Hist101: Western Civ
Fall, 2007; Nicols

Note of Reading for Sourcebook 1

1. Ancient Near East (=ANE ). Consider the role of "repetition" in these passages. Why is the same point made again and again?
   1. Genesis: themes to watch for.
      1. Note the interaction between "nature" and the "supernatural"; how is each depicted?
      2. Consider how humans/human behavior fit(s) into this interaction. Can humans control nature?
      3. Much of what happens in these passages relates to the establishment of "order"; what are the advantages of a predictable cosmic order for human behavior and planning?
   2. Exodus
      1. Note again the intimate relationship between nature, the supernatural and human behavior. How would you characterize the roles of each?
      2. At the end of the selection God gives laws (and order) to humans. Why should humans obey? what will happen if they don't conform?
   3. Law (in Exodus and in Assura) What concerns are foremost in these passages? What role does law play in establishing social order?
   4. Omens and signs: We return here to the questions raised in sections A and B. Do the gods care? why do they "reveal" the future? Are the messages unambiguous? Is the prophecy of Amos any different?
2. Homer
   1. Book 1. Many of the same notions mentioned above may also be found in Homer. Characterize the relationship between human behavior, the supernatural and nature? What do the Homeric Greeks assume about the relationship between gods and men? Why would societies create such elaborate schemes?
   2. Book 6. Note the shift in orientation. Homer is primarily concerned with the world of humans; the gods are there, but are marginal to the action (in comparison to the OT = Old Testament).
   3. How does Homer deal with the problem of establishing order? What should one avoid doing? and what are the rewards for conforming to the higher standard? Hector and Paris build two dramatically different role models. Which "model" would lead to a more stable and ordered society? What are the consequences if we all acted like Paris?
3. Greek Law /Herodotus
   1. In classical Greece the dynamics of human behavior find a new basis, a non-theological basis.
   2. In this group of readings we are concerned with the structure of citizenship. Consider the relationship between warfare and citizenship. In the OT obedience to God is critical; who must be obeyed in Greece? and why?
4. The Intellectual Revolution
   1. In this section we see the development of a new and ultimately characteristic feature of western culture, namely the rejection of the link between human behavior, natural events and the supernatural. That is, natural events are perceived to be independent of human behavior. How is this separation articulated?
   2. The fragments of the pre Socratic philosophers explore a number of recurring questions. Note what they are.
   3. The passage on the flood on the Nile needs to be compared to the flood story of Genesis. How do they differ?
5. Thucydides: brings together all these basic ideas about nature, human behavior and law. What is his position on each of these items?
6. Plato, Crito: If the gods neither reward nor punish human behavior, why should people obey the law? Is it rational to obey the law? Why should one behave ethically?
7. Hellenistic Science. With this reading we see the separation of philosophy and science. Hellenistic science assumes an ordered universe (cosmos). Consider how the sense of order is expressed in the various texts given to you here. Consider too what role, if any, is assigned to the supernatural. Is there any connection between human behavior and natural events? How does this differ from our own contemporary and "collective wisdom" on these subjects?