> Would you consider Euclid's elements or Plato's Republic to be books of myths?
maybe philosophy!
> These are mathematical and philosophical texts that discuss mathematical proofs
> and forms of government respectively.
well, more on the "philosophical" side of the discussion!
> These books heavily influenced western society to the extent that the US and many
> other democratic nations were formed on the basis of these philosophies.
I am
not disputing that they did not influence western civilization, but there were many, many, many other influences also!
For you to say that the US and other democratic nations were formed "primarily" based on Plato's influence is
naive at best!
For example, without the tension between England and the American Colonies due to taxation without representation, there would be no USA to start with. So, it was that
tension a much, much more stronger influence than Plato and/or any other books!!!
> So its not the socio economic basis that is important, its the intellectual (minus
> that word's snobbish connotations) basis that is important.
Well, unfortunately one just cannot extract that word's snobbish connotations from it! It is "obvious" that intelligence plays a key role in creation but the heart and the tension which are two other very powerful forces are a lot more important for example...
The bottom line is that it is a group or combination of different forces what eventually shapes a new civilization and not the linear continuity from any prior civilization! There is no evidence at all of linearity regardless of your uniformatistic insistence that it should be like that!
After a breakdown takes place, then new order comes back from chaos as with everything else, based on the forces at play. That is essentially how true reality works...
-wirelessguru1
