The Katha Upanishad and Plato’s Phaedo are two texts are both part of a philosophical and religious canon that form existential cornerstones in two respective systems of thought. Both texts claim to be formulations of eternal and unchangeable truths, a claim that to a considerable extent has been accepted historically. Furthermore, they show striking similarities as to how they express views of ultimate value. The parallels that can be drawn between these texts do not end there, however. This essay argues that the central message in both texts served an additional function: That of beneficially affecting the hierarchic position of the authors in their respective societies. Conceptualising their historical contexts as fields of power in the manner of modern sociology applied historically, the following essay will analyse the two texts in the light of established strategies for elevating, upholding and defending one´s position in society. The analysis shows that these strategies in all probability had a relevant role in the shaping of both texts.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:uu-352972 |
| Date | January 2018 |
| Creators | Günther, Axel |
| Publisher | Uppsala universitet, Teologiska institutionen |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | Swedish |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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