Non-western concepts/ideas/ideologies that have a positive global impact?

[Lorizael]

Well, in that vein, I think it's important to remember that China, India, and Africa all have more than a billion people, so when we're talking about positive global impacts, even ideas that only affect those areas are significant. Only picking out those non-Western bits which migrated over to the West represents a bias on our part.

[Jon Miller]

I think it is inarguable that India/China have had as much global impact as Europe in civilized history. For much of civilized history (maybe excluding last 500 years), Europe was a barbaric backwater.

The problem we are all having is our history is very biased.

JM

[spambot]

If not for the Chinese, we wouldn't have toilet paper

[Wezil]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabic_numerals

[Broken_Erika]

If not for the Chinese, we wouldn't have toilet paper

Hah! Doesn't even know how to use the three seashells!

[Dry]

Typical western:
- Good vs Evil. This is a moral concept that is specific to the western world. And it's even a recent one. If I am not mistaken, the romans did not think in terms of good vs evil. Their life decisions was more on choice A leads to consequence A, choice B to consequence B, I make my decision based on the desire consequence, but there is no 'right' or 'wrong' or good or evil involved here.
When adopting the monotheistic christian religion, the west start thinking in terms of right and wrong, good and evil and most importantly got the "guilt" devil out of the box. Most culture around the world do not think in terms of good and evil, and consequently are not stuck with the guilt load.
The closest to the good/evil duality I can think of is the jing and jang concept of the Chinese. But it's more abstract than good/evil, as it describes 'opposites'. And even in that one, there in jing inside the jang and jang inside the jing, so there is no strict border between opposites.
- Rationality and scientific method. There are indeed a lot of inventions around the world, but the scientific method, fact checking is for me a western discovery. But it is also a fragile concept as nowadays in the west, the "fact checking" are challenged by the post truth crowd. "My feelings trump your facts".

Non western:
- Judo philosophy, using the strength of the enemy against himself. I cannot think of any western thinker or general of the past coming with this philosophy or military strategy. From all I can remember of western battles, generals have always think of exploiting the enemy weakness. I think of this concept in terms of more asian than western.
- Non theistic religions/philosophy. Buddhism and Taoism are godless religions, closer to philosophy. Wikipedia lists Hinduism also in the list of non theistic religions. Except in the last century(es) the west has always believed in god(s). The idea of searching wisdom without the need of a god sounds more asian than western.

[spambot]

Good vs Evil. This is a moral concept that is specific to the western world.

lol wut

[Jon Miller]

Even more the 'no guilt' outside of the western world bit. Have you ever met anyone from Asia orAfrica?

JM

[Dry]

You have a point. I spoke too soon.

[Jon Miller]

If you had said that non-western (or better, Asian) guilt was different than western catholic guilt I would have agreed.

JM

[BeBMan]

Well, in that vein, I think it's important to remember that China, India, and Africa all have more than a billion people, so when we're talking about positive global impacts, even ideas that only affect those areas are significant. Only picking out those non-Western bits which migrated over to the West represents a bias on our part.

If we want to make a general "achievements" thread we'd certainly find a lot of stuff that has not originated in the "west"/Europe/wherever. I don't think anybody here is questioning that, I'm certainly not.

But I also do remember the time when everyone was reading "Gun, Germs and Steel", starting with the question why "they" have more cargo it didn't went on to glorify colonialism or to support views of some mythical/inherent western/racial superiority. Rather it tried to explain certain developments (whether we buy into that particular approach or not - from what I remember it was very popular, but lots of ppl also pointed out issues with it - is another question).

I think it is inarguable that India/China have had as much global impact as Europe in civilized history. For much of civilized history (maybe excluding last 500 years), Europe was a barbaric backwater.

The problem we are all having is our history is very biased.

For example when relating to questionable concepts of civilized vs. barbarian. Just sayin'

[Jon Miller]

For example when relating to questionable concepts of civilized vs. barbarian. Just sayin'

I don't at all agree, while there are some obvious cultural components for what is considered civilized or not (especially for recent history), there are clear differences between civilized and barbarian and civilized is clearly better.

JM
(A lot of the problems come in due to cultural appropriation and ignoring examples of civilization in groups that are considered barbaric for political reasons (see Nubia))

[BeBMan]

I don't know what the argument is regarding Nubia, so can't comment on that.

What I meant is that the historcial track record of using "barbarian" is rather questionable - it's mostly a convenient label for the "other guys". While early in Greek use it was not always a negative label, but marked mostly a difference in language, it became increasingly a collection of stereotypes.

However, whether it was used in a neutral or more negative way, it has been rather useless to highlight a certain state of development or civilization. For example old Germans were less developed than Romans when coming in contact with eachother, so "barbarian" may appear reasonable. But then Romans called everyone outside the Greek-Roman circle "barbarian", even societies that were actually quite developed, so "barbarian" didn't reveal much about being civilized or not, and so - again - was mostly a label attached to someone else.

[Jon Miller]

You are saying that it has often been used politically.

As I said, that doesn't mean that it is not a useful concept. I think it can be divorced from politics in a dry enough scholarly discourse.

JM

[Jon Miller]

I don't know what the argument is regarding Nubia, so can't comment on that.

A lot of people have very racist views towards dark skinned Africans (see this thread). When various examples of civilization in antiquity (even world leading civilisations like Nubia) are provided, they are ignored or downplayed.

Basically people would say that all the ideas/concepts/etc actually came from northern Egypt and not Nubia and that Egypt is western despite being in Africa and being more closely related to Nubia than Greece.

JM