The Origins of Philosophy Between Ancient Eastern Civilisations and Greece: Western Historians’ Differing Perspectives

Abstract

This research examines the problematic origins of philosophy, one of the most controversial issues among historians and researchers in the history of thought. Opinions have been divided into two main groups: the first group believes that philosophy originated in Greece as a result of the "Greek miracle", whereby humanity transitioned from the dominance of myth to the dominance of reason, and from mythical religious thought to systematic rational contemplation, giving Greece its own unique experience. The second group asserts that ancient Eastern civilisations—such as the Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Indian, and Chinese—preceded Greece in practising philosophical contemplation and moral debate, and that these philosophical practices formed the first building block that later nurtured Greek philosophy. However, by tracing and analysing the various positions and trends, it becomes clear that philosophy did not suddenly appear in Greece, but was instead the result of a long interaction between East and West, with the Greek experience representing a new stage in the rational development of what the ancient Eastern civilisations had created. The study therefore emphasises the necessity of adopting a "comparative approach" that avoids centralist tendencies and reveals the unity of the human experience and its multiple sources, while acknowledging that philosophy represents a shared human heritage to which all human civilisations have contributed to varying degrees.