a goal and shows that history is moving forward."^0^
Most pagans teach exactly the opposite: the universe is illogical and random, and history is circular. History is just endlessly repeating itself – in this case, why bother to innovate or create new things?
Secondly, the Jewish and Christian traditions teach that everyone is created in the image of God; that is, everyone's life is extremely precious. ≥▽≤
This seems self-evident to us now, but it is just because we have lived with this belief for a long time. A more natural belief is that the fittest survive and the strong should conquer the weak - this is what almost every society in history did.
Only by recognizing the sacredness in others can we transcend this immoral thinking and focus on human rights, democracy and freedom.
But only Jewish and Christian beliefs cannot establish modern Western civilization. They also need Greek reason to teach them objectively to observe: people have the ability to seek answers beyond revelation.
Greek reason brings us the concept of natural law , that is, we can discover the natural goal of all things - the ultimate goal by observing the characteristics of all creation.^0^
Humans are born with unique reasoning abilities; therefore, our ultimate goal is to reason. By investing so vigorously in reasoning, Greek thought became an integral part of the Western mission.
American War of Independence can reflect this. The founders of the United States will integrate the essence of the Jewish and Christian customs originating from Greek thought and the " Bible " into a new political philosophy.
There are no similar values such as Jewish and Christianity. They may think that matter is the only reality, and therefore they will fall into nihilism - they believe that life has no meaning, and we are just star dust in the vast universe. ≥▽≤
Without Greek rationality, they may fall into fanaticism—believe that fundamentalists insist on the unproveable principles that are the only way to meaning.
Many people in the modern Muslim world embrace faith, but refuse reason.
It is worth noting that the Muslim world once accepted Greek rationality, and it was a leading center for scientific development in the 8th to 14th centuries AD.
Therefore, both the West need – Jerusalem and Athens. Revelation and reason. ^0^
Today, even though the West has many disadvantages, there are still many things worth learning from.
is completely de-Westernized. Our various systems, our various disciplines, our clothing and living habits are closely related to the West.
Moreover, as a strong country, our country should be open and learn from others' strengths, and should not blindly resist a certain culture. What do you think about this? ^0^
(Hi, I am @天官网官网官网, and my historical articles that touch you and me will be updated every day. I look forward to your likes + followers, explore the world of history together, and gain more interesting and fun knowledge≥▽≤)
