The Origins and Diversity of Axial Age Civilizations

2. The Emergence of an Autonomous Intelligence among the Greeks

CHAPTER 2 The Emergence of an Autonomous Intelligence among the Greeks CHRISTIAN MEIER THE PROBLEM In seeking the preconditions for the emergence of an autonomous Greek intelligence, the first factor that comes to mind is political circumstance. There must have been a connection between the development of the Greek democracy or its earlier form, the isonomy (for democracy presumably became possible only as a consequence of the Persian wars)-a phenomenon of highest significance in the history of the world, unique also within the Axial Age-and the emergence ofa Greek intelligence.' At any rate, historical correlations between politics and intelligence in archaic times are discernible with a measure of probability. For the formation of an autonomous intelligence we find: -a singular configuration of power within and between the archaic poleis as a prerequisite of the possibility; -singular problems of coexistence in the po/eis of the time as a challenge; -the gradually stabilizing form and autochthonous position of political thinking, of "wisdom," and finally of philosophical thought transcending by far the problems of the poleis and yet in part determined by them, as a response. An argument in favor of the connection between the formation of the autonomous intelligence and the emergence of democracy lies in the fact that, in a way which we shall define more precisely below, both amount to a particular kind of personal autonomy. 65 66 CHR. MEIER As a matter of fact, it is very difficult to attempt a reconstruction of the historical connections. Our sources are extremely sparse. They do not provide any direct information on the process ofthe emergence of Greek intelligence. Nevertheless they contain various indications from which one can draw conclusions about this process. And additionally , something can be deduced by inference. Theodor Mommsen calls this "the recognition of what has been from what it became through the insight into the laws of becoming."2 Although I am reluctant to speak here of "laws," it should be conceded that from historical phenomena one may cautiously draw conclusions regarding some of their precedents. This procedure, though, must be transparent . Above all there is a practical problem that one encounters also in epochs for which there is ample source material: namely, the question how far we are really justified in connecting intellectual processes with other factors within the society to which they belong. Whenever certain types of thinking occur once, and never again, simultaneously with a certain social structure and in addition show certain homologies, one may presume a connection. Of course, it would be better if one could observe such homologies or analogies also in different circumstances, though in a different manner. The presumable relations between thinking and social structure would become increasingly significant through such findings-despite all the questions that still remain open. At any rate, one ought to have a general knowledge about the possibilities and probabilities of such connections, acquired through observation of different societieswhich we do not have. And we probably could attain this only if we made comparisons in a wider context-and above all not in juxtaposition but in direct relation to one another, viz. in a dialogue. There would be a very strong presumption in favor of the connection between democracy and philosophy-or autonomous intelligence -if both had appeared only together, i.e. only in the Greeks. But the various cultures of the Axial Age are especially distinguished by the fact that an autonomous intelligence is formed in all of them, and particularly in China we find, independent of Greece, a philosophy that in many respects resembles the Greek and is not easily contrasted with it. Still more interesting would be a comparison between one intelligence and the other and their philosophies, as well as between the relations of intelligence and philosophy with the social structure in either culture. Such a comparison cannot be undertaken and can hardly be made exhaustively by a single human being.3 Thus I am forced to restrict myself to the Greeks. Within the framework of this essay it may suffice to make three fairly accurate statements: whatever thought existed in China, the Emergence of an Autonomous Intelligence among the Greeks 67 thought of the responsibility of the citizens for the political order is lacking; there is no idea of an order without a monarch, i.e. without a permanently personified superior secular authority as the starting point and center of political activity and of the overall social order; and finally they seem to want also the...