Explores the remarkable similarities between early Indian and early Greek philosophy. From the sixth century BCE onwards there was a revolution in thought, with novel ideas such as such as that understanding the inner self is both vital for human well-being and central to understanding the universe. This intellectual transformation is sometimes called the beginning of philosophy. And it occurred - independently it seems - in both India and Greece, but not in the vast Persian Empire that divided them. How was this possible? This is a puzzle that has never been solved. This book brings together Hellenists and Indologists representing a variety of perspectives on the similarities and differences between the two cultures, and on how to explain them. It offers a collaborative contribution to the burgeoning interest in the Axial Age and will be of interest to anyone intrigued by the big questions inspired by the ancient world. Key features: Brings together two supremely sophisticated ancient cultures that, despite their similarity, are almost always studied separately Indicates the kind of collaboration between specialists that is needed to move forward the stalled debate on the Axial Age Contributors include Paolo Magnone, Joanna Jurewicz, John Bussanich and Jens Schlieter. |