Civilization: A Definition Part I. Identifying Individual Civilizations

Drawing on four decades of research, a new definition of civilization is offered, proposing that a systematized core set of beliefs found in religion is the basis for civilization. Various examples from the High Middle Ages of the civilizations in Byzantium, China, India, & Europe are used to develop the definition. It is shown how multiple formal knowledge systems may coexist in one civilization, & how many civilizations may share one knowledge system. In addition, the questions of erratic growth of complexity in the civilization/knowledge system relationship & the evolution of formal knowledge systems are discussed. 50 References. J. Sadler