Greek Philosophers

1. Greek Philosophers

2. Greek Philosophers Philosophers – “lovers of wisdom” Sophists – “workers of wisdom” – Teachers phileo = love sophia = wisdom If sophia = wisdom and moron = fool, then a sophomore is a “wise fool.”

3. Thales of Miletus636-546 B.C. • Earliest known philosopher • Studied Egyptian and Babylonian astronomy and mathematics • Believed that the universe was controlled by fixed laws • Basic element – water. • Got rich with olive presses!

4. Pythagoras582-500 B.C. • The universe could only be understood thru numbers. • Sun, moon, and earth revolved around a central fire. • Each planet produces a tone! • Famous for the Pythagorean Theorem: a2 + b2 = c2

5. Pythagoras582-500 B.C. c2 • Pythagorean Theorem: a2 + b2 = c2 a2 b2

6. Protagoras485 - 410 B.C. • Most famous of the Sophists • Believed that reason and knowledge should be used to achieve a comfortable, safe, and happy life. • Teachings to equip citizens for life in the polis: • Public speaking – oratory and rhetoric • Politics • Grammar – language • The art of being respectable • Plato named one of his dialogues after him.

7. Hippocrates460-377 B.C. • Founded a school of medicine • Rejected that sickness comes from the gods • Careful observations of symptoms • Acute • Chronic • “Holistic” healing • Hygiene • Diet • Curative powers of nature • The Hippocratic Oath

8. Democritus460? - 360 B.C. • Developed the atomic theory. • Taught that the universe was formed out of chaos through the joining of atoms of like shape and size. • Atoma = indivisible particles. • “the laughing philosopher”

9. Euclidc.300 B.C. • One of the most prominent mathematicians • Wrote The Elements • Widely used till about 1903. • 2nd only to the Bible in numbers of translations, publications, and study • Greek – Arabic – Latin • Said to Ptolemy: “There is No Royal Road to geometry!”

10. Archimedes287 - 212 B.C. • Greek mathematician – Geometry • War machines and other devices • Theory of buoyancy - “Eureka!” • Law of the lever • Archimedean screw

11. Archimedean Screw

12. Modern application of the Archimedean Screw

13. The Three Most Famous Philosophers Socrates Plato Aristotle

14. Socrates469 - 399 B.C. • Critic of the Sophists • Encouraged students to think • Left no writings – skeptical • Dialectic method • Conversational • Based upon reason and logic • Popular among the youth • a “gadfly” in Athens • Placed on trial for impiety and corrupting the youth • Was executed in 399 – drank poison hemlock

15. Socrates469 - 399 B.C. “The unexamined life is not worth living.” - Socrates -

16. Socrates469 - 399 B.C. Socratic Method: • Admit ignorance. • Never rely on tradition. • Continuously question. • Formulate your own opinions. • Test your opinions with others.

18. Socrates469 - 399 B.C. • Socrates’ dialectic method was a departure from earlier philosophers. • Earlier philosophers were interested in the nature of the universe and basic elements. • Socrates’ approach was more rigorous and was the forerunner of logic. • Most famous student: Plato

19. Socrates469 - 399 B.C. “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

21. Plato427 - 347 B.C. • Preserved and perpetuated the work of Socrates • Most important source of info on Socrates • Founded the Academy • Wrote dialogues • Universal Forms was a recurring theme • The Republic – most important dialogue “Those things which are beautiful are also difficult.”

22. Aristotle384 - 322 B.C. • Most famous student of Plato • Most famous teacher of Alexander the Great • Developed Logic as a field of study • Devised a complex system of classification • Used in biology • Views on Government

23. Aristotle384 - 322 B.C. • Views on Government • 3 Good Governments: • Monarchy • Aristocracy • Democracy • 3 Bad Governments: • Tyranny • Oligarchy • Mob Rule

24. Aristotle384 - 322 B.C. • “All things in moderation” • “Man is by nature a political animal.”

25. Alexander the Great356 -323 B.C.

27. Alexander the Great356 -323 B.C.