Rethinking Islam and the West: Ahmad Paul Keeler Flashcards
When did the christchurch attack take place?
March 15, 2019.
After the enlightenment, what narrative did the idea of human progress replace?
The Christian narrative of salvation.
What weree Comte’s three stages that society must pass through?
- The theological stage: phenomena explained through supernatural or religious beliefs, attributed to Gods, spirits or divine forces.
- The metaphysical stage (abstract) - philosophical concepts replace supernatural explanations - essential forces, nature and principles instead of gods.
- The scientific or positive stage - society relies on scientific observation, reason and experimentation to explain the world.
When is slavery said to have been abolished by Wilberforce?
When was it actually abolished?
in 1807 in Britain. The truth is that only the trade was abolished. In 1834, slavery itself was abolished.
what is indentured labour?
a system in which workers sign a contract to work for a specific period in exchange for housing or other benefits.
The practice came to an end in 1917 after Ghandi led a campaign whilst he was a lawyer in South Africa.
What does ‘‘Pyrrhic’’’ mean?
A victory at such a high cost that it is more like a defeat.
When was the doomsday clock set up?
in 1947.
it was intended as an analogy for the threat of global nuclear war.
It was initially set at 7 minutes to midnight.
As of 2019, it stands at 2 minutes
What is a free market economy?
a system where people and businesses buy and sell with little to no government control.
Prices are set by supply and demand,
competition drives innovation and efficiency.
What are greenhouse gases?
Greenhouse gases are gases in the air that trap heat from the sun, making the earth warmer.
Think of a blanket around the earth.
How has the notion of ‘balance’ been understood by pre-modern cultures?
balance between the heavenly, human and earthly dimensions of existence.
What are the three ‘‘triads’’ that underpin the notion of ‘‘balance’’ proposed by Keeler?
- Ontological Triad
- Vocational Triad
- Platonic Triad
Summarise what Keeler means by the ‘‘Ontological Triad’’
Before modernity, all civilisations believed in a sacred origin for their world.
All civilisations believed that a relationship had to be maintained between the unseen, human and material realms.
What does Keeler mean by the ‘‘vocational triad’’?
The archetypical roles of:
- Scholars
- Priests
- Warriors
- merchants
- Craftsmen
- Ruler
the relationship between them defines the character of a civilisation
Explain the ‘‘platonic triad’’:
Plato famously formulated the principle of the need to balance the three facultires:
- Intellect
- anger
- desire
If intellect controls the other two, then peace and harmony ensue. If anger or desire control the intellect, chaos.
This is mirrored in the vocational triad: The intellect relates to the scholar. Anger to the warrior. Desire to the merchant.
The reign of the warrior unleashes a flood of violence.
The reign or the merchant unleashes a world of materialism and an overturn of morality.
What is the ‘‘mereological principle’’
A principle that states that:
The whole can contain the part, but the part can not contain the whole.
Complete: Render to Ceasar…
Render to Ceaser the things that are Ceasar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.
Who is the founder of Western Christian monasticism?
St. Benedict of Nursia (d. 547).
What were the first modern sovereign states to appear?
Portugal
France
England
Spain
Netherlands
Sweden
How did RA Nicholson translate the term adab
'’spiritual culture’’
Who is Giotto?
One of the most important artists in the Renaissance and development of Western art.
When was the American Revolution?
1775-1783.
It ended with Britain recognising the independence of the U.S.
How did Martin Luther describe reason?
He said “Reason is a whore, the greatest enemy that faith has. it never comes to the aid of spiritual things, but more frequently than not struggles against divine things, treating with contempt all that emenates from God…”
Who invented the first coal-powered steam engine in 1712?
Thomas Newcomen. Primary reason was to deal with water accumulation in mines.
What is DDT?
Synthetic chemical compoud that was used as an insecticide.
Rachel Carson’s book, silent spring, played a key role in raising awareness of its danger.
