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Please read:

A personal appeal from Bruno Linhares,

Wikipedia author of 169 articles

We now accept

Rp

(IDR)

Western culture

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article may containoriginal research. Pleaseimprove itbyverifyingthe claims made and

addingreferences. Statements consisting only of original research may be removed. More details

may be available on thetalk page.(May 2009)

For this article's equivalent regarding the East, seeEastern culture. For the Henry Cow album of the

same name, seeWestern Culture (album).

Leonardo da Vinci'sVitruvian Man. A symbol of the importance ofhumanismandempiricismin Western

culture since theRenaissance

https://donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FundraiserLandingPage?uselang=en&country=ID&template=Lp-layout-default&appeal-template=Appeal-template-default&appeal=Appeal-Bruno&form-template=Form-template-whyyourdonation&form-countryspecific=Form-countryspecific-variable1&utm_medium=sitenotice&utm_source=B11_Donate_Bruno_Accept_EN_ID&utm_campaign=C11_1114_AvsB_IDhttps://donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FundraiserLandingPage?uselang=en&country=ID&template=Lp-layout-default&appeal-template=Appeal-template-default&appeal=Appeal-Bruno&form-template=Form-template-whyyourdonation&form-countryspecific=Form-countryspecific-variable1&utm_medium=sitenotice&utm_source=B11_Donate_Bruno_Accept_EN_ID&utm_campaign=C11_1114_AvsB_IDhttps://donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FundraiserLandingPage?uselang=en&country=ID&template=Lp-layout-default&appeal-template=Appeal-template-default&appeal=Appeal-Bruno&form-template=Form-template-whyyourdonation&form-countryspecific=Form-countryspecific-variable1&utm_medium=sitenotice&utm_source=B11_Donate_Bruno_Accept_EN_ID&utm_campaign=C11_1114_AvsB_IDhttps://donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FundraiserLandingPage?uselang=en&country=ID&template=Lp-layout-default&appeal-template=Appeal-template-default&appeal=Appeal-Bruno&form-template=Form-template-whyyourdonation&form-countryspecific=Form-countryspecific-variable1&utm_medium=sitenotice&utm_source=B11_Donate_Bruno_Accept_EN_ID&utm_campaign=C11_1114_AvsB_IDhttps://donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FundraiserLandingPage?uselang=en&country=ID&template=Lp-layout-default&appeal-template=Appeal-template-default&appeal=Appeal-Bruno&form-template=Form-template-whyyourdonation&form-countryspecific=Form-countryspecific-variable1&utm_medium=sitenotice&utm_source=B11_Donate_Bruno_Accept_EN_ID&utm_campaign=C11_1114_AvsB_IDhttps://donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FundraiserLandingPage?uselang=en&country=ID&template=Lp-layout-default&appeal-template=Appeal-template-default&appeal=Appeal-Bruno&form-template=Form-template-whyyourdonation&form-countryspecific=Form-countryspecific-variable1&utm_medium=sitenotice&utm_source=B11_Donate_Bruno_Accept_EN_ID&utm_campaign=C11_1114_AvsB_IDhttps://donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FundraiserLandingPage?uselang=en&country=ID&template=Lp-layout-default&appeal-template=Appeal-template-default&appeal=Appeal-Bruno&form-template=Form-template-whyyourdonation&form-countryspecific=Form-countryspecific-variable1&utm_medium=sitenotice&utm_source=B11_Donate_Bruno_Accept_EN_ID&utm_campaign=C11_1114_AvsB_IDhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_researchhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_researchhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_researchhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Western_culture&action=edithttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Western_culture&action=edithttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Western_culture&action=edithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiabilityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiabilityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiabilityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Referenceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Referenceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Referenceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Western_culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Western_culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Western_culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Culture_%28album%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Culture_%28album%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Culture_%28album%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo_da_Vincihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo_da_Vincihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitruvian_Manhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitruvian_Manhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitruvian_Manhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empiricismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empiricismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empiricismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissancehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissancehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissancehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Da_Vinci_Vitruve_Luc_Viatour.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Da_Vinci_Vitruve_Luc_Viatour.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Da_Vinci_Vitruve_Luc_Viatour.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Da_Vinci_Vitruve_Luc_Viatour.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Da_Vinci_Vitruve_Luc_Viatour.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Da_Vinci_Vitruve_Luc_Viatour.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Da_Vinci_Vitruve_Luc_Viatour.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Da_Vinci_Vitruve_Luc_Viatour.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissancehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empiricismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitruvian_Manhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo_da_Vincihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Culture_%28album%29http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Western_culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Referenceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiabilityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Western_culture&action=edithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:No_original_researchhttps://donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FundraiserLandingPage?uselang=en&country=ID&template=Lp-layout-default&appeal-template=Appeal-template-default&appeal=Appeal-Bruno&form-template=Form-template-whyyourdonation&form-countryspecific=Form-countryspecific-variable1&utm_medium=sitenotice&utm_source=B11_Donate_Bruno_Accept_EN_ID&utm_campaign=C11_1114_AvsB_IDhttps://donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FundraiserLandingPage?uselang=en&country=ID&template=Lp-layout-default&appeal-template=Appeal-template-default&appeal=Appeal-Bruno&form-template=Form-template-whyyourdonation&form-countryspecific=Form-countryspecific-variable1&utm_medium=sitenotice&utm_source=B11_Donate_Bruno_Accept_EN_ID&utm_campaign=C11_1114_AvsB_IDhttps://donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FundraiserLandingPage?uselang=en&country=ID&template=Lp-layout-default&appeal-template=Appeal-template-default&appeal=Appeal-Bruno&form-template=Form-template-whyyourdonation&form-countryspecific=Form-countryspecific-variable1&utm_medium=sitenotice&utm_source=B11_Donate_Bruno_Accept_EN_ID&utm_campaign=C11_1114_AvsB_IDhttps://donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FundraiserLandingPage?uselang=en&country=ID&template=Lp-layout-default&appeal-template=Appeal-template-default&appeal=Appeal-Bruno&form-template=Form-template-whyyourdonation&form-countryspecific=Form-countryspecific-variable1&utm_medium=sitenotice&utm_source=B11_Donate_Bruno_Accept_EN_ID&utm_campaign=C11_1114_AvsB_IDhttps://donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FundraiserLandingPage?uselang=en&country=ID&template=Lp-layout-default&appeal-template=Appeal-template-default&appeal=Appeal-Bruno&form-template=Form-template-whyyourdonation&form-countryspecific=Form-countryspecific-variable1&utm_medium=sitenotice&utm_source=B11_Donate_Bruno_Accept_EN_ID&utm_campaign=C11_1114_AvsB_IDhttps://donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FundraiserLandingPage?uselang=en&country=ID&template=Lp-layout-default&appeal-template=Appeal-template-default&appeal=Appeal-Bruno&form-template=Form-template-whyyourdonation&form-countryspecific=Form-countryspecific-variable1&utm_medium=sitenotice&utm_source=B11_Donate_Bruno_Accept_EN_ID&utm_campaign=C11_1114_AvsB_IDhttps://donate.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FundraiserLandingPage?uselang=en&country=ID&template=Lp-layout-default&appeal-template=Appeal-template-default&appeal=Appeal-Bruno&form-template=Form-template-whyyourdonation&form-countryspecific=Form-countryspecific-variable1&utm_medium=sitenotice&utm_source=B11_Donate_Bruno_Accept_EN_ID&utm_campaign=C11_1114_AvsB_ID

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Platoalong withSocratesandAristotlewere founding members ofWestern philosophy.

Western culture, sometimes equated with Western civilization or European civilization, refers to

culturesofEuropeanorigin and is used very broadly to refer to aheritageofsocial norms,ethical values,

traditional customs,religiousbeliefs,political systems, and specificartifactsandtechnologies.

Western culture stems from two sources: theClassical Periodof the theGraeco-Roman eraand the

influence ofChristianity. The artistic, philosophic, literary, andlegalthemes and traditions; the heritages

of especiallyLatin,Celtic,Germanic, andHellenicethnic or linguistic groups; as well as a tradition of

rationalismin various spheres of life, developed byHellenistic philosophy,Scholasticism,Humanisms,theScientific RevolutionandEnlightenment; and including, inpolitical thought, widespreadrational

argumentsin favour offreethought,human rights,equalityanddemocracy.[citation needed]

The term has come to apply to countries whosehistoryis strongly marked by European immigration or

settlement, such asthe Americas, andAustralasia, and is not restricted to Western Europe.

Historical records of western culture in its European geographical range begin withAncient Greece, and

thenAncient Rome, Christianization during the EuropeanMiddle Ages, and reform and modernization

starting byRenaissance, and globalized by successiveEuropean empiresthat spread the European ways

of life and education between the sixteenth and twentieth centuries. European Culture developed with

a complex range of philosophy, medieval scholasticism and mysticism, Christian and secular humanism.

Rational thinking developed through a long age of change and formation with the experiments of

enlightenment, naturalism, romanticism, science, democracy, and socialism. With its global connection,

European culture grew with an all-inclusive urge to adopt, adapt, and ultimately influence other trends

of culture.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socrateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socrateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socrateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristotlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristotlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristotlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_heritagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_heritagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_heritagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_normshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_normshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_normshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_systemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_systemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_systemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_artifacthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_artifacthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_artifacthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graeco-Romanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graeco-Romanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graeco-Romanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_lawhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_lawhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_lawhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_Europehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_Europehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_Europehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanic_peopleshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanic_peopleshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanic_peopleshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellenistic_civilizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellenistic_civilizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellenistic_civilizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rationalismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rationalismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellenistic_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellenistic_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellenistic_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scholasticismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scholasticismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scholasticismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_Revolutionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_Revolutionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_Revolutionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Enlightenmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Enlightenmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Enlightenmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_thoughthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_thoughthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_thoughthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debatehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debatehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debatehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debatehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freethoughthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freethoughthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freethoughthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rightshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rightshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rightshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egalitarianismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egalitarianismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egalitarianismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_neededhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_neededhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_neededhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Americashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Americashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Americashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australasiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australasiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australasiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greecehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greecehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greecehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Romehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Romehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Romehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Ageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Ageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Ageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissancehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissancehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissancehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonial_empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonial_empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonial_empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Platon-2b.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Platon-2b.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Platon-2b.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Platon-2b.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonial_empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissancehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Ageshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Romehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greecehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australasiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Americashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_neededhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egalitarianismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rightshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freethoughthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debatehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debatehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_thoughthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Enlightenmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_Revolutionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scholasticismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellenistic_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rationalismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellenistic_civilizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanic_peopleshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_Europehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_lawhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graeco-Romanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_artifacthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_systemhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_normshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_heritagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aristotlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socrateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plato

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Some tendencies that have come to define modern Westernsocietiesare the existence ofpolitical

pluralism, prominentsubculturesorcountercultures(such asNew Agemovements), and increasing

culturalsyncretismresulting fromglobalizationandhuman migration.

Contents

[hide]

1 Terminology 2 History

o 2.1 The Classical Westo 2.2 The Medieval Westo 2.3 The Modern Erao 2.4 Religion In Modern Western Culture

3 Widespread influence 4 Music, art, story-telling and architecture 5 Sport 6 Scientific and technological inventions and discoveries 7 Themes and traditions 8 See also 9 Maps 10 Notes 11 References

[edit] Terminology

Further information:Western world

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Societieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Societieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Societieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_pluralismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_pluralismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_pluralismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_pluralismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subcultureshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subcultureshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subcultureshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counterculturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counterculturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counterculturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Agehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Agehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Agehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syncretismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syncretismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syncretismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globalizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globalizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globalizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_migrationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_migrationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_migrationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Terminologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Terminologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Historyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Historyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#The_Classical_Westhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#The_Classical_Westhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#The_Medieval_Westhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#The_Medieval_Westhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#The_Modern_Erahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#The_Modern_Erahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Religion_In_Modern_Western_Culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Religion_In_Modern_Western_Culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Widespread_influencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Widespread_influencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Music.2C_art.2C_story-telling_and_architecturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Music.2C_art.2C_story-telling_and_architecturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Sporthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Sporthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Scientific_and_technological_inventions_and_discoverieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Scientific_and_technological_inventions_and_discoverieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Themes_and_traditionshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Themes_and_traditionshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#See_alsohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#See_alsohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Mapshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Mapshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Noteshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Noteshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Referenceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Referenceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Western_culture&action=edit&section=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Western_culture&action=edit&section=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Western_culture&action=edit&section=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_worldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_worldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_worldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_worldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Western_culture&action=edit&section=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Referenceshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Noteshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Mapshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#See_alsohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Themes_and_traditionshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Scientific_and_technological_inventions_and_discoverieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Sporthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Music.2C_art.2C_story-telling_and_architecturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Widespread_influencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Religion_In_Modern_Western_Culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#The_Modern_Erahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#The_Medieval_Westhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#The_Classical_Westhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Historyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#Terminologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_migrationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globalizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syncretismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Agehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counterculturehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subcultureshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_pluralismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_pluralismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Societies

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Isaac Newtondiscovereduniversal gravitationandthe laws of motion.

The Greeks contrasted themselves to theirEastern neighbors, such as theTrojansinIliad, setting an

example for later contrasts between east and west. In theMiddle Ages,Islamin theNear Eastprovided

a contrast to the West though it had beenHellenizedsince the time ofAlexander the Great, and had

been ruled by Rome and Constantinople and part of"Christendom".

In the later 20th to early 21st century, with the advent of increasingglobalism, it has become more

difficult to determine which individuals fit into which category, and the EastWest contrast is sometimescriticized asrelativisticand arbitrary.

[1][2][3]

Globalismhas, especially since the end of thecold war, spread western ideas so widely that almost all

modern countries or cultures are to some extent influenced by aspects of western culture which they

have absorbed. Recent stereotyped Western views of "the West" have been labelledOccidentalism,

parallelingOrientalism, the term for the 19th century stereotyped views of "the East".

Geographically, "The West" today would normally be said to includeWestern Europeas well as certain

territories belonging to theAnglosphere, theHispanidad, theLusofoniaor theFrancophonie.

[edit] History

Further information:History of Western civilization

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_gravitationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Newton

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History of

Western philosophy

Western philosophy

Pre-SocraticAncient

MedievalRenaissanceModern

Contemporary16th17th18th19th20th Century

Religious philosophy

ChristianJewish Islamic Hindu Buddhist

See also

Eastern philosophy

BabylonianIndianIranian

ChineseJapaneseKorean

Western culture Western world

v d e

Western culture is neitherhomogeneousnor unchanging. As with all other cultures it has evolved and

gradually changed over time. All generalities about it have their exceptions at some time and place. The

organisation and tactics of the GreekHoplitesdiffered in many ways from theRoman legions. Thepolis

of the Greeks is not the same as the Americansuperpowerof the 21st century. Thegladiatorial gamesof

theRoman Empireare not identical to present-dayfootball. The art ofPompeiiis not the art of

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rculaneumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sanzio_01_cropped.pnghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erotic_art_in_Pompeii_and_Herculaneumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Footballhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gladiatorhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superpowerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_legionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hopliteshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homogeneoushttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:History_of_Western_philosophy&action=edithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template_talk:History_of_Western_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:History_of_Western_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_worldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babylonian_literature#Philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_religionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th-century_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/19th-century_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Enlightenmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/17th-century_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/16th-century_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contemporary_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medieval_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-Socratic_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Western_philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Western_philosophy

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Hollywood. Nevertheless, it is possible to follow the evolution and history of the West, and appreciate

its similarities and differences, its borrowings from, and contributions to, other cultures ofhumanity.

Concepts of what is the Westarose out of legacies of theWestern Roman Empireand theEastern

Roman Empire. Later, ideas of the west were formed by the concepts ofChristendomand theHoly

Roman Empire. What we think of as Western thought today is generally defined asGreco-RomanandJudeo-Christianculture, and includes the ideals ofthe Renaissanceand theEnlightenment.

[edit] The Classical West

Alexander the Great

TheColosseuminRome

The Classical West was Greco-Roman/Celtic/Germanic Europe.

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InHomeric literature, and right up until the time ofAlexander the Great, for example in the accounts of

thePersian WarsofGreeksagainstPersiansbyHerodotus, we see theparadigmof a contrast between

the West and East.

Nevertheless the Greeks felt they were the most civilized and saw themselves (in the formulation of

Aristotle) as something between the wildbarbariansof most of Europe and the soft, slavish Easterners.Ancient Greekscience,philosophy,democracy,architecture,literature, andartprovided a foundation

embraced and built upon by theRoman Empireas it swept up Europe, including theHellenic Worldin its

conquests in the 1st century BC. In the meantime however, Greece, under Alexander, had become a

capital of the East, and part of anempire. The idea that the laterOrthodoxorEastern Christiancultural

descendants of the Greek-speaking Eastern Roman empire, are a happy mean between Eastern

slavishness and Western barbarism is promoted to this day, for example in Russia, creating a zone which

is both Eastern and Western depending upon the context of discussion.

For about five hundred years, the Roman Empire maintained theGreek Eastand consolidated a Latin

West, but an East-West division remained, reflected in many cultural norms of the two areas, including

language. Although Rome, like Greece, was no longer democratic, the idea of democracy remained a

part of the education of citizens, as if the emperors were a temporary emergency measure.

Eventually the empire came to be increasingly officially split into a Western and Eastern part, reviving

old ideas of a contrast between an advanced East, and a rugged West. In the Roman world one could

speak of three main directions; North (Celtic tribes and Parthians), the East (lux ex oriente), and finally

South which implied danger, historically via the Punic wars (Quid novi ex Africa?) The West was peaceful

it contained only the Mediterranean.

With the rise of Christianity in the midst of the Roman world, much of Rome's tradition and culture were

absorbed by the new religion, and transformed into something new, which would serve as the basis forthe development of Western civilization after the fall of Rome. Also, Romanculturemixed with the pre-

existingCeltic,GermanicandSlaviccultures, which slowly became integrated into Western culture

starting, mainly, with their acceptance of Christianity.

[edit] The Medieval West

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Charlemagne

Christendomand theCrusades

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Thediscovery of the New WorldbyChristoper Columbus

The Medieval West was at its broadest the same asChristendom, including both the "Latin" or

"Frankish" West, and the Orthodox Eastern part, where Greek remained the language of empire. After

the crowning ofCharlemagne, Charlemagne's part of Europe was referred to by its neighbors in

Byzantium and the Muslim world as "Frankish".

After thefall of Romemuch of Greco-Roman art, literature, science and even technology were all but

lost in the western part of the old empire, centered aroundItaly, andGaul(France). However, this would

become the centre of a new West. Europe fell into political anarchy, with many warring kingdoms and

principalities. Under the Frankish kings, it eventually reunified and evolved intofeudalism.Charlemagnewas crownedEmperor of the Romansby the Pope in 800. His reign is associated with theCarolingian

Renaissance, a revival of art, religion, and culture through the medium of theCatholic Church. Through

his foreign conquests and internal reforms, Charlemagne helped define both Western Europe and the

Middle Ages. He is numbered as Charles I in the regnal lists of France, Germany (where he is known as

Karl der Groe), and theHoly Roman Empire. The re-establishment of a Western "Roman" imperium

challenged the status of theEastern Roman EmperorinConstantinopleand strained relations between

Eastern and Western Europe.

Much of the basis of the post-Roman cultural world had been set before the fall of the Empire, mainly

through the integrating and reshaping of Roman ideas through Christian thought. The Greek and Romanpaganismhad been completely replaced byChristianityaround the 4th and 5th centuries, since it

became the official State religion following the baptism of emperorConstantine I.Roman Catholic

Christianity and theNicene Creedserved as a unifying force inWestern Europe, and in some respects

replaced or competed with the secular authorities. Art and literature, law, education, and politics were

preserved in the teachings of the Church, in an environment that, otherwise, would have probably seen

their loss. TheChurchfounded manycathedrals,universities,monasteriesandseminaries, some of

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which continue to exist today. In theMedievalperiod, the route to power for many men was in the

Church.

In a broader sense, theMiddle Ages, with its fertile encounter between GreekreasoningandLevantine

monotheismwas not confined to the West but also stretched into the old East, in what was to become

theIslamic world. The philosophy and science of Classical Greece was largely forgotten in Western andNorthern Europe after the collapse of theWestern Roman Empire, other than in isolated monastic

enclaves (notably in Ireland, which had become Christian but which was never conquered by Rome).[4]

Although the EasternEmperor Justinian(the last Emperor to speak Latin as a first tongue) closedthe

Academyin AD 529 (a date that is often cited as the end of Antiquity), the learning ofClassical Antiquity

was better preserved in theByzantineEastern Roman Empire, whose capital atConstantinoplestood for

another millennium, before being captured by theOttoman Turks. Justinian'sCorpus Juris CivilisRoman

civil law code was preserved in the East and Constantinople maintained trade and intermittent political

control over outposts such asVenicein the West for centuries. Classical Greek learning was also

subsumed, preserved and elaborated in the rising Islamic world, which gradually supplanted Roman-

Byzantine control over the Mediterranean, Middle East, North Africa, Iberia and even Greece itself -becoming a dominant cultural-political force in those regions. Thus, from the margins of the Roman

world much of the learning of classical antiquity was slowly reintroduced to Western Europe in the

centuries following the collapse of theWestern Roman Empire. Irish missionaries such asSt Columba

propagated Christianity and Latin learning in Western Europe during theEarly Medieval Periodand

Byzantine Greeks and Islamic Arabs reintroduced texts from Antiquity to Western Europe during the

Late Middle AgesandRenaissance of the 12th century.

The rediscovery of theJustinian Codein Western Europe early in the 10th century rekindled a passion

for the discipline of law, which crossed many of the re-forming boundaries between East and West.

Eventually, it was only in theCatholicorFrankishwest, thatRoman lawbecame the foundation onwhich all legal concepts and systems were based. Its influence can be traced to this day in all Western

legal systems (although in different manners and to different extents in thecommon(England) and the

civil(continental European) legal traditions). The study ofcanon law, the legal system of the Catholic

Church, fused with that of Roman law to form the basis of the refounding of Western legal scholarship.

The ideas ofcivil rights,equalitybefore thelaw,equality of women,procedural justice, anddemocracy

as the ideal form ofsocietywere principles which formed the basis of modern Western culture.

The West actively encouraged the spreading ofChristianity, which was inexorably linked to the spread of

Western culture. Owing to the influence ofIslamic cultureandIslamic civilization a culture that had

preserved some of the knowledge of ancientMesopotamia,Egypt,India,Persia,Greece, andRome in

Islamic Spainandsouthern Italy, and in theLevantduring theCrusades, Western Europeans translated

manyArabic texts into Latinduring the Middle Ages. Later, with thefall of Constantinopleand the

Ottoman conquest of the Byzantine Empire, followed by a massive exodus of Greek Christian priests and

scholarsto Italian towns likeVenice, bringing with them as many scripts from the Byzantine archives as

they could, scholars' interest for theGreek languageand classic works, topics and lost files was revived.

Both the Greek and Arabic influences eventually led to the beginnings of theRenaissance. From the late

15th century to the 17th century, Western culture began to spread to other parts of the world by

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intrepid explorers and missionaries during theAge of Discovery, followed byimperialistsfrom the 17th

century to the early 20th century.

[edit] The Modern Era

TheU.S. Constitution

TheIndustrial Revolution

Western empires in 1910

Coming into themodern era, the historical understanding of the East-West contrast - as the opposition

ofChristendomto its geographical neighbors - began to weaken. As religion became less important, and

Europeans came into increasing contact with far away peoples, the old concept of Western Culture

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began a slow evolution towards what it is today. TheEarly Modern"Age of Discovery" in the 15th, 16th

and 17th centuries faded into the "Age of Enlightenment" continuing into the 18th, both characterized

by the military advantages coming toEuropeansfrom their development offirearmsand othermilitary

technologies. The "Great Divergence" became more pronounced, making the West the bearer ofscience

and the accompanying revolutions oftechnologyandindustrialisation. Western political thinking also,

eventually spread in many forms around the world. With the early 19th century "Age of Revolution" the

West entered a period ofWorld empires, massive economic and technological advance, and bloody

international conflicts continuing into the 20th century.

As Europe discovered the wider world, old concepts adapted. The Islamic world which had formerly

been considered "theOrient" ("the East") more specifically became the "Near East" as the interests of

the European powers for the first time interfered withQing ChinaandMeiji Japanin the 19th century.[5]

Thus, theSino-Japanese Warin 18941895 occurred in the "Far East", while the troubles surrounding

thedecline of the Ottoman Empiresimultaneously occurred in the "Near East".[6]

The "Middle East" in

the mid-19th century included the territory east of the Ottoman empire but West of China, i.e.Greater

PersiaandGreater India, but is now used synonymously with "Near East" in most languages.

[edit] Religion In Modern Western Culture

Religion in the meantime has waned considerably in Western Europe, where many areagnosticor

atheist. Nearly half of the populations of theUnited Kingdom(44-54%),Germany(41-49%),France(43-

54%) and theNetherlands(39-44%) are non-theist. However, religious belief in the United States is very

strong, about 75-85% of the population,[7]as also happens in most of Latin America.

[edit] Widespread influence

The architecture of theWhite Housedeliberately recalls ancient Greek temples.

Elements of Western culture have had a very influential effect on other cultures worldwide. People of

many cultures, both Western and non-Western, equate modernization (adoption of technological

progress) withwesternization(adoption of Western culture). Some members[who?] of the non-Western

world, such as M. K. Gandhi, have suggested that the link between technological progress and certain

harmful Western values provides a reason why much of "modernity" should be rejected as being

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ipedia.org/wiki/File:Whitehouse_north.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Avoid_weasel_wordshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westernizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Househttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Western_culture&action=edit&section=7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#cite_note-6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netherlandshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheisthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnostichttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Western_culture&action=edit&section=6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Indiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Persiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Persiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Easthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decline_of_the_Ottoman_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Far_Easthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Sino-Japanese_Warhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_culture#cite_note-davison-4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meiji_periodhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qing_Chinahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Near_Easthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orienthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Revolutionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrialisationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sciencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Divergencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_technologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_technologyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firearmshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Enlightenmenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_Discoveryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Modern

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incompatible with their vision and the values of their societies. These types of argument referring to

imperialismand stressing the importance offreedomfrom it and therelativistargument that different

cultural norms should be treated equally, are also present in Western philosophy.

[edit] Music, art, story-telling and architecture

Saint Peter's Basilica

Western literature.William Shakespeare'sFirst Foliopictured

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Western Art. TheMona Lisapictured

Classical music,operaandballet.Swan lakepictured

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