|
||
Definition: The myth of Atlantis goes back at least to the time of Plato, whose dialogues contain the first recorded account of the legendary island. According to tradition, the island of Atlantis fostered a magnificent civilization which achieved spectacular levels of technology and learning. Some have even believed that the knowledge and abilities of the Atlanteans surpassed what we have today. The island, however, sank into the sea a long time ago - explanations for this vary from a simple natural disaster, like an earthquake, to punishment from the gods for their extreme hubris.
Although the legend has continued to be popular for a long time, there is no evidence for the existence of such a spectacularly advanced civilization in the ancient world. Islands do not simply sink into the sea - an island might be covered by rising waters, but the island would still exist, below the surface and discoverable by people today. At best, the legend of Atlantis is simply a distortion of the destruction of an ancient city or civilization, for example the end of the Minoan civilization by the eruption of Thera (today Santorini), around 1500 BCE
If a real historical event lies behind the legend, however, there is nothing left of it to be particularly relevant. The legend surpassed its historical roots and became something more, an example of what is known as a "golden age" myth where everyone was rich, everyone was happy, civilization was advanced, and where people messed it up because they became too proud of their achievements.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
Related Resources:
What is Atheism?
The definition of atheism causes many people problems. Too often, people have the wrong idea of what atheism really is and what atheists really believe.What is Agnosticism?
Misunderstandings about agnosticism are just as frequent as misunderstandings about atheism.
