DOCSLIB.ORG

NEW AGE to POSTMODERN AGE the Cultural Location of Metaphysical Belief Submitted for the Award of Master of Arts in Communicatio

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
NEW AGE to POSTMODERN AGE the Cultural Location of Metaphysical Belief Submitted for the Award of Master of Arts in Communicatio NEW AGE TO POSTMODERN AGE the cultural location of metaphysical belief Submitted for the award of Master of Arts in Communication Studies (Research) to the School of Communications, Dublin City University. Fiona Smyth July, 2001 I hereby certify that this material, which I now submit for assessment on the programme of study leading to the award of Master of Arts in Communication Studies (Research) is entirely m y own work and has not been taken from the work of others save and to the extent that such work has been cited and acknowledged within the text of my work. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS With sincere thanks to my supervisor Dr. Bill Dorris for valued input and total support throughout this project. Thanks also to Dr. Bill Campbell for extending the co-operation of Manchester Metropolitan University and for helpful suggestions and recommendations made. Finally, thanks to all others who assisted in any way in the production of this thesis. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION CHAPTER ONE - THE NE W AGE 1.1 INTRODUCTION 1.1.1 2 1.1. 2.................................................. 4 1.2 ROOTS OF THE NE W AGE - THE OCCULT METAPHYSICAL TRADITION 1.2.1 6 1.2. 2 8 1.2. 3.................................................. 8 1.2.4 .................................................. 9 1.3 THE MODERN NEW AGE 1.3. 1.................................................. 12 1.3. 2.................................................. 14 1.3. 3.................................................. 15 1.3. 4.................................................. 16 1.4 COMMON BELIEFS OF THE MOVEMENT 20 1.5 THE EMERGING CULTURE OF THE NE W AGE 1.5. 1.................................................. 24 1.5. 2.................................................. 25 1.5.3 .................................................. 26 1.5. 4.................................................. 28 1.5. 5.................................................. 31 1.6 THE NE W AGE AND NE W SCIENCE 1.6. 1............................................................................................................................ 34 1.6. 2.................................................. 35 1.6. 3.................................................. 35 1.6. 4.................................................. 36 1.6. 5.................................................. 38 1.6. 6.................................................. 38 1.6. 7.................................................. 43 CHAPTER TWO - PHYSICS AND MYSTICISM 2.1 INTRODUCTION 51 2.2 THE PARALLELIST APPROACH 2.2. 1.................................................. 53 2.2. 2.................................................. 53 2.2. 3.................................................. 54 2.2. 4.................................................. 55 2.2. 5.................................................. 57 2.2. 6 60 2.2.7................................................... 60 2.3 SOCIOCULTURAL PERSPECTIVE 2.3. 1 .................................................. 62 2.3. 2.................................................. 62 2.3. 3.................................................. 63 2.3.4 .................................................. 64 2.3. 5.................................................. 65 2.4 THE POSTMODERN DEBATE 2.4. 1.................................................. 67 2.4. 2 .................................................. 68 2.4. 3.................................................. 70 2.4.4 .................................................. 72 CHAPTER THREE-THE NEW AGE IN MODERNITY AND POSTMODERNITY 3.1 INTRODUCTION 73 3.2 THE NEW AGE AS RELIGION 73 3.3 TRAJECTORIES WITHIN MODERNITY 3.3.1 .................................................. 78 3.3.2 .................................................. 79 3.3. 3.................................................. 79 3.3. 4 .................................................. 80 3.3. 5.................................................. 81 3.3. 6.................................................. 81 3.3. 7.................................................. 83 3.4 THE NEW AGE AND MODERNITY 3.4. 1.................................................. 85 3.4.2 .................................................. 86 3.4. 3.................................................. 87 3.5 THE NEW AGE AND POSTMODERNITY 90 CLOSING DISCUSSION 98 ENDNOTES 101 APPENDICES 108 BIBILOGRAPHY 113 ABSTRACT As a cultural trend or a religious force the nature of the Ne w Age has been persistently unclear. This paper proposes that, as a movement, it manifests an older set of concerns and an ancient worldview, according to the particular cultural conditions of the time. The first section provides a comprehensive analysis of the N e w Age, outlining its origins in the Western occult metaphysical tradition, through its assimilation of aspects of Eastern philosophy and mo d e m science, to its current status as an influential, and increasingly mainstream, cultural phenomenon. The second section assesses the relationship between the new age and science, forming an illustrative example of the proposed influence of contemporary cultural values on the characteristics and forms of the movement. The final section places it within the debate on secularisation and the status of the religious as we move from the mo d e m to the postmodern era. INTRODUCTION The aim of this paper is to establish a comprehensive theoretical background to enable an understanding of the position of Ne w Age or occult-mystical beliefs in contemporary culture. The first chapter introduces the Ne w Age movement as the contemporary manifestation of a long-standing occult tradition in the West. Tracing its development from Hellenistic Greece to its peak in the United States in the 1980s the influence of social and cultural factors on the forms and practices of the movement become clear. However, the Ne w Age also continues to influence almost every aspect of society as its ideas increasingly pervade the mainstream of our culture, becoming less readily associated with their origins. This two-way influence is the subject of the second chapter, which examines, as an illustrative example, the relationship between science and religion, and especially between physics and mysticism. The emergence of a ‘new physics’ has been wholly adopted by new agers in support of their beliefs, but it is argued that the literature which draws parallels between the fields of physics and mysticism cannot be taken as objective fact in the manner it is presented, subject as it is to cultural influence. The third chapter analyses the particular conditions of our time which have formed and nurtured the contemporary new age. Set against theories of secularisation the persistence and evolution of Ne w Age spirituality raises questions about the religious in modernity, and, as we enter the new millennium, postmodemity. A final discussion section will suggest some of the ways in which Ne w Age concerns continue to exist in late-capitalist, postmodern conditions. CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER ONE - THE NEW AGE MOVEMENT 1.1 INTRODUCTION In his 1995 book The New Age in American Culture Richard Kyle provides one of very few academic works on the new age movement, most publications on the subject on a popular level come from either Ne w Age writers themselves or from evangelical Christians, and he calls for more serious studies ‘analysing it as a cultural movement’ and relating its most important aspects ‘to their historical context’.1 While the new age is a contemporary movement it is possible to identify its roots in ancient Western civilisation, its immediate backdrop in countercultural America in the 1950s and 60s, its peak visibility in the 1970s and 80s, and it is contended, its persistent influence in the 1990s and the new millennium as its forms and beliefs are assimilated into mainstream culture in the ‘postmodern’ era. The new age movement is the current expression of the older mystical/occult tradition in the West but the manifestation of its central beliefs have been shaped at every point by the cultural conditions of the time. Evidencing heavy influence of post-World War II developments such as the emergence of Eastern spirituality in America and developments in science and psychology it reflects its culture, exaggerating trends or rejecting them, it provides insights into the status of religious and secular thought as we pass from modernity into late-, or post- modem times. The first part of this section will place the new age movement in historical context, first tracing the origins of its forms and beliefs from the Hellenistic period through to 19th century America, then, assessing its various influences, through the 20th century to its peak in the 1980s. This is followed by a comprehensive outline of the common beliefs of the various aspects of the movement. Next is an analysis of the proposed ‘emerging culture’, a description of the features new agers attribute to the ‘old’ or ‘dominant’ paradigm, and an exploration of the elements they believe it suppressed. Finally the influence of the ‘new science’ on the movement is explored, paying special attention to the work on perceived links between physics and mysticism (in particular that of Fritjof Capra and David Bohm), but also looking at the place of psychology and health in the ‘new paradigm’. 1 1.1.1 During the 1980s mainstream popular culture became saturated by new age concepts more thoroughly than ever before. Crystals and channelling gained media attention, shamanism and Native American spirituality captured the public
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Is Saving Lives Your Task Or God's? Religiosity, Belief in God, and Moral Judgment
    Judgment and Decision Making, Vol. 12, No. 3, May 2017, pp. 280–296 Is saving lives your task or God’s? Religiosity, belief in god, and moral judgment Netta Barak-Corren∗ Max H. Bazerman† Abstract Should a Catholic hospital abort a life-threatening pregnancy or let a pregnant woman die? Should a religious employer allow his employees access to contraceptives or break with healthcare legislation? People and organizations of faith often face moral decisions that have significant consequences. Research in psychology found that religion is typically associated with deontological judgment. Yet deontology consists of many principles, which may, at times, conflict. In three studies, we design a conflict between moral principles and find that the relationship between moral judgment and religiosity is more nuanced than currently assumed. Studies 1 and 2 show that, while religious U.S. Christians and Israeli Jews are more likely to form deontological judgments, they divide between the deontological principles of inaction and indirectness. Using textual analysis, we reveal that specific beliefs regarding divine responsibility and human responsibility distinguish inaction from indirectness deontologists. Study 3 exploits natural differences in religious saliency across days of the week to provide causal evidence that religion raises deontological tendencies on Sundays and selectively increases the appeal of inaction deontology for those who believe in an interventionist and responsible God. Keywords: religion, normative conflict, inaction, indirectness, deontology, utilitarianism, Sunday effect 1 Introduction event, he declared it to be a direct and impermissible abortion and excommunicated Sister McBride. The tension between In late 2010, St. Joseph’s Hospital of Phoenix, Arizona, these positions appears to reflect different moral judgments.
    [Show full text]
  • Abraham Maslow on Experiential and Conceptual Understanding T
    International Journal of Transpersonal Studies Volume 14 Article 2 Iss. 1-2 (1995) 1-1-1995 Abraham Maslow on Experiential and Conceptual Understanding T. Cleary S. I. Shapiro Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/ijts-transpersonalstudies Part of the Philosophy Commons, Psychology Commons, and the Religion Commons Recommended Citation Cleary, T., & Shapiro, S. I. (1995). Cleary, T. S., & Shapiro, S. I. (1995). Abraham Maslow on experiential and conceptual understanding. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 14(1-2), 30–39.. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 14 (12). Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.ciis.edu/ijts-transpersonalstudies/vol14/iss12/2 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals and Newsletters at Digital Commons @ CIIS. It has been accepted for inclusion in International Journal of Transpersonal Studies by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ CIIS. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ABRAHAM MASLOW ON EXPERIENTIAL AND CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING TOMS. CLEARY AND S. I. SHAPIRO DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY UNIVERSITY OF HA WAI'I AT MANOA HONOLULU, HAWAI'I, U.S.A. If you want to see the world. • . Make yourself into a good instrument of knowledge. -- A. H. Maslow (1966, p. 48) It is apparent from Abraham Maslow's biography (Hoffman, 1988) and from his published journals (Maslow, 1979) that he felt strongly about the importance of maximizing intellectual growth and maturation, and that he derived deep satisfac­ tion from his own intellectual activities. Indeed, Maslow's intellectual activities, in the form of theoretical and empirical contributions, helped to legitimize, develop, and sustain the humanistic and transpersonal psychology movements.
    [Show full text]
  • (Dis)Believing and Belonging: Investigating the Narratives of Young British Atheists1
    (Dis)Believing and Belonging: Investigating the Narratives of Young British Atheists1 REBECCA CATTO Coventry University JANET ECCLES Independent Researcher Abstract The development and public prominence of the ‘New Atheism’ in the West, particularly the UK and USA, since the millennium has occasioned considerable growth in the study of ‘non-religion and secularity’. Such work is uncovering the variety and complexity of associated categories, different public figures, arguments and organi- zations involved. There has been a concomitant increase in research on youth and religion. As yet, however, little is known about young people who self-identify as atheist, though the statistics indicate that in Britain they are the cohort most likely to select ‘No religion’ in surveys. This article addresses this gap with presentation of data gathered with young British people who describe themselves as atheists. Atheism is a multifaceted identity for these young people developed over time and through experience. Disbelief in God and other non-empirical propositions such as in an afterlife and the efficacy of homeopathy and belief in progress through science, equality and freedom are central to their narratives. Hence belief is taken as central to the sociological study of atheism, but understood as formed and performed in relationships in which emotions play a key role. In the late modern context of contemporary Britain, these young people are far from amoral individualists. We employ current theorizing about the sacred to help understand respondents’ belief and value-oriented non-religious identities in context. Keywords: Atheism, Youth, UK, Belief, Sacred Phil Zuckerman (2010b, vii) notes that for decades British sociologist Colin Campbell’s call for a widespread analysis of irreligion went largely un- heeded (Campbell 1971).
    [Show full text]
  • Emma Curtis Hopkins Bible Interpretations Fourth Series: Psalms and Daniel, 2011, 172 Pages, Emma Curtis Hopkins, 0945385544, 9780945385547, Wisewoman Press, 2011
    Emma Curtis Hopkins Bible Interpretations Fourth Series: Psalms and Daniel, 2011, 172 pages, Emma Curtis Hopkins, 0945385544, 9780945385547, WiseWoman Press, 2011 DOWNLOAD http://bit.ly/14dsEht http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&tn=Emma+Curtis+Hopkins+Bible+Interpretations+Fourth+Series%3A+Psalms+and+Daniel&x=51&y=16 These Bible Interpretations were given during the early eighteen nineties at the Christian Science Theo-logical Seminary at Chicago, Illinois. This Seminary was independent of the First Church of Christ Scien-tist in Boston, Mass. DOWNLOAD http://bit.ly/1uOmD9Q http://bit.ly/1rdwmYx Emma Curtis Hopkins Bible Interpretations Third Series Isaiah 11:1-10 to Isaiah 40:1-10, Emma Curtis Hopkins, 2010, Religion, 184 pages. Given in Chicago in the late 1880's.. Emma Curtis Hopkins Drops of Gold A Metaphysical Daybook, Emma Curtis Hopkins, 2010, Body, Mind & Spirit, 384 pages. Drops of Gold was originally published in 1891, and are distillations of the principals found in all of Emma's works. These daily inspirations are for each day of the year. The Complete Writings, Volume 1 , Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, 1988, Religion, 436 pages. Genesis , Emma Curtis Hopkins, May 1, 2012, Religion, 158 pages. These Lessons were published in the Inter-Ocean Newspaper in Chicago, Illinois during the eighteen nineties. Each passage opens your consciousness to a new awareness of the. Unveiling Your Hidden Power Emma Curtis Hopkins' Metaphysics for the 21st Century, Ruth L. Miller, 2005, Body, Mind & Spirit, 203 pages. "Emma Curtis Hopkins was the teacher of teachers, the woman who taught the founders of Unity, Divine Science, Church of Truth and Religious Science -- the woman who invented.
    [Show full text]
  • Hindu Responses to Religious Diversity and the Nature of Post-Mortem Progress
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Apollo Hindu Responses to Religious Diversity and the Nature of Post-Mortem Progress The last two hundred years of Hindu–Christian encounters have produced distinctive forms of Hindu thought which, while often rooted in the broad philosophical-cultural continuities of Vedic outlooks, grappled with, on the one hand, the colonial pressures of European modernity, and, on the other hand, the numerous critiques by Christian theologians and missionaries on the Hindu life-worlds. Thus, the spectrum of Hindu responses from Raja Rammohun Roy through Swami Vivekananda to S. Radhakrishnan demonstrates attempts to creatively engage with Christian representations of Hindu belief and practice, by accepting their prima facie validity at one level while negating their adequacy at another. For instance, these figures of neo-Hinduism accepted that such ‘corruptions’ as Hinduism’s alleged idol- worship, anti-worldly ethic, caste-based distinctions and the like were all too visible on the socio-cultural domain, while they formulated revamped Vedic or Vedantic visions within which these were to be either rejected as excrescences or given demythologised interpretations. In Swami Vivekananda, we find on some occasions a more strident rejection of certain aspects of western civilization as steeped in materialist ‘excesses’ which needed to be purged through the light of Vedantic wisdom. Through such hermeneutical processes of retrieval, often carried out within contexts structured by British colonialism, these figures were able to offer forms of Hinduism that were signifiers not of the Oriental depravity that the British administrators, scholars and missionaries had claimed to perceive on the Indian landscapes but of a spiritual depth that transcended national, cultural and ethnic boundaries.
    [Show full text]
  • Comment Fundamentalism and Science
    SISSA – International School for Advanced Studies Journal of Science Communication ISSN 1824 – 2049 http://jcom.sissa.it/ Comment Fundamentalism and science Massimo Pigliucci The many facets of fundamentalism. There has been much talk about fundamentalism of late. While most people's thought on the topic go to the 9/11 attacks against the United States, or to the ongoing war in Iraq, fundamentalism is affecting science and its relationship to society in a way that may have dire long-term consequences. Of course, religious fundamentalism has always had a history of antagonism with science, and – before the birth of modern science – with philosophy, the age-old vehicle of the human attempt to exercise critical thinking and rationality to solve problems and pursue knowledge. “Fundamentalism” is defined by the Oxford Dictionary of the Social Sciences 1 as “A movement that asserts the primacy of religious values in social and political life and calls for a return to a 'fundamental' or pure form of religion.” In its broadest sense, however, fundamentalism is a form of ideological intransigence which is not limited to religion, but includes political positions as well (for example, in the case of some extreme forms of “environmentalism”). In the United States, the main version of the modern conflict between science and religious fundamentalism is epitomized by the infamous Scopes trial that occurred in 1925 in Tennessee, when the teaching of evolution was challenged for the first time 2,3. That battle is still being fought, for example in Dover, Pennsylvania, where at the time of this writing a court of law is considering the legitimacy of teaching “intelligent design” (a form of creationism) in public schools.
    [Show full text]
  • Yoga, Psychedelics and American Mental Health Lucas Richert,1 Matthew Decloedt2
    Original research Med Humanities: first published as 10.1136/medhum-2017-011422 on 30 March 2018. Downloaded from Supple bodies, healthy minds: yoga, psychedelics and American mental health Lucas Richert,1 Matthew DeCloedt2 1Faculty of Humanities and ABSTRact in a postmodern world: “We’re stuck now in our Social Sciences, University of Much discussion about mental health has revolved own culture…stuck in a silly world which makes Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK 5 2Central European University, around treatment models. As interdisciplinary scholarship all sorts of unnecessary problems”. Mental health, Budapest, Hungary has shown, mental health knowledge, far from being a by many accounts, suffered as a result. Thus, tran- neutral product detached from the society that generated scending the present was one means of coping. Correspondence to it, was shaped by politics, economics and culture. By Eastern religion, experimentation with yoga and Dr Lucas Richert, Faculty of drawing on case studies of yoga, religion and fitness, psychedelics seemed a useful alternative to Amer- Humanities and Social Sciences, ican capitalism, conservatism, militarism, racism, University of Strathclyde, this article will examine the ways in which mental Glasgow G4 0LT, UK ; health practices—sometimes scientific, sometimes violence and the prospect of nuclear war. Not only that, the experimentation seemed a useful alterna- lucasrichert@ yahoo. co. uk spiritual—have been conceived, debated and applied tive to other mental health strategies (Sessa, p. 99; by researchers and the public. More specifically, it will Accepted 27 February 2018 Sacks, p. 90ff; Osto, p. 41–207).4 6–8 ii Yogis and interrogate the relationship between yoga, psychedelics, drug takers were after the same thing: an expe- South Asian and Eastern religion (as understood and rience that reframed the way they looked at the practiced in the USA) and mental health.
    [Show full text]
  • Theology, History, and Religious Identification: Hegelian Methods in the Study of Religion
    Theology, History, and Religious Identification: Hegelian Methods in the Study of Religion Kevin J. Harrelson Sophia International Journal for Philosophy of Religion, Metaphysical Theology and Ethics ISSN 0038-1527 SOPHIA DOI 10.1007/s11841-012-0334-0 1 23 Your article is protected by copyright and all rights are held exclusively by Springer Science+Business Media B.V.. This e-offprint is for personal use only and shall not be self- archived in electronic repositories. If you wish to self-archive your work, please use the accepted author’s version for posting to your own website or your institution’s repository. You may further deposit the accepted author’s version on a funder’s repository at a funder’s request, provided it is not made publicly available until 12 months after publication. 1 23 Author's personal copy SOPHIA DOI 10.1007/s11841-012-0334-0 Theology, History, and Religious Identification: Hegelian Methods in the Study of Religion Kevin J. Harrelson # Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2012 Abstract This essay deals with the impact of Hegel's philosophy of religion by examining his positions on religious identity and on the relationship between theol- ogy and history. I argue that his criterion for religious identity was socio-historical, and that his philosophical theology was historical rather than normative. These positions help explain some historical peculiarities regarding the effect of his philos- ophy of religion. Of particular concern is that although Hegel’s own aims were apologetic, his major influence on religious thought was in the development of various historical and critical approaches to religion.
    [Show full text]
  • Downloads\0673558-Eq-130916-Theology of Religions Instrument Ja__Ljf Final 22 Dec 2015.Doc 20/09/2016 ASTLEY-FRANCIS THEOLOGY of RELIGIONS INDEX 2
    Original citation: Astley, Jeff and Francis, Leslie J.. (2016) Introducing the Astley–Francis Theology of Religions Index : construct validity among 13- to 15-year-old students. Journal of Beliefs & Values, 37 (1). pp. 29-39. Permanent WRAP URL: http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/81708 Copyright and reuse: The Warwick Research Archive Portal (WRAP) makes this work by researchers of the University of Warwick available open access under the following conditions. Copyright © and all moral rights to the version of the paper presented here belong to the individual author(s) and/or other copyright owners. To the extent reasonable and practicable the material made available in WRAP has been checked for eligibility before being made available. Copies of full items can be used for personal research or study, educational, or not-for profit purposes without prior permission or charge. Provided that the authors, title and full bibliographic details are credited, a hyperlink and/or URL is given for the original metadata page and the content is not changed in any way. Publisher’s statement: “This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in International . Journal of Beliefs & Values on 07/03/2016 available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/13617672.2016.1141527 A note on versions: The version presented here may differ from the published version or, version of record, if you wish to cite this item you are advised to consult the publisher’s version. Please see the ‘permanent WRAP URL’ above for details on accessing the published version and note that access may require a subscription.
    [Show full text]
  • Hindu Fundamentalism and Christian Response in India
    HINDU FUNDAMENTALISM AND CHRISTIAN RESPONSE IN INDIA Rev. Shadakshari T.K. (Bangalore, India and Pastoring Divyajyothi Church of the Nazarene) Introduction One of the purposes of religion, humanly speaking, is to enable people to live a responsible life. One desire is that religious people may not disturb the harmonious life; rather, they may contribute towards it. Today, religions have become a source of conflict and violence in many Asian societies. This is very evident in India where the inter-relationship among religions is breaking up. The contemporary problem in India is the question of nationalism and the issue of marginalized identities. Christians are caught between two: participation in the nationalism in the one hand and commitment to the cause of the marginalized on the other. There is an awakening of nationalism, which bears strong religious stamp, which is strongly promoted by the Hindutva ideology. At the same time there is a strong awakening of the Tribals and Dalits. In this context, the question comes to our mind: how do Christians in India serve both nationalism and marginal groups when both of them are opposing each other? I am not promising the absolute answer for the question raised. However, this article provides some clues by analyzing the historical development of religious fundamentalism and suggesting an appropriate response for Christians. Though there are several religious fundamental groups in the history of India (including Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, and others), this article limits its study to the religious fundamentalism of Hinduism. The importance of Hindu fundamentalism lies in its very contemporary and nationalistic scope, compared to other, more regional expressions.
    [Show full text]
  • The Heritage of Non-Theistic Belief in China
    The Heritage of Non-theistic Belief in China Joseph A. Adler Kenyon College Presented to the international conference, "Toward a Reasonable World: The Heritage of Western Humanism, Skepticism, and Freethought" (San Diego, September 2011) Naturalism and humanism have long histories in China, side-by-side with a long history of theistic belief. In this paper I will first sketch the early naturalistic and humanistic traditions in Chinese thought. I will then focus on the synthesis of these perspectives in Neo-Confucian religious thought. I will argue that these forms of non-theistic belief should be considered aspects of Chinese religion, not a separate realm of philosophy. Confucianism, in other words, is a fully religious humanism, not a "secular humanism." The religion of China has traditionally been characterized as having three major strands, the "three religions" (literally "three teachings" or san jiao) of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism. Buddhism, of course, originated in India in the 5th century BCE and first began to take root in China in the 1st century CE, so in terms of early Chinese thought it is something of a latecomer. Confucianism and Daoism began to take shape between the 5th and 3rd centuries BCE. But these traditions developed in the context of Chinese "popular religion" (also called folk religion or local religion), which may be considered a fourth strand of Chinese religion. And until the early 20th century there was yet a fifth: state religion, or the "state cult," which had close relations very early with both Daoism and Confucianism, but after the 2nd century BCE became associated primarily (but loosely) with Confucianism.
    [Show full text]
  • Moral Implications of Darwinian Evolution for Human Reference
    Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Dissertations Graduate Research 2006 Moral Implications of Darwinian Evolution for Human Reference Based in Christian Ethics: a Critical Analysis and Response to the "Moral Individualism" of James Rachels Stephen Bauer Andrews University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations Part of the Christianity Commons, Ethics in Religion Commons, Evolution Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Bauer, Stephen, "Moral Implications of Darwinian Evolution for Human Reference Based in Christian Ethics: a Critical Analysis and Response to the "Moral Individualism" of James Rachels" (2006). Dissertations. 16. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/16 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Research at Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Thank you for your interest in the Andrews University Digital Library of Dissertations and Theses. Please honor the copyright of this document by not duplicating or distributing additional copies in any form without the author’s express written permission. Thanks for your cooperation. Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary MORAL IMPLICATIONS OF DARWINIAN EVOLUTION FOR HUMAN PREFERENCE BASED IN CHRISTIAN ETHICS: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS AND RESPONSE TO THE “MORAL INDIVIDUALISM” OF JAMES RACHELS A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy by Stephen Bauer November 2006 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: 3248152 Copyright 2006 by Bauer, Stephen All rights reserved.
    [Show full text]