Representations of Light in Western Culture
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
This article presents an adequate, if prosaic and limited, genealogy of the symbolism of light and darkness in Western history from its roots in Greek, Hebrew, and Christian mythology, theology, and philosophy up to the present. It provides a useful selection of texts and sources connecting light with the divine, life, wisdom, curiosity, progress, and civilization and darkness with evil, savagery, ignorance, and fear. This may be enough, but what it leaves out in this reader’s view is the biological and psychological basis underlying positive associations with light and negative ones with darkness and the effect these associations have had on the development of human intelligence as well as human prejudices, especially when it comes to race. this may be too much to take on in a short article, but there is nothing particualry new or orignal in the article as it now stands.
Minor queries:
1. Why are metaphors a “prison” and not just as much of a liberating force?
2. Why does the author say s/he “instinctively” turned to Nietzsche and Foucault? Surely there was nothing instinctual about this intellectual act.
3. “Just like in Genesis”? Shouldn’t this be, “As in Genesis”?
4. Old Testament vs. Hebrew Bible?
5. Isn’t it interesting that Zeus punishes Prometheus for bringing light to humans just as the Hebrew God curses the serpent for encouraging Eve to eat from the tree of knowledge and expels Adam and Eve for following his advice? Some early Gnostics wondered why Gods would do this, which certainly suggests that religion and religious institutions are not in favor of free thought (forbidden knowledge and all that).
Author Response
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Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
It's an interesting and original paper which I enjoyed reading. I would suggest though an historical approach to the primordial archetypes of myths in western culture, and their impact on its formation.
The question addressed by the paper is about the representations of light in popular western culture from ancient Near Eastern mythologies to Plato's parable of the cave, to Judeo-Christian cultural tradition and the Enlightenment up to the 'New age' culture. My expertise doesn't lie neither in religious texts, religious studies nor in philosophical genealogy; yet I strongly believe that it is an original paper which adds to the literature regarding these issues. However the investigation of western cultural history necessitates the conceptual analysis of notions such as 'popular Western culture', or 'ancient Near East mythologies'. It is a matter of epistemical coherence and historical scrutinity even if the paper is not about western culture per se but about how the representations of light fuelled its mythical core. The popular character of western culture which is investigated in this paper is another original idea; the emphasis is not on a monumental history but the commonality of imagies, experiences and representations of the light, its symbolisms, asymmetrical concepts, light versus darkness and evil. The author argues that light is a deep structure; is it contingent on its temporality? Is deep structure a long-term structure, is the 'figure' of light as investigated here has to do with synchronicity?
The paper is well argumented. The conclusion needs to be further analysed.
p.4 Is it more accurate according to the conceptions of Greek antiquity to talk about twelve olympic gods instead of ten?
Author Response
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Reviewer 3 Report
Representation of Light in Western Culture
The article gives an introduction on light and religion and then gives the mentioning of light in Old Testament, Near Eastern mythologies, Judeo-Christian narrative and in Western thought. As an epilogue, the light in the New Age is given.
The paper gives good scope of the light in different western worldviews drawing the similarities.
It could be improved by stating the hypothesis/ aim of the paper in the introduction.
The conclusion is missing. The epilogue could not be considered conclusion as the main rule is that the author should not bring new argumentation to the conclusion.
Line 107 – the sentence is not finished.
Author Response
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Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 3 Report
It should have a section subtitle "Conclusion"
Author Response
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