Introduction To Western Civilizations: Lebanese International University

Introduction to Western Civilizations
Lebanese International University
Hasan Fakih
1
Introduction to Western Civilizations
• In this introductory lecture we will be talking

about the terms Western Civilization, what that
means, why it’s important to study the history
of western civilization, and we will talk about
another a couple of foundational needs that we
need to keep in mind throughout the course.
Western Civilization ?
What is Western Civilization ?
• Let’s break the phrase into its component
part, so we can look at each word alone
before putting them back together.
Civilization ?
• Civilization is generally defined as an advanced
state of human society containing highly
developed forms of government, culture,
industry, and common social norms.
• Civilization is generally defined as an advanced
state of human society containing highly
developed forms of government, culture,
industry, and common social norms.
• The word itself comes from the Latin root

civilis, meaning civil. The word 'civilization'
first began appearing during the
Enlightenment.
• Civilization is generally defined as an advanced state of
human society containing highly developed forms of
government, culture, industry, and common social
norms.
• The word itself comes from the Latin root civilis,

meaning civil. The word 'civilization' first began
appearing during the Enlightenment.
• The Enlightenment was all about civilizing humankind,

using reason, education, and science to bring people
up to a high state of human functioning.
• The Greeks said you must have a city, you
must have social cooperation, and
specialization in your economy. These are the
important life of a civilized life.
The Greeks
City
Social Cooperation
Economy Specialization
#
Barbarian Life
Characteristics of “Civilization”
• Historians, anthropologists, and other scholars
have identified several core characteristics of
civilization.
Some of the most commonly suggested

characteristics include:
Civilization
Cities
Civilization
Government
Cities
Civilization
Traditional
Government Economy
Cities
Civilization
Traditional
Government Economy
Organized
Cities Religion
Civilization
Traditional
Government Economy
Organized
Cities Religion
Specialized
Jobs
Civilization
Traditional
Government Economy
Organized
Cities Religion
Specialized
Jobs
Civilization
System of
Writing
Traditional
Government Economy
Organized
Cities Religion
Specialized
Civilization Jobs
System of
Writing
Roads and
other public
works
Traditional
Government Economy
Organized
Cities Religion
Specialized
Civilization Jobs
System of
Writing
Roads and
Art and
other public
Architecture
works
Traditional
Government Economy
Organized
Cities Religion
Specialized
Civilization Jobs
Social
Classes
System of
Writing
Art and Roads and
Architecture other public
works
• Let's quickly go through these terms just to make

sure we understand how they contribute to
civilization.
• Urban centers, of course, would include cities

or villages throughout the territory occupied
by a civilization.
• Urban centers, of course, would include cities
or villages throughout the territory occupied
by a civilization.
• Agricultural manipulation and storage is

important because it allows people to ensure
their future livelihood, rather than just
scrounge for food on a day-by-day basis.
• Irrigation allows for the growth of crops, and
in some cases, clean drinking water and even
plumbing.
• Irrigation allows for the growth of crops, and
in some cases, clean drinking water and even
plumbing.
• A written language unites a people, and allows

them to communicate ideas with one another.
• Irrigation allows for the growth of crops, and in some
cases, clean drinking water and even plumbing.
• A written language unites a people, and allows them

to communicate ideas with one another.
• Social stratification is a fancy way of saying different

classes of people - you know, rulers, laborers, slaves,
etc...
• State government refers to a common legal
system of political authority.
• Religion and ideology refer to what a people

group believes about God, gods, and/or the
way the world works.
• Religion and ideology refer to what a people

group believes about God, gods, and/or the way
the world works.
• Perhaps most importantly, culture refers to the

way of life among a particular group of people.
What is Western?
What is Western?
• This term is kind of a moving target depending on who

you’re talking to, and many people will offer different
definitions of this term.
• In the modern world when you ask someone what it means

to be western you might get one of these definitions, to be
western means to favor democracy, representative
governments, concerned about human rights and politics,
these are all considered as western values.
What is Western?
• Others might respond with more cultural definition,

they will say that
western civilization or to be western means that you

have some influence of enlightenment on your
culture, the enlightenment is an 18th century cultural
movement that stresses the importance of reason to
the exclusion of other authorities such as traditions.
• Some people will propose simply a geographic
definition of what it means to be western,
they will say western that means Europeans,
Americans, and other places.
What is Western
Modern Definition:
Political definition ( democratic and human rights)
Cultural ( influence of Enlightenment)
Geographic (Europe, American)
Why it’s important to study western
civilization
• Many people in our days will deny the
importance of western civilization and will say
we should not have any interest in that
because we are moving on to the great new
world.
BUT
• Western Civilization has had a huge impact on the
world in many ways that has shaped the society which
we live worldwide. It gave worldwide ideas about
Politics, Education, Commerce, and Religion...etc.
• All of these different things are shaped to a very great

extent by western tradition. And if we want to
understand these forces that have a very big impact on
the world today, we need to understand their history.
“Those who cannot learn from history are
doomed to repeat it.” - George Santayana
Studying Western Civilization
• It’s very important to study Western
Civilization to have a better handle on the
world which we live, that’s not just to say that
we look at it in a clinical and analytical way.
• There’s also much to be gained on the
personal level from studying Western
Civilization is to know ourselves, because it’s
important to know who we are to become
better human beings.
Thank You!
Any questions ?

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Introduction to Western Civilizations

Lebanese International University

• In this introductory lecture we will be talking

• The word itself comes from the Latin root

• The word itself comes from the Latin root civilis,

• The Enlightenment was all about civilizing humankind,

Some of the most commonly suggested

• Let's quickly go through these terms just to make

• Urban centers, of course, would include cities

• Agricultural manipulation and storage is

• A written language unites a people, and allows

• A written language unites a people, and allows them

• Social stratification is a fancy way of saying different

• Religion and ideology refer to what a people

• Religion and ideology refer to what a people

• Perhaps most importantly, culture refers to the

• This term is kind of a moving target depending on who

• In the modern world when you ask someone what it means

• Others might respond with more cultural definition,

western civilization or to be western means that you

• All of these different things are shaped to a very great

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