Oaths

So, there happens to be a philosophy paper that I'm considering submitting to an undergraduate journal to try to get published. While my edits will not necessarily be about the material I'm going to speak on here, it maintains its relevance because oaths are a part of our culture that still exists, yet is not spoken of nor explained during our education. 'Ere we go!

Before any mention of the modern relevance of oaths, it will be useful to talk about how our cultural ancestors set up their societies such that when an oath was given, you fucking keep it, or you'll get a lightning bolt right up your ass! There is always a reason for a God to have a certain aspect, otherwise a God would not have it. Everybody's favorite party God, Dionysos, is really a combination of different aspects that come from what he's associated with: wine. The Greeks, in their own way, learned that wine and alcohol have their own curative properties, from cleaning a wound with strong booze, or drinking to feel better. Heck, Greek theater, the realm of Dionysos is most well-known among the ancients because of the cathartic feelings experienced during performances, was believed to have special healing powers because of that release of pent-up emotions among the people. Or rather, dudes.

So, Gods have aspects because for a reason: because the Greeks found it important!

Enter Zeus, the pimp daddy of Olympus. Symbol of masculinity and virility, Zeus is the embodiment of the adolescent fantasy of being powerful, authoritative, and capable of taking different forms and ravishing every beautiful woman one takes a fancy to. He's also the Greek justification for the power of the old kings, like Agamemnon. So, the importance of oaths needs to be shown in this particular culture. Let's look at the Iliad, since I've already mentioned Agamemnon and Zeus. Alright, this all begins with the Goddess Eris not being invited to the marriage of Peleus and Thetis, and she gets pissed. So, she nabs this apple, gives it to some unqualified kid looking after some sheep named Paris, and says "Hey, you're invited to this party because you're a prince, go give it to the most beautiful woman there!"

Oh man, does this not bode well.

So, three fly ladies come forward after hearing about how this apple is to be given to the most beautiful woman there: Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite. Now, we modern humans would think that he would just judge beauty, and it would be done lickety split, but each Goddess pulls him to the side, and insinuates a reward if he chooses her.

Athena, "I will make you a consummate warrior, every man will fear you!"
Hera, "I will give you a station of importance, with a good marriage!"
Aphrodite, "I will give you the finest piece of pussy in the world."

http://www.happletea.com/2010/03/12/helen-of-sparta-is-super-fly/

If you like or love mythology, read this comic. It's fantastic, and thought provoking.

So, Paris chooses Aphrodite, and Helen gets whisked away from Sparta and Menelaus. The kings of Greece, having taken an oath to help get Helen back in the event that she gets taken from the husband of her choice, are called upon to go to war to bring her back. So, the question we ask first is "Why was an oath required in the first place?" Well, Helen was so hot that men were more than willing to kill other Hellenes for her. To bring about any semblance of peace, the men agreed that whomever she chose they would help should she be taken. Next comes the question "Why did they have oaths in the first place?" This will be the meat of the piece.

As far as we can tell, the Trojan War is supposed to have taken place around 1200 B.C.. We believe that the alphabet was introduced in 750 B.C., which allowed the Iliad to be written down, along with these strange little things written on papers called "laws." While the various polis that were developed after the collapse of the Mycenean dominance of Hellas, which was around 1100 B.C.. So, how did these societies operate without codified laws, written down and readable for anyone to check?

Promises and oaths.

People are bound together as a society because they are supposed to look out for each other's survival, and it's us against everybody else. Yet, there is still a distinction between those that would keep their word when given, and those that find promises and oaths only contingent upon the circumstances they are given or during the execution of that promise. What overriding, absolute way can we guarantee adherence to this cultural staple?

That whole "lightning bolt up the ass thing."

As such, this is the basis for oaths being given in the sight of the Gods, with sacrifices given to seal the deal. Whether it is the oath given to protect Helen, or the agreement between Hannibal and Philip V of Macedon in 215 B.C. after Hannibal's success at Cannae. To violate this oath would be the same as lying to one's Gods, the fast track for disaster, ruin, and death. Two things come from this. First, oaths require some form of a religious commitment or ceremony, solemn and truthful. Second, it's easy to see how oaths have fallen out given our much more secular world that we live in today. That is not to say that oaths are inextant in our world today. For example, certain youth groups have oath-taking ceremonies to prepare them for weighty virtues and demands of probity. Most famously are the Boy Scouts of America, and more obscurely the Order of DeMolay. Within our governmental structure, is it not the case that the highest positions of office require oaths to be given, specifically on our holy texts and in the sight of God and thousands of people to uphold our ideals and to do one's duty as well as possible?

I cannot back this up, but I think that oaths are as old as language and religion, the latter, so archaeology tells us, is believed to be the basis of culture, the former a way to communicate beliefs. While I think this is the cultural basis for oaths and oath-taking, I don't think that a religious component is necessary, it is at least sufficient. One need only take the spoken word to be excessively powerful to take an oath. Like Conan, who happens to hate laws and civilized people, yet keeps to his oaths as best he can, and swears by his God like it's nobody's business. Another interesting bit is that oaths seem to be rather wide-spread as an integral part in the fabric of ancient societies. Now, I would need to go into more detail than I have in the past concerning ancient China and thereabouts, but I know there is at least dedication to a words uttered formally to seal promises. Like the Shaolin badasses.

With this primer that will actually act as an informal background for the strongest philosophy paper I've written, I think one of the best questions that can be asked on this topic is this:

In the absence of laws, what keeps others from taking your crap like in Hobbes. The threat of violence, which is inefficient, but common Gods and practices that will keep people bound to their utterances?

Wa-ta! Ishamael