Ancient Greek Philosophers

ANCIENT GREEK PHILOSOPHERS

Socrates 470-399BC Laid the foundation for Western

philosophy Became known as the “wisest man in all

of Greece” Most of what is known about Socrates is

derived from information of different sources.

Plato Xenophone Aristophanes Aristotle

Socrates

Socrates was critical of Athenian democracy, and preached to his students, that a monarchy was preferable.

He praised the laws and government of Sparta

When his students began betraying Athens to Sparta, this became a catalyst for the trial against Socrates.

Plato’s Apology In the defense of Socrates, contained in the

Apology by Plato, Socrates questioned the men of Athens about their knowledge of good, beauty, and virtue. Finding they knew nothing and yet believed themselves to know much, Socrates came to the conclusion that he was only wise only in so far as he knew nothing. This made the prominent Athenians look foolish, turning them against him.

He was found guilty of corrupting the youth, inventing new deities (heresy), and disbelieving in the divine ( atheism).

Death of Socrates He was sentenced to die by drinking a silver

goblet of hemlock. Socrates turned the pleas of his disciples to

attempt an escape from prison. According to the Phaedo, Socrates had a

calm death. According to Plato and Xenophone, Socrates

had an opportunity to escape, as his followers were able to bribe the guards. But Socrates did not want to leave Athens.

The Death of Socrates Socrates refused to escape for several

reasons: 1. He believed that such a fight would indicate a

fear of death, which he believed that no true philosopher has.

2. Even if he did leave, he, and his teaching would not fare better in another country.

3. Having knowingly agreed to live under the city’s laws, he implicitly subjected himself to the possibility of being accused of crimes by its citizens and judged guilty by its jury.

So…at age 70 Socrates was put to death.

Socratic Method Answering a question with a question A method of inquiry, known as the

Socratic method was probably his most important contribution.

It allows for the examination of key moral concepts such as Good and Justice.

It was first described by Plato in the Socratic Dialogues.

He is believed to be the father of political philosophy and ethics or moral philosophy.

Socrates beliefs “Wisdom is limited to an awareness of ones own

ignorance” He believed that the best way for people to live was

to focus on self-development, rather than the pursuit of material wealth.

Concentrate more on friendships and a sense of true community.

He stressed that “virtue was the most valuable of all possessions; the ideal life was spent in search of the Good. Truth lies beneath the shadows of existence, and that it is the job of the philosopher to show the rest how little they really know.”

Beliefs continued: To truly be good and not just act with

“right opinion”; one must come to know the unchanging Good in itself.

“Ideals belong in a world that only the wise amn can understand”

He also discussed reincarnation and the mystery religions

He objected to democracy

Plato 427-347 BC Real name is Aristocles Founder of the Academy

Plato’s Writings Plato wrote in dialogue Some of his famous works were:

Socrates Death The Trial of Socrates The Republic The Allegory of the Cave

The Republic This was a dialogue on the ideal

government He believed that society has a three

class structure; 1. Productive class- The workers 2. Protective class- The soldiers 3. Governing class- The rulers

He believed that a person with sound reason and wisdom should govern- Therefore it should be a “philosopher king”, that is someone “who loves the sight of truth.”

He also addresses the education system in The Republic, therefore producing the philosopher king.

Plato’s themes The conflict between nature and convention,

concerning the role of heredity and environment on human intelligence and personality. (Nature vs. nurture)

The distinction between knowledge and true belief. He believed oral communication was far better

than the written form. Metaphysical dualism- That the world is divided

into two forms. (Intelligible – Soul and the Perceptual – body)

Also the idea of Good from what is really good.

The Academy At the age of 40, founded one of the

earliest organized schools in Western civilization-The Academy

It eventually closed by Justinian I of Byzantium, who saw it as a threat to Christianity.

Aristotle 384-322BC Student of Plato and teacher of

Alexander the Great He was a polymath ( a person who

excelled in many subjects) At the age of 10, he became an orphan

and placed under the guardianship of his Uncle.

At age 18, he attended The Academy

The Lyceum In 336BC, Aristotle opened his own

school The Lyceum. This is after he tutored Alexander the

Great He believed that philosophy was also a

science of that which is “actual” He thought that in order to become

“good”, one could not simply study what virtue is; one must actually be virtuous. The ultimate goal in life was called the Highest Good.

Thoughts Live life in moderation Achieve the Ultimate Good The good of the many, outweigh the good of the few A friend to all is a friend to none All men by nature desire knowledge Even when laws have been written down, they ought

not always to remain unaltered. Good habits formed at youth make all the difference.

Happiness depends upon ourselves.

Diogenes- “The Cynic” It was said of Diogenes that throughout his life he

“searched with a lantern in the daylight for an honest man.” And though Diogenes apparently did not find an honest man, he had, in the process, “exposed the vanity and selfishness of man.”

He was a pupil of Antisthenes who founded the cynics.

Cynics held contempt for ease, wealth and the enjoyments of life.

Diogenes took this to heart- his clothing was the coarsest- his food the plainest- and his bed was the bare ground.

Cynicism Like Socrates, the Cynics believed that

VIRTUE was the greatest good. The purpose of a cynic was to expose

the follies of their times, as well as the timeless foibles of humankind.

“A cynic is a spy who aims to discover what things are friendly or hostile to man; after making accurate observations, he then comes back and reports the truth.”

Cynics-today “a person disposed to find fault.” A person who does not believe in

sincerity or goodness of human motives and actions.

A person who is very sarcastic and a fault finder.

Diogenes Quotes The vine bears three kinds of grapes: the first of

pleasure, the second of intoxication, the third of disgust.

We have two ears and one tongue so that we would listen more and talk less.

I know nothing, except the fact of my ignorance. I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the

world. He who has the most is most content with the least. Dogs and philosophers do the greatest good and

get the fewest rewards.

More thoughts As a matter of self-preservation, a man

needs good friends or ardent enemies, for the former instruct him and the latter take him to task.

It takes a wise man to discover a wise man.

The foundation of every state is the education of its youth.

Diogenes would introduce himself by saying, “I am Diogenes the dog. I nuzzle the kind, bark at the greedy and bite scoundrels.”

Skeptics-Pyrrho Pyrrho denied practically everything: he

believed objective knowledge is impossible to achieve and that one should free oneself from opinions, passions, be calm at mind and soul and totally turn one’s back on the world.

To Pyrrho, life and death was one and the same. When crossing a street…he never looked

around, and if a wagon came against him he did not turn back, constantly being rescued by friends and disciples. Even so, Pyrrho lived to be at least 90.

Pyrrho

Western Skepticism Pyrrho found peace by admitting to

ignorance and seeming to abandon the criterion by which knowledge is gained.

He never found a philosophy school which he felt was correct.

Knowledgeable ignorance- is arrived through the application of logical reasoning and exposition of its inadequacy. The distinction between “being” and “appearing”.

Skeptics …Wanted a “peace of mind” …Would pit one philosophy against

another philosophy to undermine the belief in that philosophy.

They believed there was no need to believe in the purpose of life, justice, divinity and soul.

They believed that science does not require belief and faith, so should the philosopher.

They wanted to cultivate distrust.

Epicurus- Epicurianism Opened a school –”the Garden” Emphasized moderation of desires and

cultivation of friendships. This philosophy, he believed could

liberate one from fears of death and the supernatural, and can teach us how to find happiness in almost any situation.

He died at the age of 72, being never married or having children.

Beliefs Rejected an afterlife. When the body dies the soul disintegrates. Do believe in gods. Saw religion as a source of fear. Purpose of life is a peace of mind,

happiness and pleasure. Seek pleasure and avoid pain. We must exercise ourselves in the things

which bring us happiness.

Other thoughts No need to eat, drink and be merry if

tomorrow you will have a headache. The greatest good in Epicureanism is a

tranquility derived by the absence of agitation.

Quotes: It is impossible to live a pleasant life without

living wisely and honorably and justly, and it is impossible to live wisely and honorably and justly without living pleasantly.

Chance seldom interferes with the wise man: his greatest and highest interests have been, are, and will be, directed by reason throughout his whole life.

Out of all the means which wisdom acquires to ensure happiness throughout the whole of life, by far the most is friendship.

Zeno-Stoicism Philosophy Following the ideas of the Academics,

Zeno divided philosophy into three parts: Logic (a very wide subject including rhetoric, grammar, and the theories of perception and thought); Physics (not just science, but the divine nature of the universe as well); and Ethics, the end goal of which was to achieve happiness through the right way of living according to Nature.