I think it is also important to understand the audience and purpose for the texts in question. A bible, written to persuade people to believe something on faith, is quite a bit different from philosophical writing written to the literate in philosophy. It's the difference between a child's story and a college text. The bible can be read to, and understood by, children- or people who think like children. Obviously there are layers beyond that, which the more educated can plumb, but that's not necessary. On the other hand, the Greek philosophers weren't writing for children- and they figured their readers were not only literate, but understood much of what they understood.
I teach a philosophy unit, and I'm always struck, every time I teach it, by the depth and breadth of Greek thought- not all of it critical of Athens or its government or leaders or people(and let's not forget all the scientific philosophy, and medical philosophy- in which science combines with philosophy). It's true that the flowering of Athenian culture is mostly what is represented- but imagine what was lost. Libraries have burned; cities have been sacked- we have a miniscule amount of writings left to us out of the amount that must have existed at one time. We know that because works often refer or cite other works- so we know there were treasures we no longer have access to. Although there is no one Greek thought (I agree with you there), I do think the Greek life of the mind was pervasive and systemic, and not a mere ripple in the social life of the Greeks. |
