Author
Ercüment Yıldırım
Publication Place
Giresun University -
Giresun University
Subject
İdrak Journal of Religious Research, 2022-12, Vol.2 (2), p.238-254
Type
Book
Language
ara,tur
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Library
Leitir Library
Library Asset ID
EISSN: 2791-6693
Record ID
cdi_doaj_primary_oai_doaj_org_article_0f383dd684964c208c6db58dd17405b9
Library Location
DOAJ Directory of Open Access Journals
Notes
The understanding of Maat, which was decisive in people's interactions with each other and their relationships with the gods in ancient Egypt, also showed believers the way to a virtuous life. The understanding of Maat, which was accepted for thousands of years in Ancient Egypt, where the oldest written texts on virtue ethics were created, described the ideal human being. Even though the understanding of theology and the ranking of the gods in ancient Egypt changed over the millennia, the definition of the ideal human being with virtuous behavior remained the same, except for minor differences. In ancient Egypt, an individual who would be approved by the gods and adopted as a subject by the king was expected to exhibit all the behaviors that are considered virtuous today. The understanding of Maat, which was the regulator of social life by guiding the life of the individual in ancient Egypt, includes the rules that every individual who accepts to live in society must follow. These rules aim to enable people to continue their lives without harming each other and by helping each other. Apart from this basic purpose, ensuring the continuity of agricultural production, which was indispensable for the continuity of life in Ancient Egypt, also found a place within the Maat understanding. The understanding of Maat, which surrounded life in ancient Egypt, not only made life on earth beautiful and meaningful as a result of virtuous behavior, but also ensured eternal life after death. In ancient Egypt, compared to other civilizations of the period, there was a very strong belief in life after death. In ancient Egypt, it was believed that the earth, created by the gods, was a temporary place for people, and it was thought that the life after death would be determined by the gods based on the believers' behavior on earth. In ancient Egypt, it was believed that if a person exhibited virtuous behavior, he would have a good life that lasted forever, but if he did evil against the gods and other people, he would be exiled to a place where he would be punished. In ancient Egypt, it was decided whether a person was a virtuous person by weighing his heart after death. In ancient Egypt, after death, the heart of the person containing the soul was placed on one pan of a divine scale by God Anubis in the presence of many gods, and the ostrich feather carried by the Goddess Maat on her head was placed on the other pan. It was believed that if the heart and feather remained in balance, the owner of the heart was understood to be a virtuous person and gained eternal life. The owner of the heart, which is heavier than an ostrich feather because it is filled with bad behavior, is sent to be punished. This study aims to explain how the understanding of Maat, which determined the direction of belief in social life in Ancient Egypt, was shaped by virtue ethics, through the texts that have survived to the present day.
Detaylı Başlık
Eski Mısır’da Erdem Ahlakının İnanç Sistemine Yansıması: Maat Anlayışı
