Last modified on February 22, 2009, at 01:27

World History Homework Three Answers - Student One

AddisonDM 15:38, 17 February 2009 (EST)

1.Both are interesting but I prefer China. I think its philosophy and religion are fascinating. Though according to Christianity their religion was wrong, their philosophy discovered reason and is somewhat similar to Greek philosophy in that regard. I also like the dynasties and am especially interested in the Three Kingdoms period (recorded in Luo Guanzhong’s famous novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms.)

Superb ... and terrific wikilinking, also known as wikifying!

2.Buddhism lacked the strict caste system of Hinduism and was thus more broadly appealing. No one would want to convert into a new religion and become an “untouchable,” as in Hinduism. Buddhism’s success over Hinduism outside of India is roughly comparable to the Reformation, which tried to make the Faith more accessible to common people, such as by translating the Bible into the vernacular.

Superb insight and analogy. Note also how Buddhism broke away from Hinduism, similar to the Reformation, and how Buddhism rebelled against authority, similar to the Reformation.

3.This is the Yin and Yang symbol. Yin is the dark side and yang is the light side. In Chinese philosophy, religion, and primitive science, it represents two opposite, necessary, and balanced forces, described respectively as subtle, cold, night, feminine, and hot, aggressive, hard, masculine. Though they are opposite, they are both necessary- in the symbol they fit into each other, together making the whole. It reminds me of the phrases “The two shall become one flesh” and “Opposites attract.” The symbol is more about energy, balance, nature, wholeness, than good and evil.

Terrific analysis.

4.Hinduism is polytheistic and respects other religions and founders of religions. Because of this Hindus can incorporate elements of other religions into their own, without compromising their doctrine or weakening their faith. For example, Jesus may be considered a prophet or “a god” in Hinduism. This element of Hinduism makes it similar to the Bahá'í Faith, which regards the founders or figures of major religions such as Buddha, Jesus, Mohammad, and even the Hindu god Krishna as “Manifestations of God.”

Not sure I agree with your description of Hinduism as a "faith", which is a Christian concept. But otherwise your insights are superb.

5.Sun Tzu was a military strategist who lived during the Warring States period of China and wrote the famous Art of War. Having not read this, I cannot choose a “favorite” insight, but I like this one: “Therefore one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the most skillful. Seizing the enemy without fighting is the most skillful.” This quotation demonstrates how logic, strategy, and ingenuity are more useful and honorable than brute force alone.

That's a good one! Model answer material ....

6.The major empires (dynasties) of ancient China were the Shang Dynasty from about 1760-1120 BC, and Zhou Dynasty, the longest in Chinese history, from about 1130 to 220 BC. The dynasties of Imperial China were the Qin Dynasty (about 220 to 205 BC) and the Han Empire (206 BC-AD 220). After the Three Kingdoms period, China was reunited in AD 590 by the Sui Dynasty.

Excellent. Good use of "A.D." before the date.

7.B) The Silk Road was similar to the internet because it served to connect geographically far away areas. It facilitated cultural borrowing (such as the spread of Buddhism), the spread of technology, and trade. The internet has similar functions. However, the internet uses cyber-technology to do this, while the Silk Road used physical means.

Right on target. I'd say the internet is a tad more efficient!

Honors

2.Confucianism is not a religion in the sense of the Abramhamic religions or pagan religions. It combines philosophy, morality, and social behavior, along with some religious ideas. Like Daoism and certain other Eastern religions, it leans more towards nature, and/or philosophical ideas, than worship of a revealed deity. The best word to describe it is probably something like “moral code” or “societal code.”

I think Confucianism had a bit of government policy too. Your "societal code" encompasses that. Could use as a model answer.

3.I think Christianity will remain on top. Islam will stay relatively the same or continue to expand, but not overtake Christianity. Anti-religious, non-religious, and agnostics will also decline. Hinduism, Chinese religions, Judaism, Shinto, and Zoroastrianism will all decline. Jainism and Buddhism will increase and Scientology will either grow or disappear. Even though the numbers will change substantially, I think the actual order will remain relatively the same, so I won’t list them all.

Interesting prediction. We'll participate and see!

5.“Zero” was an important discovery because it symbolizes nothingness. It sort of includes the whole debate over whether nothingness actually exists, and so is also a concept important to philosophy. It took so long to think of because number systems began in order to count and trade, so the idea of zero (and, for that matter, of negative numbers) did not come up. The discovery of zero marks a time when mathematics became a study in its own right, not just a system to do everyday things. In a sense it was a defining moment in civilization because there were now people specializing in abstract ideas like mathematics and philosophy, rather than working only on the farms or producing food.

Excellent, but I think the Greeks has those abstract thinkers a thousand years earlier.
Superb answers! One, maybe two, for the model answers. Perfect: 100/100. Congratulations!--Andy Schlafly 20:27, 21 February 2009 (EST)