You may be aware of Hindu assertions that the Kaaba was originally a Fire temple! They point to the unique practice (amongst Islamic sites) of processing around a shrine, stoning a pillar, venerating a stone, as fire temple rituals. None of these were apparently included as unique instructions to Muslims? I advise this for interest and have not researched references. My info was received verbally.

History is replete with major trading and social contacts between Arabia inhabitants and the Indian sub-continent.

Some study and research difficulties arise with revisionist action by various folk attempting to rewrite history. This has been only partially suuccessful. Early Kaaba residents (pre-dating Mohanmmed) apparently were headed by ‘the deity’(check this in Arabic), his consort and their two children and a number of others. Hindu info contributions provoke re-thinking of later claims?

I pass this for interest and make no claims re authenticity however there appears significant correlations? It may be helpful if independent examination of Kaaba artifacts and the site itself were allowed. Some Islamic folk claim the Kaaba was originally built by Adam, others that Abraham aged about 140+ traveling about 750 miles each way, did the job and then returned home to Canaan! Such claims seem to have surfaced about 2500 years after Abraham lived. No authenticated supporting evidence exists to my knowledge.

Recent investigation of sunken city structures off the west coast of India allegedly date from at least 7000-10000 BC appear to indicate a society older and more developed than the nomadic Arabian peninsular peoples.

You may care to make your own investigations re this fascinating period although information is scarce.

I trust this post does not result in emotional responses.

Isn’t life interesting?

but from what I think I understood:
Intellectual progress we may make without end but our emotions remain pretty close to what they have been centuries and centuries ago (why else do I immediately and unequivocally side with Achilles’ rage if not because I find that same reaction repeated in every slighted employee’s “innere Kündigung”=inner/silent notice giving)
I read Toynbee almost 40 years ago but another thing that stuck in my mind was his conclusion that civilizations do not really progress but that religions have progressed over the millenia towards transcendance (first you worship the sun, than a god with the attribute of the sun, etc. etc.) as at least the religions of the book have come a long way from the constantly squabbling Olympians I wonder what mankind will come up with – as far as I know back to fundamentals does not have a record of impressive success over times, so my bet is on something even more up, up and away (definitely not atheism, far too dogmatic in my taste).
I am woefully uneducated about Marxism but completely convinced by everyday experience and avid reading of history books that pre-determinable outcomes of anything whatsoever can only ever be “found” in hind-sight, that’s why I prefer historians who write their “why something happened”-stuff always with implied question marks

However, in terms of intellectual framework I am imagining something that is temporally dynamic…Historical analysis on its own can result in deterministic philosophy. As TonyForesta illustrates in the comment below, when we have knowledge of the forces that shape historical events, we end up with predictable outcomes, such as revolutions that appear necessary for creative change (Toynbee discusses creativity as such). Since this is repeated again and again in history, it is like a circular function that is effectively static through predictability. Why not do everything possible to avoid such prediction – especially if there is “bloody” outcome…as described below? I just don’t think we should give up on the notion of intellectual progress for humanity beyond Marxist musings or other alternative theories of previous centuries…

Hopefully we might see Simon address the requirement to protect against exploiting market mafiosi while getting the balance right for maximum market freedom. Maybe a shell of ‘safety’ processes could be developed?

I confidently expect your contribution to be of great value.

Thanks again.

I might add here, I used the phrase “Arabic numerals” above. But this notational system actually originated in India, circa 500 CE, using the Devanagari script. So it was mathematicians in ancient India discovered the concept of zero.

Devanagari is the script for Sanskrit. While philologists have shown Sanskrit, Greek, and Latin are linguistically related. This begins to illustrates just how interconnected the known world has always been from a cultural and historical perspective.

according to Arnold Toynbee through the millenia it was via religion that this framework was provided (he counts communism as a Christian step-child – I am sure he had no love for this step-child)
let’s hope that if there is a framework that will take the lead it is benign to people who will adhere to rules but not confess to the same stuff.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Study_of_History