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| Volume 5, Issue 11 - November, 2006 • Ages of Dominant Thinking Hinduism began somewhere between 2400 and 3500 years ago. Buddhism began about 2500 years ago. Judaism began about 2200 years ago and Christianity about 2000 years ago. Islam is the youngest having started about 1400 years ago. Interestingly there was a great deal of activity in the philosophy world with Socrates and others about that same time frame. It appears to my uninformed mind that there was no common approach to thought prior to the beginning of Religions and Philosophy. With a huge leap
to conclusion, I decided that prior to the Religious Age the primary focus was on survival. Consequently, I have developed a time line that begins
with the Age of Survival and moves into the Age of Religion. (Dates are approximations as there is tremendous overlap by as much as several hundred
years and the effects of the previous age are long lasting.) After a period of inactivity, there began a resurgence in philosophical activities, the reformation, Newton and the Scientific Method. These combined to create the Birth of Reason. During this period, reason, objectivity and rational thought evolved to become the way to gain control over life. In the extreme, we view everything as its individual parts rather than the whole. If something isn’t working, we look to find that part that has failed. This period has resulted in huge productivity gains, higher education levels, higher standards of living and a strong middle class. It has shifted authority to the individual and enhanced individual freedom and choice. In a sense, it has helped us as individuals to achieve the middle level of Maslow’s Hierarchy including the need to know and understand as well as meeting our aesthetic needs. On the negative side, it has created a conflict between Religion and Science that is very much present in our lives today. Today, I believe we are in the early stages of a new age of dominant thinking. In this period of transition, we are struggling with problems ranging all the way back to the Birth of Religion with Islamic fundamentalists who want us all to revert to the stone ages. We watch institutions like business, government, education and healthcare moving toward an objective, secularist position and fail. Yet through it all, I am optimistic that the foundations are being laid for a new age that will take us to an even higher level on Maslow’s Hierarchy where we will achieve Self Actualization. The evolution of Quantum Physics is leading the way in showing us that Reason and Religion can coexist, that we all are connected. At the same time, we are coming to realize that we need the spiritual connection as well as the reasoned approach.
“Theologian Stanley Grenz captured the contrast between eras by paying attention to the popular television show Star Trek. Think about it. In the original mid-twentieth century version of Star Trek the hero was Spock, the ideal modern man, completely rational and without emotion. The crew included people of various nationalities working together for the good of humankind. The mission was objective knowledge of space which loomed as “the final frontier.” Fast forward to the late twentieth century and Star Trek: The Next Generation. Spock is gone, his place taken by Data, still perfectly rational but longing to be human, to experience emotion. New to the crew is Counselor Troi, a woman gifted with the ability to perceive the hidden feelings of others. The crew is more diverse than last time around, including species from other parts of the universe. The mission does not rely on human intelligence alone…”* *Excerpted from “An Online Course on Church and Culture in a New Time” by Anthony B. Robinson
If you have a subject that you would like to see covered in future issues of “Taking Aim,” please send me an email at aim@CannonAdvantage.com.
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Robert E. Cannon "Best Practice" Sales Force Development Change Management Customer Service Assessment for ISO Requirements Smart Thoughts from Smart People It takes a deep commitment to change and an even deeper commitment to grow. Ralph Ellison Knowing others is wisdom. Knowing the self is enlightenment. Lao-Tzu "You can learn new things at any time in your life if you're willing to be a beginner. If you actually learn to like being a beginner, the whole world opens up to you." Barbara Sher "Obstacles can't stop you. Problems can't stop you. Most of all, other people can't stop you. Only you can stop you." Jeffrey Gitomer Taking Aim © 2006 Bob Cannon, The Cannon Advantage Newsletter. All Rights Reserved. The Cannon Advantage visual branding by Zarney Creative. For contact information, click “Resources.” |
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