Chapter 4

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Is a secular outlook on the world an essentially modern phenomenon, or does it have precedents in the second-wave era?

I would say a secular outlook is not a modern phenomenon. It has it precedents in the second-wave era. With the goal of changing china’s disorder, legalism focused on rules and laws enforced with a system of rewards and punishments. There were no believes in a religion, only those in a layout of the law.

Confucianism is another example of this secular view. Confucianism made no use of any gods. Instead, it taught superiority and morale in the family. He wanted to change China, paying no attention to the gods but putting strong emphasis on schooling and social development with no religious context. In confucian thinking the family was the model for political life. of course, while still honoring our ancestors, parents. This was for the purpose of teaching to venerate people who hold important positions, such as the emperor. In other words, all teaching started from home. I found interesting reading about confucian views. They were linked to a cosmos hierarchical understanding in which an inferior and receptive earth was in balance with Heaven's superior and creative principle.

On the other hand the focus of Greek rationalism was on reasoning and logic, the constant questioning of conventional wisdom, faith in human rationality and passion for puzzling the world without much reference to gods. The science and philosophy were separated from conventional religion.


Ways of the World, Robert W. Strayer, Chapter 4


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