Cross College

Tag: religion

  • References in T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land

    T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land, published in 1922, is one of the most studied and enigmatic poems of the 20th century. Renowned for its fragmented structure and dense intertextuality, the poem weaves together a tapestry of references to literature, mythology, religion, and culture from diverse traditions. These references serve to enrich the poem’s themes of…

  • Key Ideas in Nietzsche’s Thus Spoke Zarathustra

    Friedrich Nietzsche’s Thus Spoke Zarathustra is one of his most celebrated and enigmatic works. Written in a prophetic and poetic style, the book explores profound philosophical ideas through the character of Zarathustra, a sage who descends from his mountain retreat to share his teachings with humanity. In this ambitious work, Nietzsche critiques traditional morality, religion,…

  • The Chief Deities of the Hindu Pantheon

    Hinduism, one of the world’s oldest religions, is renowned for its diverse and vibrant pantheon of deities. These gods and goddesses represent various aspects of the divine and encompass a wide range of human emotions, cosmic principles, and natural forces. At the heart of the Hindu pantheon are several key deities who hold significant roles…

  • What is Mohism?

    Mohism, founded by the Chinese philosopher Mozi (also known as Mo Tzu or Mo Di) during the Warring States period in ancient China, is a philosophical tradition that focuses on universal love, meritocratic governance, and practical ethics. As a significant counterpoint to Confucianism, Mohism challenges some traditional Chinese values, emphasizing egalitarianism, utility, and social order…

  • Who Was Zarathustra?

    Zarathustra, also known as Zoroaster, is the ancient prophet and founder of Zoroastrianism, one of the world’s oldest monotheistic religions. He is thought to have lived in the region of present-day Iran or Central Asia, likely between 1500 and 1000 BCE, although some historians place him as far back as 2000 BCE. Revered as a…

  • Influential Philosophers from the Golden Age of Islam

    The Golden Age of Islam, spanning roughly from the 8th to the 14th century, was a period of remarkable advancements in philosophy, science, medicine, and the arts across the Islamic world. This era produced a thriving intellectual environment, where scholars sought to reconcile faith with reason, integrating Greek philosophy with Islamic thought to create an…

  • Soren Kierkegaard: The Father of Existentialism and His Profound Works

    Søren Kierkegaard, a 19th-century Danish philosopher, theologian, and writer, is often regarded as the “father of existentialism.” His works, filled with passionate reflections on faith, individuality, freedom, and the nature of existence, continue to influence a wide array of fields, including philosophy, theology, literature, and psychology. Through a style that combined parables, pseudonymous characters, and…

  • Nietzsche and the Presocratics: Rediscovering the Roots of Western Thought

    Friedrich Nietzsche, one of the most influential philosophers of the 19th century, had a profound respect and fascination for the Presocratic thinkers. These early Greek philosophers, such as Heraclitus, Parmenides, and Anaximander, were some of the first to approach the world with curiosity, reason, and metaphysical inquiry, and Nietzsche saw them as representing a pure,…

  • The Origins of Western Thought: An Introduction to Presocratic Greek Philosophy

    Long before Socrates questioned Athenians in the Agora, a group of early Greek thinkers, known as the Presocratics, laid the foundation for Western philosophy. These early philosophers emerged from various regions of the Greek world in the 6th and 5th centuries BCE and were united by their desire to understand the universe through reason and…

  • Petrarch: The Father of Humanism and the Revival of Classical Wisdom

    Francesco Petrarch (1304–1374), an Italian scholar, poet, and one of the earliest Renaissance humanists, is often celebrated as the “Father of Humanism.” His works and ideas are foundational to the Renaissance, marking a departure from medieval scholasticism and sparking a new focus on classical antiquity and human experience. Best known for his poetry and prose,…