Week 6 - Oct 16
Readings and videos
Questions for October 16th class discussion:
- Introduction and Chapter 1: The Axial Period, excerpt from Karl Jaspers' The Origin and Goal of History (1953) (via email)
- Consciousness and the Social Brain, by Michael Graziano excerpt (by email)
- Excerpt on The Human Brain - Lifelong Programmable Structures from The Compassionate Brain, by Gerald Hüther
Questions for October 16th class discussion:
- What are the main defining features of Jaspers' Axial Age?
- Why does Jaspers consider that the Axial Age failed?
- Can we offer an explanation for the emergence of altruistic philosophies and religions that is not dependent upon a specific range of dates?