Greek Science

PLATO & ARISTOTLE Greek Science

OBJECTIVES Know and understand the basics of Plato's philosophy. Know and understand the basics of Aristotle's philosophy. Know the importance and influence of Plato and Aristotle's philosophy in the field of science and human thinking in general. Know the significance of Plato and Aristotle's philosophy in your daily life.

Plato & Aristotle School of Athens, by Raphael

PLATO Pupil of Socrates Influenced by Socrates' death Set up his own school known as the "Academy" one of the greatest and most influential thinker of all time.

BACKGROUND OF HIS THOUGHT 1. From Natural Philosophy to Philosophy of Man and Society Natural Philosophy - Thales, Anaximenes, Anaximander, Parmenides, Heraclitus, Democritus - Main Question: "What is the underlying stuff of nature?" Philosophy of Man and Society - Sophists and Socrates - Main Questions: "Who are we? What is virtue? What is Justice?"

BACKGROUND OF HIS THOUGHT 2. Both Trends are concerned with the existence of the "eternal and immutable." Natural Philosophy - "ONE in the many" Philosophy of Man and Society - "NORMS of the society" 3. Concern of Plato: He was also concerned with the relationship between what is "eternal and immutable", on the one hand, and what "flows", on the other. -Same as the Natural Philosophers and Humanists. -But he answered it differently.

HOW PLATO CAME UP WITH HIS IDEA "Although everything in the natural world "flows", there must nevertheless be "something" that never changes." Now the question is,"where can we find that non-changing 'something'?"

HOW PLATO CAME UP WITH HIS IDEA World of Things (Nature) Perceptible Perishable within time and space it flows

HOW PLATO CAME UP WITH HIS IDEA "where can we find that non-changing 'something'?" Obviously, "It must be beyond the realm of things." -It must be perceived only by reason -immaterial and non-perishable -outside time and space -eternal and immutable For Plato, it is found in the realm of Ideas

PLATO'S DOCTRINE OF IDEAS For Plato all Material things are fashioned after their timeless "ideas or forms." Despite their differences, why are toy horses all the same? Why is a toy horse a toy horse? what is there in all toy horses that makes them all toy horses?

PLATO'S DOCTRINE OF IDEAS If you are to make toy horses: you use models of horses you have in your mind the "forms" of horses. this form or idea of a toy horse allows you to make several toy horses. despite their differences, all toy horses are toy horses. Therefore, what makes a toy horse a toy horse is the idea of a toy horse.

PLATO'S DOCTRINE OF IDEAS Thus for Plato, "The realm of Ideas is the foundation of the realm of things." IDEAS THINGS ART

TRUE KNOWLEDGE what is known in the realm of things are mere "opinions" - we only use sense perception -ex. who is the most beautiful actress? what is known in the realm of ideas are "true knowledge" - we use reason -ex. mathematics, geometry, philosophical ideas "We can only have 'inexact conception' of things we perceive with our senses. But we can have 'true knowledge' of things we understand with our reason."

The Cave Allegory WORLD OF THINGS (SHADOWS)

The Cave Allegory things are but shadows of ideas or eternal forms we need to go beyond the shadows and dwell on the realm of ideas. ideas let us understand the natural world

WE ONLY RECOLLECT IDEAS We already know ideas before, all we need is to just remember them. We remember the ideas in the copies (things). IDEA OF A HORSE

ARISTOTLE (384—322) He was a pupil at Plato's Academy Before going to Athens, we lived in Macedonia Son of the famous physician Nicomachus Last great Greek Philosopher, but first great biologist of Europe

ARISTOTLE (384—322) Unlike Plato, he was preoccupied with natural processes (world of things) and not with the world of ideas. He was "the great organizer." He tutored (342—c.339 ) Alexander the Great In 335 he opened a school in the Lyceum; some distinguished members of the Academy followed him.

NATURE IS THE REAL WORLD... The "idea" of something is simply a concept that we humans formed after seeing a certain number of that thing. “Ideas” are just the "common characteristics" of things belonging into a certain group. “Ideas” are just reflections of natural objects.

NATURE IS THE REAL WORLD... For Aristotle, "Nothing exists in the mind that has not first been experienced by the senses." Simply, "There is no such thing as a separate world of ideas."

CAUSALITY IN NATURE Modern/popular notion of cause: how something came to be example: RAIN - the moisture in the clouds cools and condenses into raindrops that are drawn to the earth by the force of gravity. For Aristotle, this is incomplete.

CAUSALITY IN NATURE THERE ARE ALWAYS 4 CAUSES OF A THING: 1. Material Cause - material component 2. Efficient Cause - that which makes the thing (external agent) 3. Formal Cause - that which makes a thing what it is 4. Final cause - purpose for which the thing is made.

CAUSALITY IN NATURE Example: RAIN 1. Material Cause - moisture 2. Efficient Cause - cooling air 3. Formal Cause - form or nature of water - to fall to the earth 4. Final Cause - its purpose is to nourish the earth and its dwellers.* In modern thought the efficient cause is generally considered the central explanation of a thing, but for Aristotle the final cause had primacy.

EVERYTHING CAN BE CATEGORIZED Every object falls under a broader category and a certain subcategory This also applies in the sciences Science is divided into different branches and that such branches are parts of one coherent whole. Physics Biology Psychology Logic Ethics Politics Metaphysics

LOGIC One of Aristotle's major contribution to human knowledge Found in his Organon Logic is an instrument used for organizing our thoughts based on correlation of terms

LOGIC ex. (Syllogism) All creatures are mortals Gloria is a creature Gloria is a mortal Clear thinking that leads to a definitely true conclusion.

Plato & Aristotle in General True Knowledge is found “above”, in the world of ideas. • True Knowledge is found “here”, in the world of things.

Questions to Ponder What are the contributions of the two great philosophers to science? How can we use their philosophies in our practical daily living?

Greek Science

Greek Science

Presentation Transcript

Early Greek Science and Philosophy

TOPIC 5: ANCIENT GREEK SCIENCE - 500 YEARS LATER

Greek Philosophy & Science

Greek Alphabet and Science

Greek Science

Greek Democracy and Science

Greek Mythology The Greek Heroes

Greek Alphabet and Science

Greek science

The Greek Science, Technology, Innovation and Diffusion System

Greek

Greek- French cooperation in Science & Technology

Greek

Common Greek West Greek East Greek

Greek Art, Architecture, Science and Math

Greek Philosophies Greek Theater

Greek Meze | Greek-e-foodmarket

Greek Mythology & Greek Contributions

Greek Science

Greek Science

Greek Science II

Greek Science II

Greek Science

Greek Science

Presentation Transcript

Early Greek Science and Philosophy

TOPIC 5: ANCIENT GREEK SCIENCE - 500 YEARS LATER

Greek Philosophy &amp; Science

Greek Alphabet and Science

Greek Science

Greek Democracy and Science

Greek Mythology The Greek Heroes

Greek Alphabet and Science

Greek science

The Greek Science, Technology, Innovation and Diffusion System

Greek

Greek- French cooperation in Science &amp; Technology

Greek

Common Greek West Greek East Greek

Greek Art, Architecture, Science and Math

Greek Philosophies Greek Theater

Greek Meze | Greek-e-foodmarket

Greek Mythology &amp; Greek Contributions

Greek Science

Greek Science

Greek Science II

Greek Science II

Greek Philosophy & Science

Greek- French cooperation in Science & Technology

Greek Mythology & Greek Contributions