Comparative Axiology: Aesthetics & Ethics

Comparative Religion CORE 120

textbooks: Yoga Sutras Egyptian Book of The Dead Torah Dhammapada Plato's works any other philosophical/sacred text(s)

also examine: Earth's cultural/religious art

Definition of Axiology
Axiology, i.e. aesthetics plus ethics, studies value: of beauty plus virtue, respectively. Aesthetics may be easier, but can show ethics' value: ethics are aesthetic. The 'great' religions (monotheisms and henotheisms) and even most pagan ones involve axiology.

Introductory Philosophical (Platonic) Axiology
Read the following Platonic dialogues. The 1st ones listed are a good introduction; reasons to read the rest are given. It would be good to read some neo-Platonism afterwards.

Aesthetics: Symposium, beauty: Greater Hippias.

Ethics: Lysis; courage: Laches; moderation: Charmides; piety: Euthyphro; virtue: Republic (definition,) Symposium (benefits,) Meno (acquiring,) Gorgias (rhetorical,) Protagoras, Laws (society.)

Republic and Laws are long, but it is good to read them entirely; maybe just Republic's cardinal virtues section and as much of Laws as you want (at least skim through both.)

Comparative Aesthetics
After familiarizing yourself with aesthetics, perhaps peruse Jungian psychology archetypes--or just compare some religious art.

Look at cultural and religious art: that of African, Australian, Amerindian, Middle Eastern, Semitic, Far Eastern cultures, Hellenismos, Slavianstvo, Celtic, Forn Siðr cultures and religions. A significant archetype in pagan religions is the world-tree, and in Hellenismos: Hermes' caduceus.

Look at religious art in the great religions: Sanatana/Hindu & Jain Dharma, Taoism (and Confucianism if applicable,) Mazdaism/Zoroastrianism, Amenism-Raism-Atenism, Judaism/Nazar(ean)s, Buddha Dharma, Nazar(ean)s/Christianity, Islam, Druze, Sikh Dharma, Bahai. Significant archetypes in Dharma are the Shaktis, and in Judaism are various Tree of Life ideas.

Recall your philosophical aesthetic knowledge; perhaps peruse Pythagorean and [neo-]Platonic mathematical images; postulate ethics' aesthetics; sum up your aesthetics ideas.

Comparative Ethics
After familiarizing yourself with ethics, perhaps peruse (near) modern deist philosophy and compare it to ancient theism. Such as, read Egyptian Book of The Dead (Oaths/Commandments to/from Osiris,) Yoga Sutra (precepts,) Genesis (Edenic Laws, 10 Commandments,) Lao-tze's biography, Dhammapada (precepts.)

Compare the Eastern/Brahmic-Dharma precept ahimsa with Western/A-brah(a)mic Edenic Laws and Exodus & Deuteronomy (& Egyptian) harmlessness Commandments. Manichaenism, Sikhism, Bahai use those. Compare the Philosophy/Hellenismos Republic text sections on the guardians (philosopher-rulers of a Republic.) Many philosophers in those (and other) faiths consider ahimsa primary in ethics, which causes aesthetic life and society; consider it and sum up your ethics ideas.

Comparative Axiology
Integrate aesthetics and ethics axiologically, and consider what episteme (knowledge, particularly scientific) this could lead to; prepare for epistemology.