Slide 1
Famous Greek Philosophers1What is truth?What is beauty?What is
value?I PhilosophyDefinition?the rational investigation of the
truths and principles of being, knowledge, or conduct
Simplified: the Love of Wisdom3
A. SocratesHe left no writings; we know of him from (primary or
secondary?)sourcesHis famous question, Do you know what youre
talking about? reflected how he did not accept peoples teachings at
face value.4
He called himself a gadfly that stings people out of
complacency.He insisted people give a reasonable defense for their
beliefs.
5The Socratic Method asks the question Why?His challenging
arguments attracted many followers, but also made many enemies.
6He was put on trial in 399 B.C. for corrupting the minds of the
Athenian youth.He was sentenced to death.His friends urged him to
escape, but he did not.7
How did Socrates request his sons should be treated
Socrates asks his friends to look after his three sons and to
make sure that they always put goodness above money or other
earthly trappings8
Why wont Socrates flee?
9B. PlatoA pupil of Socrates, he was an aristocratic Athenian
who was deeply moved by Socrates quest for truth.Unlike Socrates,
he left behind over 25 separate works of writing.
10One of Platos most influential contributions to philosophy was
his dualist idea of man that man is divided into two natures:The
Physical Flesh impermanent and evil.The Mind where man is able to
grasp unchanging truth 11
What part of Platos theory do you agree with?Original sinTruth
exists12What part of Platos theory do you disagree with?Naphesh:
body/soul are oneStrive to know God, not just acquire knowledge.One
of Platos most famous writings was The
Republic.Republic?Democracy?13
In Platos Republic are 3 classes of people: Philosophers
(rulers/kings)No salarieswhy? Soldiers/Warriors Commoners15Inside
The Republic is Platos Allegory of a Cave, where the world around
us is likened to shadows cast onto the wall of a cave.As you can
see, Plato is critical of democracy.Plato did not trust the masses
to govern.16C. Aristotle (384-322)He entered Platos Academy at the
age of 18.For a short time he tutored Alexander the Great.
R: Plato & Aristotle17Aristotle was a lover of philosophy,
but more importantly he also developed empirical biology(learning
about living things through observation) andtheoretical science
(physics and chemistry).18While Socrates and Plato focused on the
inner self, Aristotle focused on explaining the physical world and
human society through observation.He believed every truth followed
logically from other truths.19He developed the syllogism,which
became the backbone of modern logic.Syllogism:If A = BAnd B = CThen
A = C
Example?Im femaleAll females are intelligentIm intelligent20
