Greek Philosophy

Greek Philosophy Imagine living 15,000 years ago! How do you explain natural events? Science? Religion? Philosophy? Man has a need to understand, predict, and control nature

Greek Philosophy Problem – no science or philosophy - So, what do you do? Religion, of course! Humans give nature human attributes  anthropomorphism sky is angry, happy, etc. Idea that nature is alive  animism spirits live in everything

Greek Philosophy If nature was alive and had human traits  humans could appease or control nature through magical rituals Early religion – not about morality! Explain and control nature! Find out what would make the gods happy!

Greek Philosophy Greeks wanted their religion to do 3 things - explain nature - explain the passions that make people lose self-control - how to gain benefits such as long life, good fortune, and abundant harvests

Greek Philosophy 2 major religious thoughts in Greek religion • Olympian • gods of Homer • no souls, therefore no immortality • nature was orderly, rational • live life to its fullest • Dionysiac-Orphic • soul needs redemption • sought liberation of soul to go back to its divine form in the heavens with the gods Which makes the most sense?

Greek Philosophy When man began looking for more natural explanation of nature over the supernatural, philosophy is born! • Philosophy – Love of Wisdom • first philosophers sought natural explanation of universe • Miletus in Asia Minor – 600 BCE • sought “physis” – basic substance of universe • things in the universe consist of natural substances and are governed by natural principles - not by the whims of the gods • universe is therefore knowable and within our understanding!! - Thales – first philosopher

Greek Philosophy - sought substance needed for all life - therefore - WATER Is water the basic substance? • most important contribution of Thales was critical tradition • encouraged students to question their teachers • build upon their work Anaximenes – sought substance that was boundless, infinite AIR

Greek Philosophy - next on the list - Heraclitus - impressed by the fact everything in nature is in constant state of flux – so what causes the most change in things? FIRE • nothing ever is – everything is in a process of becoming • world is made of polar opposites  need to know darkness to know what is light • night-day, up-down, life-death, etc. “No man steps into the same river twice.”

Greek Philosophy Democritus – looked for the tiniest thing in universe – thing that could not be divided nor changed Atom • first atomic theory • no modern scientific instruments • made world rational and lawful BUT HE WAS WRONG LIKE ALL THE OTHERS! - They begin journey looking for rational explanation of nature

Greek Philosophy • the most interesting of early Greek philosophers – Pythagoras • Pythagorean theorem a² + b² = c² - numbers & numerical relationships, while abstract, were nonetheless real and exerted an influence on the empirical world!! NUMBERS • world of numbers existed independently of the empirical world and could be known in its pure form only through reason • nothing is perfect in real, empirical world  no true right triangles but Pythagorean Theorem works perfectly in the abstract!!

Greek Philosophy • perhaps most influential philosopher of all time • understanding of this perfect, abstract world lay beyond our senses and could only be embraced by reason!! • proposed that the universe was dualistic in nature; i.e., there are two parts in nature • one was abstract, permanent, and intellectually knowable by reason • the other was empirical, changing, and known through the senses • sensory experience cannot provide real knowledge

Greek Philosophy Who was right? None!... at least about the physis Many truths, therefore much confusion! Rise of the Sophists – “wandering teachers” • Not one truth, but many truths • truth was relative • trained people in grammar, logic, and rhetoric • argue both sides of an argument • goal of life was to get wealth, gain social prestige, and political power Protagoras – “Man is the measure of all things.”

Greek Philosophy • truth depends on the perceiver rather than on physical reality • perceptions vary w/ previous experiences of the perceiver • what is considered true will be culturally determined b/c culture influences one’s experience • to understand why a person believes as he/she does, one must understand the person!! “No man steps into the same river once”

Greek Philosophy Socrates (469-399 BCE) - philosopher and teacher • born in Athens and lived entire life there • left no writings – we know of him from his students • agreed with Sophists about experience being important • disagreed about what constituted the Truth Truth was real and absolute, not relative! • - used inductive reasoning to find the truth • sought to discover general principles from examining isolated examples  go from specifics to formulate generals • “What do all instances of truth have in common?”

Greek Philosophy • taught students to question authority – ask questions  Socratic method • angered leaders of Athens • charged with corrupting the youth and not respecting the gods - found guilty and sentenced to death - given chance to take exile from Athens Declined! • evil arises from ignorance • “Know thyself.” • “The unexamined life is not worth living.” • “No man knowingly does evil.” - devoted to finding truth, goodness, beauty

Greek Philosophy • Plato (427-347 BCE) - born in Athens to wealthy & prominent family • student of Socrates • left Athens after death of Socrates • returned in 387 and founded the Academy (school of philosophy & science) • wrote in dialogues - characters discuss philosophical problems & argue issues • most important work was the Republic • Theory of Forms • things may change but their forms do not • forms can only be known by the intellect; true knowledge is the knowledge of forms • ultimate reality is truth

Greek Philosophy The Allegory of the Cave

Cave – Prisoners – Shadows – Chains - Man setting prisoners free – Ascent – Upper World – Sun –

Abstract World Eternal Permanent Intellect Perfect Real Material World Temporal Changing Senses Imperfect Not as real

Greek Philosophy • Plato’s Republic – Utopia • Philosopher-kings  rulers • Guardians  defenders of society • Citizens  workers – provide for the needs of society Smart – understood truth Strong Needs guidance

Greek Philosophy Aristotle (384-322 BCE) - entered Plato’s academy @ age 18 and remained for 20 years - regarded as Plato’s most learned student • tutored Alexander the Great 342-336 • returned to Athens in 334 and founded Lyceum • charged with disrespecting the gods in 323 - went into exile – died following year • agreed w/ Plato & Socrates about forms but not about its significance • more concerned with reason and logic • father of many disciplines  logic, literary analysis, botany, biology, etc. • should study metaphysics (science of things that do not change) and physics

Greek Philosophy • everything in the universe consist of both form and matter • no such thing as unformed matter or unmattered form • need to understand natural world • Four Principle Causes of all things: • material cause - matter or “stuff” things are made of • formal cause - a thing’s essence or “whatness” • efficient cause - what brings things into being • final cause – end or purpose of things - believed that to achieve happiness, man must avoid extremes & find the mean

Greek Philosophy