THE AXIAL AGE 800 BCE200 CE Reading Answeraddress

THE AXIAL AGE 800 BCE-200 CE

Reading �Answer/address: ◦ Describe the Axial Age (5 -6 sentences) ◦ What was going on during the previous eras? What changed? How? Why? ◦ Identify and explain three major consequences of the AA.

The Origin of the Axial Age �According to the Axial Age Theory, the philosophy behind the world’s major religions sprang from a six-hundred year span of time in the first millennium BCE

Abraham to Jesus: 18 Centuries Between First Millennium BCE MOSES DAVID ABRAHAM Egypt 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 th th th 8 th 7 th JESUS Exile 6 th 5 th 4 th 3 rd 2 nd 1 1 st st Axial Age ZOROASTRIANISM CONFUCIANISM Red Consciousness: 1 ST ISAIAH HELLENISM Egocentric, Bold, Violent AMOS MYSTERIES HOSEA BUDDHISM Blue Consciousness: MICAH HINDUISM Authoritative, Ordered JUDAISM BCE TAOISM RED TO BLUE CE 4

Definition of the Axial Age: �Major shift in human thinking ◦ Spread out geographically from East Mediterranean to China �New ideas and developments in religions and philosophies-still important today ◦ What are the problems of human nature? ◦ How do we solve them, both politically and socially?

Causes of the Axial Age 1. Inseparable networks-politically and economically § World is expanding! § And… so is conflict § Increase in contact, trade, warfare Increase in population and urbanization 3. Challenges to the traditional order 2. § Social upheaval and political turmoil how do we solve this?

Development of New Religions and Belief Systems In the years centering around 600 BCE, great advances occurred independently and almost simultaneously in: � East Asia: Confucianism, Taoism, Legalism, Shintoism � India: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism � Greece: Hellenism/Greek Rationalism � Middle East: Judaism (already in existence), Zoroastrianism, and, later: Christianity and Islam

Key ideas of the axial age: 1. Shift toward monotheism 2. Internalization of right and wrong § development of a moral conscience § as opposed to punishment-reward systems 3. Political, ethical, natural rationalism § § § Why is the world the way it is? Why are humans the way they are? How can we explain all of that?

Natural Rationalism 1. Mathematics and science ◦ In Greece Natural Philosophy � Theoretical understanding of nature from which individual phenomenon could be explained � Attempt to find causes for all natural events

Political and Ethical Rationalism �Development of schools of thought that approach human society as a logical problem to solve �Debate regarding basic view of human nature a. Pessimists v. optimists

Greek rationalism: Hellenistic Philosophers �Greeks tried to explain human behavior and the meaning of life and the world in four unique ways: ◦ ◦ Cynicism Epicureanism Stoicism Skepticism

Greek rationalism: Hellenistic Philosophers �One question that each group of philosophy school tried to answer was: How do humans achieve happiness?