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ANCIENT GREEK AND HEBREW THOUGHT.   Term Paper ID:29747 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Western culture and Eastern culture.... More...

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Paper Abstract: Western culture and Eastern culture. Greek view of world through the mind; abstract thought. Hebrew view of world through the senses; concrete thought. Differences between the two cultures regarding role of the State, role of God, learning. Different aims of Greek and Hebrew cultures, and Hellenic and Hebraic ways of life. Paper Introduction: ANCIENT GREEK AND HEBREW THOUGHT “In the world, past and present, there are two major types of culture, the Hebrew (or eastern) culture and the Greek (or western) culture. Both of these cultures view their surroundings, lives, and purpose in ways which seem foreign to the other” (no author 2002 1). While most of the Hebrew culture has disappeared, except for a few Bedouin tribes, the essence of Judaism -- the idea of a single God, rather than a series of gods based on nature, war, and fear -- makes the essence of this so-called “Eastern” culture far more important -- certainly from a theological viewpoint -- today. Perhaps the diminution of this so-called Eastern culture came to an end with the emergence of the new Greek culture in approximately 800 BC. When the Greeks pushed southward into ancient Israel, a Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. "The basis of Hebraic contribution to Western civilization,and the Hebrew's greatest gift to humanity is the ideal of One God....Greekand Indian thinkers may have had a glimmering of the same truth. Every Jew who refused to eat pork...was to bejailed or killed" (Durant 1939 582). According to the Ancient Hebrew Studies website (2 2) someof the differences between these two cultures are:Greek: Teach students to trust the state.Hebrew: Teach children to trust God in everything.Greek: Prepare for the state.Hebrew: Prepare for eternity.Greek: Examine the world by classifying whole things into parts- removingthem from their CreatorHebrew: Redefine knowledgeGreek: Immerse students in literature written by Greek philosophersHebrew: Teach children to love learning so they will become self-motivated,lifelong learners. It would be fruitless, however, to paint the Greeks (or Hellenes assome historians call them) as being nothing but militaristic, pompousegotists who w\ere determined that their way of life and thought had toreplace any and all other traditional cultures. However, Antiochus was not dead, andwhen he realized what had happened, he took some strong measures. (editor in chief) Great Books of the WesternWorld- Syntopicon, Vol. In short, the overpowering of the Hebrew culture by force was nowcomplete. But, what is important here isthat "Judea was left a large measure of self-government under thehereditary High Priest of Jerusalem and the Great assembly" (Durant 1939579). Biblical Education."Retrieved at:Homeschoolstudies.com/TG/Philosophy/11biblicalvsgreek.htm No author listed (2 2). All of a sudden, Greek influence- everything from "art and science, philosophy and athletics, courtesans andhandsome boys, along with a gay sophistication that questioned allmorals...How could Jewish youth resist..." (Durant 1939 581). The Jewish Contribution to Civilization New York:Harper Brothers. For example, Greek thought about a pencil might be "it is yellowand about 8 inches long". As we know, the Greeks had the concept of theThree Fates, one spinning the cloth of life, the second, measuring it, andthe third cutting it off. So, in the Hebrew language verbs are far morecommon than adjectives. What is a fact is that,despite the vast difference between Hebrew and Greek cultures, Westerncivilization today is founded on an amalgam of these two, along with theRoman concepts. The Greeks, worshiping statues oftheir gods, aspired to look like them with physical conditioning, ratherthan devoting their lives to a spiritual odyssey that would bring themcloser to God's acceptance of the meaning of their lives. Both ofthese cultures view their surroundings, lives, and purpose in ways whichseem foreign to the other" (no author 2 2 1). . Adding up some of these differences, one can focus on the fact thatGreek culture aims at self-esteem, emotional adjustment, and externaltraining of the body, while the Hebrew culture aimed at the discovery of achild's God-given gifts and talents, and develop them to their fullestpotential with a priority on spiritual training. "The whole tenor of human life iscertainly affected by whether men regard themselves as the supreme beingsin the universe or acknowledge a superior- a superhuman being whom theyconceive as an object of fear or love..." (Hutchins 1956 543). Wilson, F. ANCIENT GREEK AND HEBREW THOUGHT "In the world, past and present, there are two major types of culture,the Hebrew (or eastern) culture and the Greek (or western) culture. Yet it would seem the Greek philosopherswould not agree that every man- only the virtuous- have a soul and know howto use it to further their lives. Now, one might say that Socrates, Plato and Aristotle also tried todevelop the idea and ideal of learning. Theresult was shock among many Jews. But, we have to understand thatthis training and learning had two "masters"- not a monotheistic God, butthe state and the teaching of ideas like the soul and virtue and justice.These, in the Greek "concrete" thought, were not the result of anyspiritual endeavor, but were man-made and man-driven. One can also look to the idea of "wisdom" as being different in thetwo cultures- the Greeks seeing it as man's ability to reason, while theHebrews accept it as a gift from God. The Hebrewsof the time were not sophisticated traders, but preferred spirituallearning and devotion. . (1939). Unfortunately, Hellenism won out. Jews were now forced topay taxes. According to Durant(1939) this sect began by pledging to avoid wine and frowned on allphysical pleasure as a surrender to Satan and the Greeks. Only theHebrews proclaimed it aloud" (Roth 194 4). It was a war of arms, notwords or ideas. Greek institutions were now open ed in Judea, and many Hebrewtemples and Hebrews began to worship Zeus rather than their own God. "Greek thought describes objects in relation to their appearance.Hebrew thought describes objects in relation to their function" (no author2 2 1). One major difference between these two cultures was the fact that"Greek thought views the world through the mind (abstract thought). Of course, there were rebels who, along with the remainingChasidim, fled to the hills or hid in caves. There is also a vast difference of opinion about what can be called"social order". When their leader, Mattathias,died, he had turned over the leadership of the rebels to his son Judas,called Maccabee (which is usually interpreted as meaning "hammer"). Thegroup of what we today call "Maccabees" defeated a far more powerful army,and retook Jerusalem around 164 BC, removing the Greek altars, which wasthe beginning of the formation of a new Jewish state which remained, ofcourse, until the time of the Romans. As one can readily see, there is a vast difference between the twocultures. : (2 2). 2 Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica. AncientHebrew thought views the world through the senses (concrete thought)" (noauthor 2 2 1). "'What has soul in it,' Aristotle writes, 'differs from whathas not'." (Hutchins 1956 1 14). "He commanded that theTemple be re-dedicated as a shrine to Zeus...He forbade the keeping of theSabbath and made circumcision a capital crime....The Greek ritual was madecompulsory on pain of death. . M. (194 ). The Hebrews, in their Biblical texts, "state explicitlythat God created the existing social order . "Ancient Greek vs. They formed a very puritanicalgroup called the Chasidim (which means "the pious"). . However, there was an attempt "of Antiochus Epiphanes toforce Hellenism upon Judea by persuasion of the sword" (Durant 1939 581).Suddenly, it became more than a cultural clash. As can be seen, the clash of cultures was far more than philosophical.It encompassed a vast array of the conduct of life, the worship of gods,rather than one God, and sought to extend the Greek influence over a peopledetermined not to bow under. Hutchins, R. "Ancient Hebrew culture." Retrieved at:www.ancient-hebrew.org/12_thought.html The basis for Judaism and the Hebrew culture was religion. Then there is the precept from the book of Genesis in the HebrewBible, that God made Man in his image. There was either Hellenic worship or death opr imprisonment forthe Judeans. Heordered the forcible Hellenization of all Jews. This might have worked, even as some Jews decided a middle way wouldbe more proper. Nowhere else do ewer meetthis fanatical devaluation of the phenomena of nature and the achievementsof man- art, virtue, social order" (Wilson 2 2 2). The abstract versus the concrete still encompasses ourculture and ways of thought, whether one considers them originating fromthe Hebrew of the Greek. While most of the Hebrewculture has disappeared, except for a few Bedouin tribes, the essence ofJudaism -- the idea of a single God, rather than a series of gods based onnature, war, and fear -- makes the essence of this so-called "Eastern"culture far more important -- certainly from a theological viewpoint --today. Science and Human Values- Mythology Retrievedat:www.rit.edu/~flustv/mythology2.html No author listed (2 2). "Into this simple and puritan life the invadingGreeks brought all the distractions and temptations of a refined andepicurean civilization" (Durant 1939 58 ). Matthew Arnolds believed (it) to be one ofthe lasting cleavages of human feeling and thought" (Durant 1939 579). Perhaps there isa closer relationship when it comes to a discussion of, and belief, inman's soul. when it came to "the internal struggle between the Hellenic andthe Hebraic ways of life . The defense of the Jews was religious. Inthe various wars over Palestine, Ptolemy I won out and Judea remained underthe rule of the Ptolemies for centuries. They believe a soul is a partof their God, inserted into Man to be obedient to, and be aware of, theSupreme Being. And yet, in Plato's Socraticdialogues we find frequent mentions of "God", and not in the sense thatthis God represented Zeus or any of the pantheon of Greek gods andgoddesses. Bright asthe Greek philosophers were, it is obvious that they were not monotheistic.While the ancient Hebrews left lie-and-death decisions to their closenessand appreciation of their God, and his mercies; unlike the Greeks they didnot really believe in fate. The Life of Greece The Story of Civilization PartII New York: Simon & Schuster. The Hebrews, on the other hand, would notbe Darwinian or Aristotelian in this concept. Perhaps the diminution of this so-called Eastern culture came to anend with the emergence of the new Greek culture in approximately 8 BC.When the Greeks pushed southward into ancient Israel, around 2 BC, thereseemed to be a collision of the two cultures, with the Greek, or western,culture surviving. Hebrew thought would be related to its function:"I write words with it". They then realized that perhaps theChasidim were right in their refusal to accept Greek culture. (1956). References Durant, W. What makes this statement interesting is the notion that only theHebrews pronounced this theory aloud. L. Roth, C. Wheninaccurate news came to Jerusalem that their oppressor, Antiochus, had beenkilled, there was clear rejoicing. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.