CLASSES
September 11 - Introduction
Background links
During our first class, we barely touched upon the idea of an "axial age."
The Background links describe the source and significance of the term.
Class discussion resources
The interview with Karen Armstrong provides an introduction to the idea of a 2nd Axial Age. We will be exploring our own sense of what this is and how we contribute to it throughout the course.
Watch David Christian's TED Talk on Big History to get a sense of the scale on which we are operating. His presentation provides an introduction to the kinds of patterns we are looking for, particularly the pattern of emergence that is seen throughout the history of the Universe.
In our class, we'll focus on human history and the pattern of emergence we sometimes call "Natural Selection."
One of our class's Operating Principles is "Obedience to the Unenforceable."
Read Lord Moulton's talk below to get a sense of the suggested dynamics.
- Interview of Karen Armstrong on the 2nd Axial Age (on line article What is Englightenment?)
- David Christian presents the dynamic patterns and emergence of Big History (TED Talk, 18 min)
- Lord Moulton's talk on "Law and Manners" (PDF, The Atlantic Monthly, July 1924)