Greek Philosophers

Greek Philosophers

“Wisdom begins in wonder.”“Be as you wish to seem.”“To find yourself, think for yourself.” On a piece of scrap paper, explain ONE of the following quotes in your own words:

What is Philosophy? Why am I here? Is this all a dream? What is right and wrong? Good and bad? Is there a god? If you have ever asked yourself questions like these, then you have been thinking like a philosopher. Philo-= love of sophy= wisdom A philosopher is someone who is puzzled by the world, and asks questions about it. We are all philosophers here.

What is the difference between science and philosophy? Philosophy explores things we don’t know. When answers are found, philosophy becomes science. On your paper, write down as many “philosophical” questions as you can in the next 3 minutes...

When did it all begin?Throughout history, people have asked questions about the world they lived in. And probably, there are many great thinkers who went unknown. Every society has had its own philosophers. Over 2000 years ago, Western philosophers lived in Greece, Italy and Turkey. The trade brought an exchange of ideas. These early thinkers were influenced by the Egyptians, and Babylonians.

What is the purpose of philosophy? In ancient times, mathematics, physics, biology, chemistry used to be part of philosophy. As technology advanced, philosophy and science became separate fields. Philosophers can think about topics in new ways. They can argue and think clearly.

The Early Greeks The history of Western Philosophy began in Ancient Greece. Before the Greeks began to look for scientific explanations, everything was explained by myths, legends or gods.

Thales(Thay-leez)624-546 BCE Thales lived in Miletus, a city-state on the coast of Asia Minor (now called Turkey). Thales was an astronomer and an expert on navigation. Noticing that water could be liquid, solid and vapor, he wondered if that could explain how reality changed. Thales decided that water must be the basic ingredient of the universe. He said the world floated like a log on endless water.

Anaximander610-546 BCE Anaximander also came form Miletus. He shared Thales’ opinion that there was something basic that glued the universe together. But he did not think it was as simple as water. He called the substance “boundless”- something beyond the physical universe. He thought the universe was shaped like a drum and surrounded by this substance. He also came up with a theory that people evolved from fish.

Pythagoras571-496 BCE This thinker is still famous today for his mathematical theorem about triangles. He thought reality could be explained by mathematics. He also discovered a relationship between music and mathematics and the harmony of the universe. Pythagoras started a society that followed a strict code. He said reality was 10 sided. He also banned the eating of beans for all his followers because he believed it was cannibalism- when he cut open a bean, it looked like the beginning of human life. In fact, when chased by an angry crowd, he stopped by a bean field and refused to run through it, and met an untimely death.

Pythagorean Theorem

Socrates469-399 BCE Socrates was a familiar figure in the streets of Athens. Badly dressed and always barefoot, he spent the days and nights talking about all sorts of ideas. Socrates believed that: “Ignorance is the only evil.” Socrates thought that true happiness came from leading a good life. But what is good and what is bad? That was the big question. “The only thing I know,” Socrates said, “is that I know nothing!”

Socrates thought he would gain answers by asking questions. But this got him in trouble with the leading political figures who felt like they had all the answers. He was arrested for corrupting the youth of Athens and for worshipping false gods. He was found guilty and sentenced to death. His sentencers assumed he would beg for his life- their real goal was to take him down a few notches. But he refused to beg. Instead, he proposed that the city should give him one free meal a day and put up a statue of himself in town. He died by drinking hemlock juice, a poisonous plant.

Plato428-354 BCE Plato was born as an aristocrat in Athens. Born into a very wealthy family, he could have gone into politics and power, but he was disgusted by the murder of Socrates. Plato believed that good leaders weren’t born, but were built. So he opened up his own school. His teachings focused on the question: Is there a perfect world?

Socrates never wrote anything down, but Plato wanted everything recorded in writing. So he recorded Socrates’ ideas in the form of a discussion between two people. Plato thought there were unchanging truths about all things- for example, there is a perfect model for all things (“dogness”, “catness”, courage, justice…) Plato believed it was a philosophers job to open people’s eyes and help them strive for perfection.

Plato believed that men and women had the same intellectual powers and should receive the same education. • At Plato’s Academy, students studied science, gymnastics and philosophy. • His ideal society would be one ruled by philosophers. • He believed there was a unseen world with the perfect models of all things on earth- -that our world was a world of shadows, the reflections of an ideal worked. • People were trapped like prisoners who only see the shadows- they mistake the shadows for what is real.

Aristotle384-322 BCE Aristotle studied with Plato for 20 years. But he thought that Aristotle’s idea of the unseen world was crazy. The natural world fascinated Aristotle- and he was often seen examining nature. He said: “There is something marvelous in all natural things.” After Plato died, Aristotle opened a school called the Lyceum. There, students studied philosophy and the natural world.

Aristotle found that he could organize everything on Earth into animal, vegetable or mineral. • He catalogued over 500 species of sea life. • He branded women as 2nd class citizens, unfit or rights. • He was Alexander the Great’s teacher- who will grow up to conquer much of the known world.

Greek Philosophers