Myths, mythology - Philosophical Concept | Alexandria
Myths, mythology: more than mere falsehoods, myths are the stories a culture tells itself to explain the inexplicable, to encode its values, and to grapple with the fundamental questions of existence – life, death, and everything in between; or are they?
The earliest written references to what we now recognize as mythology are intertwined with the very advent of writing itself. The Epic of Gilgamesh, dating back to around 2100 BC in ancient Mesopotamia, stands as a testament to humanity's ancient urge to weave narratives around heroes, gods, and the cosmos. In ancient Greece, Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, believed to have been composed in the 8th century BC, provided a foundational mythology for Western civilization. These epics, preserved through oral tradition before being transcribed, reflect the societal values, religious beliefs, and historical understandings of their respective eras. These ancient tales resonate with fundamental moral principles like valor, wisdom, and the moral obligation to one's community. Figures like Socrates and Plato, while laying the foundations for philosophy and rational thinking, nonetheless grappled with the influence of these myths on the critical thinking abilities of citizens.
Over the centuries, the understanding and interpretation of mythology have undergone significant transformations. During the Renaissance, a renewed interest in classical antiquity led to a revival of classical mythology in art, literature, and philosophy. Later, the Enlightenment brought a more skeptical and rationalistic approach, with scholars seeking to demystify myths and uncover their historical or allegorical roots. The 19th and 20th centuries saw the rise of comparative mythology and psychoanalytic interpretations, pioneered by scholars like James Frazer and Carl Jung, who explored the universal patterns and psychological functions of myths across different cultures. These myths offer rich material for thought experiments allowing us to explore experiment ethics, and fundamental moral reasoning. Moreover, our modern understanding is influenced by cognitive science of morality, exposing underlying cognitive bias. The insights offered by studying myths are applied in game theory when studying cooperation and competition, and in the study of fairness bias, particularly in areas like artificial intelligence.
The legacy of mythology is etched into the very fabric of human culture. The myths, those powerful narratives, continue to inform our art, literature, language, and social structures. They serve as a vast repository of archetypes, symbols, and moral lessons that resonate across generations. Contemporary writers, artists, and filmmakers frequently draw upon mythological themes to explore modern anxieties, social issues, and philosophical questions, such as free will vs determinism, and the individual's place in the cosmos. The existential crisis of modern society is often expressed through reimagining the myths of antiquity. Are these narratives, which so deeply influenced our ancestors, merely quaint relics of a bygone era, or do they hold within them enduring truths about the human condition that continue to challenge and inspire us?