Overview of Greek schools of philosophy. World History, gr 9.

1. Greek Philosophers
Living Within the Context of the Greek Mythologies

2. Key Names:
Athens
Sparta
Corinth
Macedonia
Thermopylae
Marathon
Salamis
Peloponnese
Acaia
Macedonia
Troy
Ephesus

3. Key People
Socrates
Plato
Aristotle
Religion of Greece
Mythology
Zeus
Poseidon
Hestia
Athena

4. Big Questions Asked by
Greek Philosophers

5. Big Questions Asked by
Greek Philosophers
• What is truth?

6. Big Questions Asked by
Greek Philosophers
• What is truth?
• What is beauty?

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
O RE
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?
E

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

13. Sophists
New School

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

29. ?
Socrates

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

53. ?
Socrates
Plato
√
√
Aristotle

54. Innate knowledge
?
Socrates
Plato
√
√
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

77. ?
Socrates
Plato
√
√
Aristotle

78. Innate knowledge
?
Socrates
Plato
√
√
Aristotle

79. Innate knowledge
?
Socrates
Don’t trust the senses.
Plato
√
√
Aristotle

80. Innate knowledge
?
Socrates
Don’t trust the senses.
Plato
√ Observe, measure, weigh.
√
Aristotle

81. Innate knowledge
?
Socrates
Don’t trust the senses.
Plato
√ Observe, measure, weigh.
√
Aristotle

82. Innate knowledge
?
Socrates Epicureans
Don’t trust the senses.
Plato
√ Observe, measure, weigh.
√
Aristotle

83. Innate knowledge
?
Socrates Epicureans
Don’t trust the senses. “Pleasure”
Plato
√ Observe, measure, weigh.
√
Aristotle

84. Innate knowledge
? 
Socrates Epicureans
Don’t trust the senses. “Pleasure”
Plato
√ Observe, measure, weigh.
√
Aristotle

85. Innate knowledge
? 
Socrates Epicureans
Don’t trust the senses. “Pleasure”
Plato
√ Observe, measure, weigh.
√
Aristotle

86. Innate knowledge
? 
Socrates Epicureans
Don’t trust the senses. “Pleasure”
Plato
Stoics
√ Observe, measure, weigh.
√
Aristotle

87. Innate knowledge
? 
Socrates Epicureans
Don’t trust the senses. “Pleasure”
Plato
Stoics
√ Observe, measure, weigh.
√ “Pain”
Aristotle

88. Innate knowledge
? 
Socrates Epicureans
Don’t trust the senses. “Pleasure”
Plato

Stoics
√ Observe, measure, weigh.
√ “Pain”
Aristotle

89. Question

90. Who was right?