Hum1020 for love of wisdom ancient greek philosophy
1. For Love Of Wisdom
Ancient Greek Philosophy
Professor Will Adams
Valencia College
2. Greek Philosophy
Philosophy as a course of study The subsequent, more cerebral
attained maturity in ancient thinkers who followed them in the
Greece. next centuries (the Socratics) are
These early thinkers sought to the true philosophers (“lovers of
uncover the nature of the physical wisdom” in Greek).
world, the essential truths of life In Greek, phileo means “love” and
& the purpose of human existence. sophia means “wisdom”.
The earliest thinkers (the Pre- Trivia!:If sophia means “wisdom”
Socratics) were traveling teachers and moron is the Greek word for
called sophists (“workers of “fool”, then a sophomore is a “wise
wisdom” in Greek), who moved fool.”
from polis to polis lecturing.
3. Thales of Miletus
636 – 546 B.C.E.
Thales was the earliest known
philosopher.
He gained basic knowledge of earlier
learning by studing Egyptian &
Babylonian texts concerning
astronomy & mathematics.
He believed that the universe was
controlled by fixed laws (today called
physics).
He also believed the basic element
was water.
He was a dilettante intellectual – he
got rich with olive presses!
4. Pythagoras
582 – 500 B.C.E.
As a mathematician, Pythagoras
developed the idea that the universe
could only be understood through
numbers.
His study of astronomy led him to
create a model of the universe that
had the sun, moon, and earth revolving
around a central fire (today this is
called the heliocentric model).
Funnily enough, he also thought that
each planet produced a tone as it
orbited!
He is most famous for his
Pythagorean Theorem: a2 + b2 = c2
6. Protagoras
485 - 410 B.C.E.
He was the most famous &
influential of the Pre-Socratic
sophists.
He developed a revolutionary idea:
that reason & knowledge should be
used to achieve a comfortable, safe,
& happy life.
His teachings were meant to equip
citizens for life in the polis by
teaching them:
1. Public speaking: Oratory &
rhetoric
2. Politics: Laws & government
3. Grammar: Language & writing
4. Respectability: Civility to others
The Socratic philosopher Plato even
named one of his dialogues after
him.
7. Hippocrates
460 - 377 B.C.E.
Hippocrates founded the 1st school of
medicine.
Innovatively, he rejected the idea that
sickness was a punishment from the
gods.
Instead, he said that illness could be
identified through careful observations
of symptoms that were either:
Acute, or
Chronic
He recommended holistic healing to
cure illnesses:
Hygiene
Diet
Curative powers of nature
He famously authored The Hippocratic
Oath
8. Democritus
c. 460 - 360 B.C.E.
The mathematician Democritus
developed the atomic theory.
The atomic theory states that the
universe was formed out of chaos
through the joining of tiny, invisible,
and indivisible particles of like
shape and size.
Atoma was the name he gave to
those indivisible & invisible particles.
Although the subject he studied
was quiet serious, his jovial
disposition earned him the nickname
“the laughing philosopher”.
9. Euclid
c. 325 - 270 B.C.E.
Euclid was one of the most influential
mathematicians who ever lived, &
earned the nickname: “The Father of
Geometry”.
He wrote the most comprehensive
ancient discussion of mathematics &
the sciences, The Elements, which was
still used as a textbook until about
1903 C.E.
Today, it is 2nd only to the Bible in
translations, publications, & study
worldwide.
It was originally written in Greek,
then translated to Arabic & Latin.
He once said to Pharaoh Ptolemy:
“There is no Royal Road to geometry!”.
10. Archimedes
287 - 212 B.C.E.
He was a Greek mathematician
with an interest in applied
geometry.
He used geometry to invent war
machines & other engineering
devices.
His discoveries include:
The theory of buoyancy – He
exclaimed “Eureka!” (“I’ve found
it!” in Greek) when he realized it.
The law of the lever
The Archimedean screw
13. The Three Most Famous
Socratic Philosophers
Socrates Plato Aristotle
14. Socrates
469 - 399 B.C.E.
He was a critic of the Sophists’ didactic
method of teaching, which took a lecture-
based approach.
Instead, he encouraged his students to think
about & respond to his lectures.
This conversational approach based on reason
& logic is called the dialectic method.
Socrates was such a believer in the power of
speech that he left no written records of his
own ideas.
His dialectic method was popular among the
youth, but earned him the nickname “The
Gadfly in Athens” among the powers that be.
Aggravated, they placed him on trial for
impiety & corrupting the youth.
He was convicted & executed in 399 B.C.E.
by drinking poison hemlock.
16. Socrates
469 - 399 B.C.E.
“The unexamined life is not
worth living.” - Socrates
He also formulated the Socratic
Method.
Socratic Method:
I. Admit ignorance.
II. Never rely on tradition.
III. Continuously question.
IV. Formulate your own
opinions.
V. Test your opinions with
others.
17. Socrates
469 - 399 B.C.E.
Socrates’ dialectic method was a
departure from earlier
philosophers’ approaches.
Earlier philosophers were
interested in the nature of the
universe and basic elements,
whereas Socrates sought to
discover the meaning of existence.
Socrates’ approach was more
rigorous, required more of his
students, and was the forerunner
of logic.
His most famous student was
Plato.
18. Plato
427 - 347 B.C.E.
Most importantly, from a
historical standpoint, Plato
preserved & perpetuated the work
of Socrates by writing it all down.
As a result, he is the most
important source of information on
Socrates.
He also founded the Academy –
the first dedicated higher learning
institution in the Western world -
in Athens.
He famously wrote
conversationally-formatted books
called dialogues.
19. Plato
427 - 347 B.C.E.
Many of his dialogues had the
concept of Universal Forms –
definitions of intangible ideas like
beauty or truth - as a recurring
theme.
Today, most regard his work, The
Republic – as his most important
dialogue (it outlines a modern
representative democratic
government’s structure).
He famously stated that “Those
things which are beautiful are also
difficult.”
His most famous student was
Aristotle.
20. Aristotle
384 - 322 B.C.E.
As Plato’s most famous student,
Aristotle became the private
tutor of Alexander the Great
(the Macedonian king who would
conquer the entire known world
by 323 B.C.E.).
Significantly, Aristotle developed
logic (organized and rational
thought & analysis) as an
independent field of study.
He also devised a complex
system of classification used in
biology called taxonomy.
21. Aristotle
384 - 322 B.C.E.
Aristotle is also remembered for his
views on government.
He believed there were 3 Good
Governments:
Monarchy
Aristocracy
Democracy
And 3 Bad Governments:
Tyranny
Oligarchy
Mob Rule
“All things in moderation”
“Man is by nature a political animal.”
