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I believe the academy is the longest lasting institution, founded by Plato in 387 BC.
by dr_dshiv 6y ago
I believe the academy is the longest lasting institution, founded by Plato in 387 BC.
- idoh 6y agoI googled this, found the relevant wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platonic_Academy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platonic_Academy Seems like it has not endured unbroken from then until now. But if you disagree I'd love to read about your take.
- dr_dshiv 6y agoSure, the academy shut down several times. But, it was a novel mode of social organization -- and as such, it continues today with great effect. Surely the role of the academy in the scientific revolution is certain, for instance.
- fortran77 6y agoMy Jewish minyan would disagree with that. We've been meeting and discussing the same issues for at least 2500 years.
- dr_dshiv 6y agoFair enough! One could argue that the nature of the social organization shifted significantly post-temple... But I'd be arguing on your side. Now Buddhism or Jainism, I suppose they would take the prize for longest lasting institutions?
- fortran77 6y agoBuddhism or Jainism may have established social rituals that have been going on longer, I'm not sure. But I always laugh at the "long now" people. If you look at the earliest Jewish writings found, and compare them to what we read and study today, you'll see we've had a lot of continuity over the years and have found a social model that works for this--despite the best efforts of the rest of the world.