7. Big Questions Asked by
Greek Philosophers
• What is truth?
• What is beauty?
• What is justice?
8. Big Questions Asked by
Greek Philosophers
RE EK IVE
G LY G
UR AL
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ES Y BIG
• WhatDOtruth?
is OG T
OL RS TO HUM
HE AN
H
• Tis beauty? OF ?
Y SWE
What
M N NS NCE
A STIO TE
• What is E
Q XIS
U justice?
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9. Two Philosophical Ideas the Greeks
Gave to Western Civilization
These are unique to the Greeks and were not present to
any great degree in the other ancient civilizations
• Rationality -- Reason through to
conclusions rather than simply yielding to
tradition and pagan religion
• Observation -- Don’t rely on blind
tradition. Check it out, weight it, measure it,
observe in again and again
10. “Man is the measure
of all things.”
• There are no absolutes.
• Everything is relative.
• Every situation is
different.
• Every group, every
generation sets its own
standards and definitions
11. “Man is the measure
Sophists of all things.”
• There are no absolutes.
• Everything is relative.
• Every situation is
different.
• Every group, every
generation sets its own
standards and definitions
12. “Knowledge is the
Sophists measure of all things.”
New School
“Man is the measure
• There ARE absolutes.
of all things.”
• Truth is real and
• There are no absolutes.
unchanging.
• Everything is relative.
• Absolute standards of
• Every situation is
right and wrong exist.
different.
• Apply to everyone,
• Every group, every everywhere, all the time.
generation sets its own
standards and definitions • TRUTH can be
discovered thru
observation, asking the
right kinds of questions,
and carefully analyzing the
answers
14. Sophists
New School
“Man is the measure
of all things.”
15. Sophists
New School
“Man is the measure
of all things.”
• There are no absolutes.
• Everything is relative.
• Every situation is
different.
16. Sophists
New School
“Man is the measure
of all things.”
• There are no absolutes.
• Everything is relative.
• Every situation is
different.
• Can be discovered thru
asking the right kinds of
questions and carefully
analyzing the answers
17. Sophists
New School
“Man is the measure “Knowledge is the measure
of all things.” of all things.”
• There are no absolutes.
• Everything is relative.
• Every situation is
different.
• Can be discovered thru
asking the right kinds of
questions and carefully
analyzing the answers
18. Sophists
New School
“Man is the measure “Knowledge is the measure
of all things.” of all things.”
• There ARE absolutes.
• There are no absolutes. • Truth is real and
• Everything is relative. UNCHANGING.
• Every situation is • Absolute standards of
different. right and wrong, good and
evil exist
• Can be discovered thru • Apply to everyone,
asking the right kinds of everywhere, all the time.
questions and carefully
analyzing the answers
19. Sophists
New School
“Man is the measure “Knowledge is the measure
of all things.” of all things.”
• There ARE absolutes.
• There are no absolutes. • Truth is real and
• Everything is relative. UNCHANGING.
• Every situation is • Absolute standards of
different. right and wrong, good and
evil exist
• Can be discovered thru • Apply to everyone,
asking the right kinds of everywhere, all the time.
questions and carefully • Can be discovered thru
analyzing the answers asking the right kinds of
questions and carefully
analyzing the answers
20. Sophists
New School
“Man is the measure “Knowledge is the measure
of all things.” of all things.”
• There ARE absolutes.
• There are no absolutes. • Truth is real and
• Everything is relative. UNCHANGING.
• Every situation is • Absolute standards of
different. right and wrong, good and
evil exist
• Can be discovered thru • Apply to everyone,
asking the right kinds of everywhere, all the time.
questions and carefully • Can be discovered thru
analyzing the answers asking the right kinds of
questions and carefully
analyzing the answers
21. Sophists
New School Socrates
“Man is the measure “Knowledge is the measure
of all things.” of all things.”
• There ARE absolutes.
• There are no absolutes. • Truth is real and
• Everything is relative. UNCHANGING.
• Every situation is • Absolute standards of
different. right and wrong, good and
evil exist
• Can be discovered thru • Apply to everyone,
asking the right kinds of everywhere, all the time.
questions and carefully • Can be discovered thru
analyzing the answers asking the right kinds of
questions and carefully
analyzing the answers
22. Sophists
New School Socrates
“Man is the measure “Knowledge is the measure
of all things.” of all things.”
• There ARE absolutes.
• There are no absolutes. • Truth is real and
• Everything is relative. UNCHANGING.
• Every situation is • Absolute standards of
different. right and wrong, good and
evil exist
• Can be discovered thru • Apply to everyone,
asking the right kinds of everywhere, all the time.
questions and carefully • Can be discovered thru
analyzing the answers asking the right kinds of
questions and carefully
analyzing the answers
23. Sophists
New School Socrates
“Man is the measure “Knowledge is the measure
of all things.” of all things.”
• There ARE absolutes.
• There are no absolutes. • Truth is real and
• Everything is relative. UNCHANGING.
• Every situation is • Absolute standards of
different. right and wrong, good and Plato
evil exist
• Can be discovered thru • Apply to everyone,
asking the right kinds of everywhere, all the time.
questions and carefully • Can be discovered thru
analyzing the answers asking the right kinds of
questions and carefully
analyzing the answers
24. Sophists
New School Socrates
“Man is the measure “Knowledge is the measure
of all things.” of all things.”
• There ARE absolutes.
• There are no absolutes. • Truth is real and
• Everything is relative. UNCHANGING.
• Every situation is • Absolute standards of
different. right and wrong, good and Plato
evil exist
• Can be discovered thru • Apply to everyone,
asking the right kinds of everywhere, all the time.
questions and carefully • Can be discovered thru
analyzing the answers asking the right kinds of
questions and carefully
analyzing the answers
25. Sophists
New School Socrates
“Man is the measure “Knowledge is the measure
of all things.” of all things.”
• There ARE absolutes.
• There are no absolutes. • Truth is real and
• Everything is relative. UNCHANGING.
• Every situation is • Absolute standards of
different. right and wrong, good and Plato
evil exist
• Can be discovered thru • Apply to everyone,
asking the right kinds of everywhere, all the time.
questions and carefully • Can be discovered thru
analyzing the answers asking the right kinds of
questions and carefully
analyzing the answers
Aristotle
26. Sophists
New School Socrates
“Man is the measure “Knowledge is the measure
of all things.” of all things.”
• There ARE absolutes.
• There are no absolutes. • Truth is real and
• Everything is relative. UNCHANGING.
• Every situation is • Absolute standards of
different. right and wrong, good and Plato
evil exist
• Can be discovered thru • Apply to everyone,
asking the right kinds of everywhere, all the time.
questions and carefully • Can be discovered thru
analyzing the answers asking the right kinds of
questions and carefully
analyzing the answers
Aristotle
27. Sophists
New School Socrates
“Man is the measure “Knowledge is the measure
of all things.” of all things.”
• There ARE absolutes.
• There are no absolutes. • Truth is real and
• Everything is relative. UNCHANGING.
• Every situation is • Absolute standards of
different. right and wrong, good and Plato
evil exist
VE of
• Can be discovered thru • Apply to everyone,
TIcarefully
asking the right kinds everywhere, all the time.
LA answers
questions and • Can be discovered thru
RE
analyzing the asking the right kinds of
questions and carefully
analyzing the answers
Aristotle
28. Sophists
New School Socrates
“Man is the measure “Knowledge is the measure
of all things.” of all things.”
• There ARE absolutes.
• There are no absolutes. • Truth is real and
• Everything is relative. UNCHANGING.
• Every situation is • Absolute standards of
different. right and wrong, good and Plato
evil exist
VE of
• Can be discovered thru • Apply to everyone,
TIcarefully
asking the right kinds everywhere, all the time.
LA answers
questions and • Can be discoveredE thru
RE
analyzing the
UT
asking the right kinds of
L
B SO answers
questions and carefully
analyzing the
A Aristotle
30. We learn truth by asking right questions
? and analyzing the answers
Socrates
31. We learn truth by asking right questions
? and analyzing the answers
Socrates • What do we know?
• How do we know it?
• How do we know it is true?
• How does it compare with what else
we know to be true?
32. We learn truth by asking right questions
? and analyzing the answers
Socrates • What do we know?
• How do we know it?
• How do we know it is true?
• How does it compare with what else
we know to be true?
•
Got into trouble because he
taught pupils to question the
traditions, leaders and elders of Athens.
• Put on trial 399 BC --
Convicted -- Sentenced to
drinking hemlock
33. We learn truth by asking right questions
? and analyzing the answers
Socrates • What do we know?
• How do we know it?
• How do we know it is true?
• How does it compare with what else
we know to be true?
•
Got into trouble because he
taught pupils to question the
traditions, leaders and elders of Athens.
• Put on trial 399 BC --
Convicted -- Sentenced to
drinking hemlock
34. We learn truth by asking right questions
? and analyzing the answers
Socrates • What do we know?
• How do we know it?
• How do we know it is true?
• How does it compare with what else
we know to be true?
•
Got into trouble because he “Death of Socrates”
taught pupils to question the
traditions, leaders and elders of Athens.
• Put on trial 399 BC --
Convicted -- Sentenced to
drinking hemlock
35. Everything on earth is merely
? a copy of the Real or Ideal Above
Socrates
(d. 399 BC)
Plato
(b. 430 BC - d. 399 BC)
36. Everything on earth is merely
? a copy of the Real or Ideal Above
Socrates
(d. 399 BC) “The Republic”
Plato
(b. 430 BC - d. 399 BC)
37. Everything on earth is merely
? a copy of the Real or Ideal Above
Socrates
(d. 399 BC) “The Republic”
An ideal community exists above
which we must copy.
Plato
(b. 430 BC - d. 399 BC)
38. Everything on earth is merely
? a copy of the Real or Ideal Above
Socrates
(d. 399 BC) “The Republic”
An ideal community exists above
which we must copy.
In this ideal community everyone
does what best suits his/her abilities and needs.
Plato
(b. 430 BC - d. 399 BC)
39. Everything on earth is merely
? a copy of the Real or Ideal Above
Socrates
(d. 399 BC) “The Republic”
An ideal community exists above
which we must copy.
In this ideal community everyone
does what best suits his/her abilities and needs.
Plato
(b. 430 BC - d. 399 BC) In it are 3 kinds citizens: (1) workers (work)
(2) soldiers (protect) (3) philosophers (rule).
40. Everything on earth is merely
? a copy of the Real or Ideal Above
Socrates
(d. 399 BC) “The Republic”
An ideal community exists above
which we must copy.
In this ideal community everyone
does what best suits his/her abilities and needs.
Plato
(b. 430 BC - d. 399 BC) In it are 3 kinds citizens: (1) workers (work)
(2) soldiers (protect) (3) philosophers (rule).
No private property or rights. All subjected
to the city-state. Education for good of state.
41. Everything on earth is merely
? a copy of the Real or Ideal Above
Socrates
(d. 399 BC) “The Republic”
An ideal community exists above
which we must copy.
In this ideal community everyone n?)
ave
does what best suits his/her abilities e needs.
f h and
Plato e ao
hi s id
(b. 430 BC - d. 399 BC) In it are 3 kinds his
citizens: (1) workers (work)
st
(2) soldiers a
W (protect) (3) philosophers (rule).
:
No i on property or rights. All subjected
e stprivate
uto the city-state. Education for good of state.
(Q
42. Two tiers to reality and truth
?
Socrates
Plato
(b. 430 BC - d. 399 BC)
√
√
Aristotle
43. Two tiers to reality and truth
?
Socrates Upper
Plato
(b. 430 BC - d. 399 BC)
√
√
Aristotle
44. Two tiers to reality and truth
?
Socrates Upper
Lower
Plato
(b. 430 BC - d. 399 BC)
√
√
Aristotle
45. Two tiers to reality and truth
?
Socrates
Plato
(b. 430 BC - d. 399 BC)
√
√
Aristotle
46. Two tiers to reality and truth
?
Socrates “Existentially Learned”
Plato
(b. 430 BC - d. 399 BC)
√
√
Aristotle
47. Two tiers to reality and truth
?
Socrates “Existentially Learned”
“Pragmatically Learned”
Plato
(b. 430 BC - d. 399 BC)
√
√
Aristotle
48. • Aristotle was hired by Phillip to be the private
instructor of Alexander the Great when he was a
boy.
• When Alexander died in 323 BC, though, there
were revolts against Macedonian rule in Athens.
People accused Aristotle of being secretly on the
side of the Macedonians (and maybe he was; he
was certainly, like Plato, no democrat). He left
town quickly, and spent the last years of his life
back in the north again where he had been born.
49. Two tiers to reality and truth
?
Socrates “Existentially Learned”
“Pragmatically Learned”
“Politics”
Plato
(b. 430 BC - d. 399 BC)
There is knowledge to be learned thru
observation of the natural world. (Lower Level)
There is knowledge to be learned by
√ speculating on the Cause of all things. (Upper
√ Level)
Aristotle
50. Two tiers to reality and truth
?
Socrates “Existentially Learned”
“Pragmatically Learned”
Plato
(b. 430 BC - d. 399 BC)
√
√
Aristotle
51. Two tiers to reality and truth
?
Socrates “Existentially Learned”
“Pragmatically Learned”
“POLITICS”
Plato
(b. 430 BC - d. 399 BC)
√
√
Aristotle
52. Two tiers to reality and truth
?
Socrates “Existentially Learned”
“Pragmatically Learned”
“POLITICS”
Plato
(b. 430 BC - d. 399 BC)
Average citizens only discern common sense
or pragmatic ideas at a lower level of
“knowing” and are therefore not really fit to
√ govern.
√
Aristotle
55. Innate knowledge
?
Socrates
Don’t trust the senses. Knowledge thru the
senses is confused and corrupted. The soul
alone can capture the Forms.
Plato
√
√
Aristotle
56. Innate knowledge
?
Socrates
Don’t trust the senses. Knowledge thru the
senses is confused and corrupted. The soul
alone can capture the Forms.
Plato
Observe, measure, weigh. Early foundations of
√ scientific method.
√ First Cause of motion is God.
Aristotle
57. ?
Socrates Epicureans
“Oh, phooey! My head hurts
from all this ‘thinking’!”
Plato
√ Stoics
√
Aristotle
58. ?
Socrates
“Our answers to the
big questions of life
are pretty simple and
Plato not complicated.”
√
√
Aristotle
59. ?
Socrates
“Our answers to the
big questions of life
are pretty simple and
Plato not complicated.”
√
√
Aristotle
60. ?
Socrates Epicureans
“Our answers to the
big questions of life
are pretty simple and
Plato not complicated.”
√
√
Aristotle
61. ?
Socrates Epicureans
“Pleasure”
“Our answers to the
big questions of life
are pretty simple and
Plato not complicated.”
√
√
Aristotle
62. Eat, drink, be merry
for tomorrow we die!
?
Socrates Epicureans
“Pleasure”
“Our answers to the
big questions of life
are pretty simple and
Plato not complicated.”
√
√
Aristotle
63. Eat, drink, be merry
for tomorrow we die!
?
Socrates Epicureans
“Pleasure”
“Our answers to the
big questions of life
are pretty simple and
Plato not complicated.”
√
√
Aristotle
64. Eat, drink, be merry
for tomorrow we die!
?
Socrates Epicureans
“Pleasure”
“Our answers to the
big questions of life
are pretty simple and
Plato not complicated.”
√
√
Aristotle
65. Eat, drink, be merry
for tomorrow we die!
?
Socrates Epicureans
“Pleasure”
“Our answers to the
big questions of life
are pretty simple and
Plato not complicated.”
√ Stoics
√
Aristotle
66. Eat, drink, be merry
for tomorrow we die!
?
Socrates Epicureans
“Pleasure”
“Our answers to the
big questions of life
are pretty simple and
Plato not complicated.”
√ Stoics
√
“Pain”
Aristotle
67. Eat, drink, be merry
for tomorrow we die!
?
Socrates Epicureans
“Pleasure”
“Our answers to the
big questions of life
“Grin and bear it.This
are pretty simple and is all there is to life!”
Plato not complicated.”
√ Stoics
√
“Pain”
Aristotle
68. Eat, drink, be merry
for tomorrow we die!
?
Socrates Epicureans
“Pleasure”
“Our answers to the
big questions of life
“Grin and bear it.This
are pretty simple and is all there is to life!”
Plato not complicated.”
√
Stoics
√
“Pain”
Aristotle
69.
Epicureans
Eat, drink, be merry
for tomorrow we die!
70. “Live it up! Do what you want!
There is nothing left after you die!”
Epicureans
Everything important is learned through
the senses of pleasure. Eat, drink, be merry
for tomorrow we die!
71. “Live it up! Do what you want!
There is nothing left after you die!”
Epicureans
Everything important is learned through
the senses of pleasure. Eat, drink, be merry
for tomorrow we die!
“Be sober and self-disciplined. Deprive
yourself of the earthly pleasures, do
not give way to the physical senses,
and you will be accepted in the
afterlife.”
72. “Live it up! Do what you want!
There is nothing left after you die!”
Epicureans
Everything important is learned through
the senses of pleasure. Eat, drink, be merry
for tomorrow we die!
“Be sober and self-disciplined. Deprive
yourself of the earthly pleasures, do
not give way to the physical senses,
and you will be accepted in the
afterlife.”
73. “Live it up! Do what you want!
There is nothing left after you die!”
Epicureans
Everything important is learned through
the senses of pleasure. Eat, drink, be merry
for tomorrow we die!
“Grin and bear it.This
is all there is to life!”
“Be sober and self-disciplined. Deprive
yourself of the earthly pleasures, do
not give way to the physical senses,
and you will be accepted in the
afterlife.”
74. “Live it up! Do what you want!
There is nothing left after you die!”
Epicureans
Everything important is learned through
the senses of pleasure. Eat, drink, be merry
for tomorrow we die!
“Grin and bear it.This
is all there is to life!”
“Be sober and self-disciplined. Deprive
yourself of the earthly pleasures, do
not give way to the physical senses,
and you will be accepted in the
afterlife.”
75. “Live it up! Do what you want!
There is nothing left after you die!”
Epicureans
Everything important is learned through
the senses of pleasure. Eat, drink, be merry
for tomorrow we die!
“Grin and bear it.This
is all there is to life!”
“Be sober and self-disciplined. Deprive
yourself of the earthly pleasures, do
not give way to the physical senses,
Stoics and you will be accepted in the
afterlife.”
76. ?
Socrates
“You both are crazy!
You are irresponsible, Epicureans!
You are lifeless zombies, Stoics!”
Plato “There is reason and purpose in life.
(b. 430 BC - d. 399 BC)
Live for others and for the state.
Seek to become wise.
Life and purpose consist in wisdom.”
√
√
Aristotle
