Zoroaster: The Most Influential Philosopher and Prophet in History
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This study group examines Zoroaster, an Indo-Iranian prophet whose philosophical teachings significantly influenced the development of Zoroastrianism, a tradition that began in the mid-second millennium BCE. The analysis presents Zoroaster as a prominent prophet who has shaped later Abrahamic religions and Western philosophy, positioning him as an early supporter of revealed religion. Zoroaster's core beliefs, including dualistic cosmology, eschatology, and the ongoing battle between good and evil, continue to impact modern ethical, moral, and philosophical discussions. The lecture highlights Zoroaster's substantial historical influence and the continuing importance of his ideas in debates about ethics, free will, and human purpose.
Dr. Mitra Ara is a cultural historian and professor at San Francisco State University, where she teaches classes in multiple departments. She earned her B.A. in Religious Studies, her M.A. in South and Southeast Asian Studies with a focus on Sanskrit and Avestan religious traditions, and her Ph.D. in Asian Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. She has written several books, numerous articles, and has spoken at conferences and colloquia.
This study group consists of a morning session and an afternoon session. Please note that lunch is not included in the registration fee. Attendees can purchase lunch in the museum café, and are welcome to bring food into the Koret Education Center.
Photo credit: Miho couch central panel.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/Miho_couch_central_p...
Bing Huang Provided under CC BY 4.0 license: "Copyright: © 2021 by the author. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).", CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
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