The Historical Fallacy of Lack of Perspective

[Eran of Arcadia]

Do the Jews have an eschatology? Because I thought one of the main difference between Judaism and Christianism was that whole end-of-the-world thing...

I think the Jews developed an eschatology during the Rabbinical era, based around the coming of the Messiah; however, it is not as detailed or as central as the Christian version. Also, I base that statement on a few things I once read, so take it with the requisite NaCl.

 

[Ayatollah So]

I'm sure you're right about intellectual laziness explaining why people ignore the yawning gap between 4000 BC and 3500 BC. But on the other hand, I think there's been a lot more change from 1500 to 2000 AD. Teleport a random individual from 4000 to 3500 BC, give him some language lessons, and he'd adapt quickly. Do the same from 1500 to 2000, and your time traveler would stand there with his jaw hanging open for a long time.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

In terms of technological, social, and other changes, certainly humanity as a whole has changed a lot. But in terms of people being born, falling in love, reproducing, dying, like people do, there is a difference. A man born in 4000 BCE was not a contemporary of a man born in 3500 BCE.

This extends to biology as well. There is a greater genetic difference between certain species of bacteria than between humans and trees, or even between humans and some bacteria. But many people think all bacteria are essentially the same.