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1、ChapterOne1.Thewesternintellectualtradition,likewesterncivilizationitself,isaconfluenceoftwotraditionsthataroseintheancientworld:theJudeo-ChristianandtheGreco-Roman.BoththeancientHebrewsandGreeksinheritedandassimilatedthemanyachievementsoftheEgyptiansandtheMesopotamians,thecreatorsoftheworld’sfirst
2、civilizations.2.TounderstandandappreciatethemonumentalachievementsoftheHebrewsandtheGreeks,itisnecessarytoexaminethemyth-making-world-viewoftheoldcivilizationsofancientMesopotamiaandEgyptfromwhichboththeHebrewsandtheGreekseachintheirownway,departed.3.Myth-makingwashumanity’sfirstwayofthinking.Appea
3、lingprimarilytotheimaginationandemotions,nottoreason,myth-makingwastheearliestattempttomakenatureandlifecomprehensive.Mythicalexplanationsofnature,humanorigins,andhumanexperiencemadelifeseemlessoverwhelming,lessfilledwithfears.Alsotheyeasedlife’sburdensandmadedeathlessfrightening.Thedifferencebetwe
4、enscientificandmythicalthinkingisprofound.TheScientificmindviewsphysicalnatureasanit---inanimate,impersonalandgovernedbyuniversallaw.Themyth-makingmindoftheNearEastsaweveryobjectinnatureasathou---personified,alivewithanindividualwill,agodordemonthatmanipulatesthingsaccordingtoitsdesires.4.Fortheori
5、ginsofthewesterntradition,wemustturntotheHebrewsandtheGreeks.TheHebrews’conceptionsofGodandtheiraffirmationofmoralautonomyandhumandignityarecrucialtotheshapingofthewesternintellectualtradition.5.TheHebrews---ethicalmonotheism---thebeliefinonegod,becamethecentralforceinthelifeoftheHebrews,andmarkeda
6、profoundbreakwithNearEasternreligiousthought.6.TheHebrewsorJewsregardedGodasfullysovereign.Whereasneareasterndivinitiesdweltwithinnature,theHebrewgodwastranscendentabovenaturenotapartofit.Theremovalofthegodsfromnatureisanecessaryprerequisiteforscientificthought.FortheHebrews,God’sexistencewasbasedo
7、nreligiousconvictionnotonrationalinquiry,onrevelationnotreason.ItwastheGreeks,nottheHebrewswhooriginatedrationalthought.7.Ethicalconsiderationsnotmythormagic,werecentraltoHebrewreligiousthought.FortheJewsto
