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Week 2

Week 2. SOCRATES, PLATO, ARISTOTLE and VIRTUE. SOCRATES. Born 470 BC and died 399 BC. One of the first great Greek philosophers. Founder of moral philosophy. Socrates established method of trying to get the truth by persistent questioning.

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Week 2

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  1. Week 2 SOCRATES, PLATO, ARISTOTLE and VIRTUE

  2. SOCRATES • Born 470 BC and died 399 BC. One of the first great Greek philosophers. • Founder of moral philosophy. Socrates established method of trying to get the truth by persistent questioning. • He was trying to discover some sort of essence, some sort of abstract reality by his relentless questioning.

  3. Socratic questioning established at the centre of philosophy a method known as dialectic -- the method of seeking truth by a process of question and answer. • Socrates identified virtue with knowledge and pursued knowledge entirely through discussion and argument.

  4. Socrates was the first to teach about the importance of personal integrity or a person’s duty to himself.

  5. PLATO • Like Socrates, he’s one of the greatest philosophers of all time. Whole of western philosophy is footnotes to Plato. His writings set the agenda for philosophy to follow. • Plato was Socrates’ foremost pupil. Socrates wrote nothing at all. It is through the writings of others, chiefly Plato, that we have a vivid picture of Socrates.

  6. Unlike his mentor, Plato was interested in philosophy across the board -- from the natural world to moral and political philosophy. • Plato’s main works : The Republic provides an overview of his entire philosophy; The Symposium -- his views on love; The Apology, the Phaedo and the Crito for his portrait of Socrates.

  7. Plato started first model of a college, so-called his “Academy”, where adult students receive an education.

  8. Plato is best known for his theory of Forms or Ideas. Simply put, they’re indestructible ideals with an existence of their own or abstract entities with some kind of universal existence independent of place and time.

  9. Plato contributed extensive analysis of four virtues: wisdom, courage, temperance and justice. • According to Plato, virtue is knowledge and people do not commit evil knowingly. If a person knows that moral virtue leads to happiness, he or she naturally acts virtuously.

  10. ARISTOTLE • Pre-eminent Greek philosopher. Star pupil of Plato and tutor to Alexander the Great. • Spent two decades of his life at Plato’s Academy. • Later started his own philosophical school at the Lyceum.

  11. For Aristotle, the goal of life is happiness or well-being (eudaimonia), and virtue is found by finding the Golden Mean.

  12. Aristotle’s definition of virtue : • the mean between two extremes of behaviour , such as courage which falls between cowardice and recklessness; or generosity which falls between stinginess and extravagance.

  13. According to Aristotle, it is the ability to reason which separates man from other creatures, man’s happiness by nature must include the development of his reason. And moral virtue involves the rational control of desires. • Man, in his view, is a political animal; and virtue must be exercised as a citizen.

  14. Arete • Greek word for virtue • means excellence of any kind, and also associated with the idea of fulfillment of function.

  15. Being Virtuous -- a practicable goal for journalists and other media workers • The Socratic method imparts to us methodical reasoning. What’s the lesson for journalists ? • Plato identified cardinal virtues -- wisdom, courage, temperance, justice. How can these virtues be applied to your work ?

  16. Aristotle advocated the “Golden Mean”. How can his concept of virtue be applied to your work ?

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