the ▁process ▁of ▁becoming ▁y an int in ", ▁this ▁dual ism ▁manif ested ▁itself ▁in ▁And e an ▁art , ▁gender ▁relations , ▁and ▁even ▁political ▁administrative ▁organization . ▁In ca ▁philosophy ▁is ▁the ▁only ▁And e an ▁philosoph ical ▁tradition ▁for ▁which ▁we ▁know ▁of ▁any ▁direct ▁records ▁for . ▁In ca ▁philosophy ▁was ▁intr ins ically ▁bound ▁together ▁with ▁religion , ▁and ▁was ▁deeply ▁ste ep ed ▁in ▁the ▁concept ▁of ▁dual ism . ▁ ▁Mes o amer ica ▁ ▁Perhaps ▁the ▁best ▁documented ▁philosoph ical ▁tradition ▁of ▁the ▁Pre col umb ian ▁and ▁early ▁colonial ▁era ▁is ▁that ▁of ▁the ▁Az te cs , ▁a ▁N ahu at l - spe aking ▁people ▁who ▁established ▁a ▁large ▁and ▁s oph istic ated ▁emp ire ▁in ▁central ▁Mexico ▁prior ▁to ▁being ▁conquer ed ▁by ▁the ▁Spanish . ▁Mes o amer ican ▁thought ▁and ▁philosophy ▁is ▁notable ▁for ▁its ▁extensive ▁usage ▁of ▁met ap hor ▁to ▁explain ▁abstract ▁concepts . ▁ ▁The ▁Az te cs ▁thought ▁of ▁philosophy ▁in ▁more ▁or ▁less ▁p rag m atic ▁and ▁practical ▁terms . ▁A ▁central ▁feature ▁of ▁Az te c ▁philosophy ▁was ▁the ▁concept ▁of ▁te ot l , ▁a ▁N ahu at l ▁term ▁for ▁the ▁anim ating ▁force ▁of ▁the ▁cos mos ▁and ▁an ▁ever - act ing ▁and ▁dynamic ▁m over . ▁Te ot l ▁in ▁the ological ▁terms ▁could ▁also ▁symbol ize ▁a ▁type ▁of ▁p ant he ism . ▁ ▁South west ▁ ▁Among ▁the ▁Hop i , ▁there