Graduation Date
1986
Document Type
Thesis
Program
Other
Program
Arts
Committee Chair Name
Dr. William Devall
Committee Chair Affiliation
Cal Poly Humboldt Faculty or Staff
Second Committee Member Name
Dr. Jerrald D. Krause
Third Committee Member Name
Dr. Thomas Early
Keywords
Art
Subject Categories
Art
Abstract
What is the meaning of life? What is truth? What is meant by virtue and freedom? Rich and demanding questions like these supplied the original impetus to philosophy. From Aristotle to Descartes and into the twentieth century there have been hundreds of aggressive practitioners who believe that man’s systematic search for the answers to these questions will eventually unlock the secrets of the universe. Developing alongside philosophy was another discipline which operated under a radically different set of assumptions. Adherents to this world view burn with the same passion as do the philosophers except that their approach to life is not aggressive. They are not explicitly systematic. They believe that the secrets of the universe are there to see for anyone humble enough to take the inward path to enlightenment. These are two types of world views the origins of which are buried in antiquity. This paper addresses the historical development of each perspective, the ontology supporting each perspective, and the possible consequences of a too-strict adherence to either perspective. This paper also explores the possibility of an integration of the two types of world views.
Recommended Citation
Robinson, Brooks, "Thales, Homer, Hesiod and Heidegger: A Reevaluation of the Mythic World View" (1986). Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects. 2356.
https://digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/etd/2356