The heavens and the earth : : Graeco-Roman, ancient Chinese, and mediaeval Islamic images of the world / / Vittorio Cotesta ; translated from the Italian by Kay Mc Carthy ; revised by Niall Mac Cárthaigh.

• Superior document: International Comparative Social Studies ; Volume 52
• VerfasserIn: Cotesta, Vittorio, 1944-
• TeilnehmendeR: Mc Carthy, Kay,; Mac Cárthaigh, Niall,
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden ;, Boston : : Brill,, [2021]; ©2021
• Year of Publication: 2021
• Language: English
• Series: International comparative social studies ; Volume 52.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource.

Vittorio Cotesta's The Heavens and the Earth traces the origin of the images of the world typical of the Graeco-Roman, Ancient Chinese and Medieval Islamic civilisations. Each of them had its own peculiar way of understanding the universe, life, death, society, power, humanity and its destiny. The comparative analysis carried out here suggests that they all shared a common human aspiration despite their differences: human being is unique; differences are details which enrich its image. Today, the traditions derived from these civilisations are often in competition and conflict. Reference to a common vision of humanity as a shared universal entity should lead, instead, to a quest for understanding and dialogue.

Table of Contents

Contents -- Preface -- List of Illustrations and Tables -- Introduction: The Axial Age and Global Society -- Part 1: The Greek and Roman Vision of the World -- Section 1: The Greek Vision of the World -- 1 The Universe, Nature and Humanity in Ancient Greece -- 2 The Political Constitution and Forms of Government -- 1 Plato's Utopic Model -- 2 Aristotle's politeia as a Form of Mixed Government -- 3 Herodotus and the Greek Image of a Global Society -- 4 The Image of Mankind and the Social Bond -- 5 Chance and Necessity -- 1 The Movement of Atoms and the Origins of the Universe -- 2 Life, Death, Happiness -- 6 God, Nature, Providence -- 1 The Epistemological Model of Stoicism -- 2 The Origin and Structure of the Universe -- 3 Humanity, Society and the State -- 4 The Happy Life -- 5 Natural Law and Human Rights -- Section 2: The Roman Vision of the World, Society and Mankind -- 7 Polybius and the Roman View of the World -- 1 The Paradoxes of Polybius' Existence, from Hostage to Cantor of the Destiny of Rome -- 2 Polybius and History as a Science of Prevision -- 3 Rome: Sole World Power -- 8 Conflict over Rome's Cultural Identity -- 1 Tradition and Innovation: Cato the Censor and Scipio Africanus -- 2 Scipio's Dream and the Destiny of Rome -- 9 The Image of Rome and of Her Mission in the World According to Cicero -- 1 Society, the State and the Law. Rome's Universal Destiny -- 2 Global Graeco-Roman Society and Cosmopolitan Law -- 10 The Empire and Rome's New Vision of the World -- 11 Rome and Christianity -- 1 Incomprehension, Conflict, Convergence -- 12 The Hellenistic Scientific Revolution and the New World View -- 1 The Inhabited World Is a Chlamys. On Eratosthenes and His Critics -- 2 The Star Canopus and New Measurements of the Earth -- 13 The Geography of the Century of Augustus and First Diplomatic Contact with China -- 1 Strabo: "Pragmatic" Geography -- 2 Juba of Mauretania and Exploration of the Sources of the Nile -- 3 Pliny the Elder: Chinese Silk and the Transparent Robes of the Roman Matrons -- 4 The Periplous of the Erythrean Sea and the Silent Barter between the Kiratas and the Chinese -- 5 First Diplomatic Contact with China -- 14 Claudius Ptolemy and Astrological Previsions of Peoples' Destinies -- Part 2: Harmony as the Core of Chinese Image of the World -- 1 Confucius: The Origin of the Axial Revolution in China -- 1 The Virtues of the Good Ruler -- 2 The Dao: The Way to Humanity -- 2 Mozi and Universal Love -- 3 Xunzi: The Dark Side of Human Nature -- 4 Zhuangzi and Lao Tzu: Harmony in Taoist Philosophy -- 1 The Dao Has No Name -- 2 Non-action as a Principle of World Governance -- 5 Legalism: How to Create a Well-Ordered Society -- 1 Society, History, Power -- 6 Sima Qian: History and the Identity of Ancient China -- 1 Herodotus and Sima Qian -- 2 History and Power in Sima Qian's Life -- 3 Dynastic Cycles and History -- 4 The Social Organisation of the Mongols and Chinese Identity -- Part 3: Intermezzo -- 1 Convergences and Divergences between China and Greece -- 1 The Universe, Heaven and Earth -- 2 Society and Humanity -- 3 The State, Power and Politics -- 2 The Formation of a Eurasian World-System -- 3 A Shift in the Meaning of "Axial Revolution" -- Section 1: The Global World from the Islamic Point of View -- Section 2: Origin and Structure of the Islamic Vision of the World -- 1 The Preaching of Muhammad and the Birth of Islam -- 2 God, The Universe and the World According to Islam -- 3 Al-Kindi: Muhammad and Aristotle.

1 The Quest for Truth -- 2 God and the Creation of the World -- 4 Al-Farabi I. God, The Universe, The World and the Way to Happiness -- 1 Introduction -- 2 God and the Universe -- 3 Man and Society -- 4 Happiness, The "Virtuous City" -- 5 Al-Farabi II. Political Theory and the Doctrine of Perfect Imam -- 1 Political Regimes -- 2 The Theory of the Perfect Imam -- 3 Peace and (Just) War -- 6 Avicenna I. God, The Cosmos and the World -- 1 An Adventurous and Dangerous Life -- 2 God, The Universe, The World -- 7 Avicenna II. Man, Society and Governance -- 1 The Happy Life and Man's Return to God -- 2 Reason and Mysticism -- 8 Al-Biruni. I. A Eurasian Vision of the World Biographical, Cultural and Epistemological Premises -- 1 The Adventurous Life of al-Biruni -- 2 Time, History and Society -- 3 The Study of India and of the Identity of Peoples -- 9 Al-Biruni. II. A Eurasian Vision of the World A Sociological and Anthropological Analysis -- 1 The Sciences and Social Classes -- 2 The Indian Castes and the Hierarchical Societies of Eurasia -- 10 The Islamic Vision of the World and History Al-YaʿQubi, al-Tabari's and al-MasʿUdi's Contributions -- 1 Al-YaʿQubi -- 2 Al-Tabari -- 3 Al-MasʿUdi -- 11 The Islamic Vision of the World and Geography Al-Khwarizmi, Ferdowsi, al-Muqaddasi, al-Idrisi -- 1 Al-Khwarizmi -- 2 Ferdowsi, al-Faqih and Other Persian Geographers and Historians -- 3 Al-Muqaddasi -- 4 Al-Idrisi's Universalist Perspective -- 12 Reason and Mysticism. Al-Ghazali's Battle against Philosophy -- 1 The Life of al-Ghazali -- 2 The Battle against Reason -- 3 The Virtues of the Intellectual -- The Western Islamic Vision of the World -- 13 The Western Pathway to the Construction of the Islamic Image of the World -- 1 Introduction -- 14 Alternative Ways to Happiness. Ibn Bajja and Ibn Tufayl -- 1 The Outsider and the Way to Happiness: Ibn Bajja -- 2 Ibn Tufayl: Mysticism as a Way to Happiness -- 15 Averroes. I. The Defense of Reason -- 1 Introduction -- 2 The Controversy with al-Ghazali and the Decisive Treaty -- 16 Averroes. II. A Project for a New World -- 1 The Ideal City and the Happy Life -- 2 Societies, Forms of Government, the Virtues of the Good Ruler (Imam) -- 3 Some Final Observations, in Brief -- 17 Ibn Khaldun. I. Truth and History -- 1 A Life Lived between Politics and Study -- 2 Ibn Khaldun's Epistemological Model of History -- 3 Fake News and Historical Truth -- 18 Ibn Khaldun II. Religions, Society, and Civilisations. Islam's Universal Mission -- 1 The Shape of the Earth and the Characteristics of Peoples -- 2 Cooperation and Society -- 3 Nomadism and Civilisation -- 4 Religion as a Factor of Civilisation and of the Universal Mission of Islam -- Conclusions -- 1 The Problems and the Research Method -- 2 The Universe -- 3 The Issue of Time -- 4 The Heavens and the Earth -- 5 The Form of the oikoumene -- 6 Humanity, Society and Forms of Government -- 7 Human Nature and Human Rights. Universalism by Halves -- Bibliography -- Index of Proper Names -- Index of Selected Topics, Cities, Countries and Continents.