Secret History #16: The Big Bang of Greek Civilization

Professor Jiang delivers a lecture on Greek civilization, focusing on Homer's Iliad and its exploration of themes like forgiveness and the human heart. The lecture begins with a review of empires and bureaucracies, contrasting them with the decentralized system of the Greek polis, which fostered innovation through competition and rhetoric. Professor Jiang summarizes the plot of the Iliad, emphasizing the psychological depth of the characters and the poem's insights into human emotions. He introduces Julian Jaynes's theory of the bicameral brain to explain the Greeks' unique wisdom, suggesting their minds were more attuned to both the material and spiritual dimensions. The lecture concludes with a discussion of modern literature's shortcomings due to its disconnection from the spiritual, followed by the professor addressing comments from viewers.