Hi Simon, I will stick to Ma'at thanks.
I've just finished reading the Birth of the Gods and Agricuture (or something like that) by Cauvin, a French archaeologist who was translated into English very recently. The reason I read it was to understand how the human race developed from hunter gatherers in the Mesolithic to settled farmers in the Neolithic. A major part of that transition was the rise of symbolism, and possibly the rise of the first widespread 'gods' and real societies. Urban life developed, and complex religion arose from this lifestyle.
Many of the special features of mankind evolved through the long ages that lead up to that period, however the rapid change in lifestyle was not matched by a rapid change in evolution - evolution works slowly.
So basically, thanks to our evolved brains, we have developed means to survive that were not forseen by evolution, yet underneath we still have impulses of social animals. The consequences of this are difficult to predict, as civilisation advances into new territory every day. Wars and religion are consequences of the underlying pack instincts of humans, yet do they provide the best way of advancing mankind?
Argument by reason, not force, proportional representation democracy, scienctific development, human rights defining morals, are what have replaced religion, and are applicable to all humans, not just pack type A or pack type B. They are the old belief systems stripped of their ritual, brainwashing, and superstition.
But unless people understand that, they will not appreciate these ideas which philosophers have been striving to preserve and improve since the Greeks fought off the Persians.
Civilisation can regress as well as advance - it has happened before.
Dave L
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/20/2005 05:17PM by Dave L.