Otherness In The Roman Republic
The power derived from secular and religious institutions does create “otherness” within societies. Otherness is to be different. Those differences vary greatly, from political structures, religious doctrines, and scientific ideals. The strength and expansion of the different empires created an “us vs. them” mindset. This mindset created divides that further enhanced the sense of "otherness" throughout the Euro-Asian continent, and into the parts of northern Africa.
When the Roman Republic was founded in 509 B.C.E., the senate was composed of mostly wealthy patricians and commoner plebeians (Hansen). When the senate had to take a vote, they would "count the votes of the rich more heavily than the poor (Hansen)." Further, when Rome defeated …show more content…
Religion, welcomed science, as long as it did not contradict the teachings of the church. Philosophers were among the “others”. They stood out from the common person because of their education, and they set themselves apart from the aristocrats. Philosophers, were in a league of their own. However, when their teachings went into the fringes of contradicting religious teaching, they were questioned by the Church, and found guilty of heresy. Socrates, who was a well know philosopher, was sentenced to death for his questionable teachings (Hansen). The questions posed by Socrates to his students were contradictory to the teaching of the current religious views. Thus, his beliefs created “otherness” between science and religion (Hansen). Al-Gjazzali, a Muslim scholar who wrote, “On the Separation of Mathematics and Religion”, stated that, “Mathematics comprises the knowledge of calculation, geometry, and cosmography: it has no connection with the religious sciences, and proves nothing for or against religion; it rests on a foundation of proofs which, once known and understood, cannot be refuted (Al-Ghazzali).” Al-Gjazzali, also pointed out that, an educated person could still separate scientific beliefs and religious beliefs. However, there are some scientist that “concludes to reject religion” based off of their scientific findings (Al-Ghazzali)”. Unfortunately, this sense of “otherness” made some “free-thinkers” an outcast from mainstream
When the Roman Republic was founded in 509 B.C.E., the senate was composed of mostly wealthy patricians and commoner plebeians (Hansen). When the senate had to take a vote, they would "count the votes of the rich more heavily than the poor (Hansen)." Further, when Rome defeated …show more content…
Religion, welcomed science, as long as it did not contradict the teachings of the church. Philosophers were among the “others”. They stood out from the common person because of their education, and they set themselves apart from the aristocrats. Philosophers, were in a league of their own. However, when their teachings went into the fringes of contradicting religious teaching, they were questioned by the Church, and found guilty of heresy. Socrates, who was a well know philosopher, was sentenced to death for his questionable teachings (Hansen). The questions posed by Socrates to his students were contradictory to the teaching of the current religious views. Thus, his beliefs created “otherness” between science and religion (Hansen). Al-Gjazzali, a Muslim scholar who wrote, “On the Separation of Mathematics and Religion”, stated that, “Mathematics comprises the knowledge of calculation, geometry, and cosmography: it has no connection with the religious sciences, and proves nothing for or against religion; it rests on a foundation of proofs which, once known and understood, cannot be refuted (Al-Ghazzali).” Al-Gjazzali, also pointed out that, an educated person could still separate scientific beliefs and religious beliefs. However, there are some scientist that “concludes to reject religion” based off of their scientific findings (Al-Ghazzali)”. Unfortunately, this sense of “otherness” made some “free-thinkers” an outcast from mainstream