75-Year Retrospective
Five lessons from my professional life prompt a research proposal to study the influence of dominant narratives and tribalism in international relations.
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Issue: Current challenges
Rethinking the “West is Best” Attitude to International Relations
As our world becomes more interconnected and interdependent, it’s crucial that we embrace diverse perspectives and foster genuine collaboration across cultures. A “West is Best” attitude has long dominated international relations, but a growing body of evidence from fields like anthropology, neuroscience, history, and political science calls for a reevaluation.
An international interdisciplinary academic study can bring together scholars from diverse fields and cultural backgrounds to challenge the “West is Best” narrative and explore alternative viewpoints. By incorporating insights from experts like Iain McGilchrist, Geoffrey Vickers, Eric Wolf, Hugo Mercier, and Bill Isaacs, this study can foster greater understanding, challenge biases, and promote collaboration across cultures and disciplines.
In these challenging times, let’s move beyond outdated attitudes and work together to build a more inclusive and cooperative world for all.
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1.04: The Rise and Fall of Christendom
Under the aegis of the Roman Empire, early Christianity morphed into Christendom and incorporated ideas from Greek philosophy. These composite ideas spawned the ‘natural philosophy’ that later became modern science. The Black Death, the Renaissance and the Enlightenment nurtured science and simultaneously planted the seeds of Christendom’s destruction.
In Europe, and consequently in America after its colonization by Europeans, Christendom helped shape the culture from which the world as we know it today emerged.
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Christendom and Science: A Brief Overview of a Complex Topic
A brief review of the rise and fall of Christendom in Western Europe that illustrates the inevitable entanglement of politics, culture, and philosophy with questions about the relationship of religion to science.
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Science, Philosophy and Spirituality
A description of what motivated me to develop a 12-part course for u3a, covering our common reality, the shaping of the modern world, and issues facing the modern world.
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