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The BIG 3of Ancient Greek Philosophy By: Julie Marquez HIST 101-501 Fall 2018 http://www.ancientgreecefacts.com/images/Socrates-Plato-Aristotle-3-Great-%E2%80%9CGolden-Age%E2%80%9D-Greek-Philosophers.jpg
WHO WERE THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT PHILOSOPHERS OF ANCIENT GREECE AND WHAT IS THEIR LEGACY?
When discussing ancient Greek philosophy, three names immediately come to mind. They are Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Socrates is most known as the father of philosophy. Though he did not write down any of his thoughts or ideas, his most famous student did. Plato was that student. He would write down everything Socrates would say and would pass down the knowledge to others. Plato, learning all that he could from Socrates, passed down his knowledge to Aristotle. The names of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle are famously known as The Big Three of philosophy, but why are they so important and what is their legacy? INTRODUCTION
“Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle” Author: Dr. C. George Boeree Link: http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/athenians.html Summary: Dr. Boeree introduces Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle in this work. Socrates is described as a man that enjoyed finding the truth in all aspects of life and would rather converse with others and engage with his students than write down his thoughts or ideas. Plato, Socrates’ most famous student, did write down conversations had by Socrates that are still available to read today. Later, he founded a school called the Academy and became the center for Greek learning. Aristotle, Plato’s student, is recognized as the inventor of modern logic. Credibility of secondary source: Dr. C. George Boeree is a credible, retired professor of Psychology receiving his education at Pennsylvania State University and earning his doctoral degree at Oklahoma State University. He is the author of the first online, no cost, psychology texts and is the inventor of the auxiliary language Lingua Franca Nova. He also has an official website and a Wikipedia page in his name. His background and accomplishments make him a credible source for this topic. What we learn: Socrates becomes a focal point in the lives of many that choose to follow and learn from him. Plato contributes to the future of philosophy by learning, writing down everything he learns from Socrates, and passing the knowledge on to others. Aristotle continues to pass on his knowledge to others and adds to it. We learn the importance of each man to philosophy.
“Socrates (469 – 399 B.C.E.)” Author: James M. Ambury, Ph.D. Link: https://www.iep.utm.edu/socrates/ Summary: In this peer-reviewed academic resource, Ambury lets the readers know that our world would be very different without Socrates. Though Socrates never wrote anything down, others would, that learned from him. His ideas inspired others to become great thinkers. This resource describes the early life of Socrates, the origin of the Socratic Problem, the importance of Plato, and other Socratic themes. His legacy is discussed in terms of how his ideas have inspired many philosophers whether they agree with him or not. Credibility of secondary source: This source is credible because the author is an assistant professor in the Department of Philosophy at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, PA. His job is to know and teach philosophy. His contact information can be found on the faculty page for the King’s College website. What we learn: We learn the importance of Socrates’ ideas and how they have shaped philosophy both in ancient Greece and in modern times.
“Socrates” Author: History.com Editors Link: https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/socrates Summary: In this article, Socrates’ life is discussed in four separate sections. The early years, philosophy as a lifestyle, politics and the ideal death, and the Socratic Legacy. The editors describe Socrates as a man that never revealed his own opinions but would converse with others in a way so that they would understand their point of view. He was interested in understanding the limits of human knowledge. His legacy is described as unique among the great philosophers. He was viewed as a “quasi-saint or religious figure”. The editors also go on to say that his passion for philosophy inspired the development of formal logic and systematic ethics. Credibility of secondary source: History.com is credible because they share their findings with the world. Everyone sees their work and can contact them if a mistake is found. They are well-respected and not only do they share their information on the internet, but they also televise on the History Channel. What we learn: We learn that even though Socrates did not discuss his own opinions, he gained followers that would continue to build upon his ideas. The dedication of his followers show us how important Socrates is to the future of philosophy.
“Socrates Legacy” Author: Philip A. Pecorino, Ph.D. Link: http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/SocialSciences/ppecorino/INTRO_TEXT/Chapter%202%20GREEKS/Socrates_Legacy.htm Summary: This book excerpt, by Pecorino, looks exclusively at Socrates’ Legacy. He breaks it down into five topics. The first is Socrates theory of the soul. Second, is the Socratic Method and the Scientific Method. Third is what Socrates believed was the key to a virtuous life, which is the knowledge of good (ethics). Fourth is Epistemology, Socrates’ ideas of knowledge and wisdom. It is a process for gaining knowledge. Finally, Plato is mentioned as a Legacy. The author exclaims, “Were it not for Socrates, Plato would not have become a Philosopher and not only the western world but the entire world would have been a different place with a decidedly different history!” Credibility of secondary source: This source is credible because the author has been an instructor of Philosophy for 40 years. He is an author/editor of many on-line textbooks and adopted by several universities. His job is to teach philosophy and with universities using his textbooks as methods to teach, he is a credible source. What we learn: We learn of the legacy of Socrates. Of all discussed, Plato stands to be the most important legacy of Socrates. Without Plato, very little would be remembered of Socrates.
“Plato” Author: Constance C. Meinwald Link: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Plato Summary: In this article, Meinwald reminds us that Plato takes what he has learned from Socrates and builds upon his ideas. She states that Plato is “best known as the author of philosophical works of unparalleled influence”. Plato’s life and his Theory of Forms is discussed within this article. The early, middle, and late dialogues of Plato are described. Included in these early works is “Apology” which dictates the trial of Socrates. Credibility of secondary source: Meinwald is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Illinois in Chicago. She is also the author of two books, Plato’s Parmenides in 1991 and Plato in 2016. Her knowledge and published books on Plato give her credibility for this source. What we learn: We learn that Plato has a great influence in philosophical works. His contributions to philosophy become greater and greater starting from his early works to his later works. Plato’s importance to philosophy is undeniable.
“Apology” Author: Plato Link: http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/apology.html Summary: This text reads as dialogue at the trial of Socrates. Plato writes what is said by Socrates as he defends himself at his trial and what is said as the jury finds him guilty. Socrates is given the chance to propose his own sentencing, but in the end the jury decides that he will be put to death. Comments regarding their decision are then made by Socrates. The last line given by Socrates in “Apology” gives the judge, jury, witnesses, and readers something to think about. Credibility of primary source: Many books have been written about the author of this source. He is credible because he was present when the trial of Socrates took place. Plato’s works have been regarded as some of the most reliable sources from ancient Greece, therefore, he is credible. What we learn: We learn that Plato truly is a window to philosophical history. His passion for writing everything down and his many works have made it possible for history to be shared and better understood. Without Plato, the world may never have known about the trial and sentencing of Socrates.
“Key Concepts of the Philosophy of Plato” Author: Robephiles Link: https://owlcation.com/humanities/Key-Concepts-of-the-Philosophy-of-Plato Summary: The author talks about Plato and his philosophy on ethics, politics, and metaphysics. Robephiles states that due to Plato, Socrates is remembered through several of Plato’s works. He discusses The Apology and The Republic. The Apology describes the trial of Socrates and The Republic describes ethics. Credibility of source: The author is credible because he has published 94 featured articles in Owlcation. To be published in this site, the author must comply to the Hub Pages Editorial Policy and only after extensive review will the author be published. What we learn: We learn that Plato continues to contribute to philosophy throughout his life and his passion for writing about what he learns allows for others to learn what he’s learned. We also learn that Plato gives readers a primary source when reading about Socrates.
“Aristotle” Author: Christopher Shields Link: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/aristotle/ Summary: This article begins with an introduction of Aristotle, naming him as one of the greatest philosophers of all time. Shields highlights the importance of Aristotle and his contributions to philosophy and his influential achievements. For this article, we focus on part 14 where Aristotle’s legacy is discussed. He has a school, the Lyceum, that carries on his teachings for some time. His influence in philosophy was so prominent that be became known as The First Teacher. His achievements in Logic are also discussed and he is the first to teach ideas on the principles of correct reasoning, or the first logic. Credibility of secondary source: Shields is credible because he is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame, and Honorary Research Fellow of Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford, has previously taught at various universities, and is a well-respected author who has published eight books. What we learn: We learn that Aristotle was a great contributor to philosophy as we know it. He has many achievements including being The First Teacher and the first to teach the first logic.
“Aristotle” Author: History.com Editors Link: https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/aristotle Summary: This article contains information on the life and contributions to philosophy of Aristotle. It starts with the early life of Aristotle and that his parents were members of traditional medical families. It goes on to discuss briefly about his school, the Lyceum. From there, Aristotle’s works are described in which only 31 of 200 have survived. Finally, his death and legacy are discussed. The 31 works that survived are divided into groups and became the basis for future editions of Aristotle’s work. Credibility of secondary source: History.com is credible because they share their findings with the world. Everyone sees their work and can contact them if a mistake is found. They are well-respected and not only do they share their information on the internet, but they also televise on the History Channel. What we learn: We learn that Aristotle made huge contributions to philosophy and though only 31 of his 200 works survived, his teachings are continued today. His importance to philosophy can be understood through this article.
“5 Reasons Why Plato and Aristotle Still Matter Today” Author: Arthur Herman Link: https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/tip-sheet/article/60264-5-reasons-why-plato-and-aristotle-still-matter-today.html Summary: Herman’s article on Plato and Aristotle describes the differences between Plato and Aristotle and how they are still alive today because of the foundation they’ve laid in philosophy and their ideas that influence our lives today. The author gives examples to questions each would ask, but how they would ask it in a different way. He goes on to explain five important lessons that we can learn from Plato and Aristotle. From spiritual truth to Aristotle being the godfather of the internet, we get a new understanding of why these men are so important to philosophy. Credibility of source: Arthur Herman is a credible source because he is a Pulitzer Prize Finalist and a New York Times best-selling author. What we learn: We learn that Plato and Aristotle are still alive through their works and ideas. Socrates, being the teacher of Plato, can also be included in today’s philosophy.
Conclusion In conclusion we have learned why Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle are important to ancient Greek philosophy and what their legacy is. Socrates is important because he was the person that paved the road to philosophy. The Theory of Soul and its virtue and the use of reasoning in the service of virtue were lasting contributions to mankind. His greatest legacy was Plato. Plato is important because he was willing to write down everything for the sake of knowledge. His works are a primary source for looking at our history. A legacy is that many of his works are made available to people and have made it possible for Socrates’ ideas to be passed on. Aristotle is important because his influence in philosophy was so prominent. He became known as The First Teacher. A legacy is that his ideas are still an influence today.
Sources Boeree, C. George. “Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.” Plato's Cave, 2009, http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/athenians.html. Ambury, James. “Socrates (469—399 B.C.E.).” Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2018, www.iep.utm.edu/socrates/. History.com Editors. “Socrates.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 9 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/socrates. Pecorino, Philip A. “SOCRATES LEGACY.” What Is Philosophy?, 2001, www.qcc.cuny.edu/SocialSciences/ppecorino/INTRO_TEXT/Chapter%202%20GREEKS/Socrates_Legacy.htm. Meinwald, Constance C. “Plato.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2 Oct. 2018, www.britannica.com/biography/Plato. Robephiles. “Key Concepts of the Philosophy of Plato.” Owlcation, Owlcation, 14 June 2016, https://owlcation.com/humanities/Key-Concepts-of-the-Philosophy-of-Plato.
Sources Plato. “Apology.” Translated by Benjamin Jowett, The Internet Classics Archive | On Airs, Waters, and Places by Hippocrates, 2009, http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/apology.html. Shields, Christopher. “Aristotle.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stanford University, 25 Sept. 2008, https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/aristotle/ History.com Editors. “Aristotle.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 9 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/aristotle. Herman, Arthur. “5 Reasons Why Plato and Aristotle Still Matter Today.” PublishersWeekly.com, 6 Dec. 2013, www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/tip-sheet/article/60264-5-reasons-why-plato-and- aristotle-still-matter-today.html.
