Greek Philosophy

Greek Philosophy

The Polis: Center of Greek Life • By 750 B.C., the polis, or city-state, had become the central focus of Greek life. • The polis was the town, city, or village and its surrounding countryside. • The people met for political, religious, social, and economic activities. • City-states varied in size. • Most were between a few hundred and several thousand people. • Athens was one of the largest, with a population of more than three hundred thousand by 400 B.C. • The first city-state to form a democratic government

The polis was a community of people who share a common identity and common goals. • There were three groups: • citizens with political rights (adult males), • citizens without political rights (women and children) • noncitizens (slaves and resident aliens). https://helenosylatinos.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/polis-de-atenas.jpg

Tyrants, or rulers who seized power by force and were not subject to the law, controlled the Greek city-states in the seventh and sixth centuries B.C. • Greeks eventually turned against tyrants because they felt tyranny was an insult to the ideal of law. • In its absence, democracy, or government by the people, was able to flourish in some city-states.

Greek states developed different forms of government. • Some city-states became democracies, ruled by many, and others became oligarchies, ruled by the few. • Two of the most powerful city-states, Athens and Sparta, illustrate the differences. http://jpellegrino.com/img/ancient-greece4.gif

The city-state of Sparta consciously created a military state. • All Spartan men enrolled in military service at age 20 and lived in military barracks until age 30. • At 30, they could vote and live at home, but remained in the military until age 60. • Spartan women were expected to be healthy so they could raise healthy children. • Because the men lived away, Spartan women had more autonomy and power in the household than elsewhere in Greece.

Sparta was headed by an oligarchy of two kings and a council of elders. • Spartans were discouraged from interacting with the outside world and from studying subjects and art that might encourage critical thinking. • The art of war was the Spartan ideal. http://images.akamai.steamusercontent.com/ugc/776056901506387964/F77484266E85235F54326DB1B623345D4895A46B/

A king ruled early Athens. • By the seventh century B.C. it was ruled by an oligarchy of aristocrats who owned the best land and controlled political life. • Near the end of the seventh century, economic problems led to political turmoil. • Many Athenian farmers were sold into slavery for nonpayment of their debts to aristocrats. • Cries arose to cancel the debts and give land to the poor. • Civil war threatened.

The aristocrats gave power to Solon in 594 B.C. • Solon favored reform. • He canceled the debts but did not give land to the poor. • This left the aristocrats in power and the poor unable to attain land.

In 508 B.C., Cleisthenes, another reformer, gained the upper hand. • He created a new council of five hundred to supervise foreign affairs, oversee the treasury, and propose laws. • He gave to the Athenian assembly, composed of male citizens, authority to pass laws after free and open debate. • For this reason, Cleisthenes’ reforms laid the foundation for Athenian democracy.

All male citizens voted to elect the Council of 500, which controlled foreign policy and the treasury. • Because all male citizens openly debated legislation, Athens had a direct democracy. • Athenian democracy was more limited than in modern times. • Women, foreign residents, and slaves were not considered active or voting citizens. • However, it was also less limited because so many citizens actively participated. • On average, 6,000 men attended the assembly’s meetings, which were held every ten days.

The Age of Pericles lasted from 461 B.C. to 429 B.C. • Pericles advanced democracy by paying salaries so more citizens could serve in public office. • Under Pericles, Athenian culture flourished. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7tt2a5IQ5Xo/TaRljmTbcjI/AAAAAAAAFpU/TZYxiqNPuCA/s1600/pericles1.jpg

In what ways might Solon’s reforms be better than those of Cleisthenes? • In what ways might Cleisthenes’s be better than Solon’s? • How might each of these led to the development of modern day democracy? http://historiarex.com/uploads/markers/218/1382417785_Peloponnesian_War.GIF

The Greek Love of Wisdom • Philosophy (“love of wisdom”) refers to an organized system of rational thought. • Early Greek philosophers were concerned with the nature of the universe. • Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle are considered to be three of the greatest philosophers of the Western world.

Socrates • His philosophy: How does one live a good life? • Believed that acknowledging what one does not know is the first step toward wisdom • Urged young people to question accepted ways of thinking • Considered dangerous, tried and executed

Socrates developed the Socratic method. • This was a question-and-answer format to lead pupils to understand things for themselves. • It was based on Socrates’ belief that knowledge is already present within each of us. • The task of philosophy is to call forth knowledge. • Socrates said “the unexamined life is not worth living.” • The belief in the individual’s ability to reason was an important contribution of Greek thought.

Plato • Plato was one of Socrates’ students and considered by many to be the greatest Western philosopher. • After Socrates’ death, traveled for several years • Through his Dialogues, we know of Socrates

Plato explained his views on government in a work entitled The Republic. • Plato believed that people could not achieve a good life unless they lived in a just and rational state. • Believed that the polis should be directed by “philosopher-kings” • The ideal state has three groups—rulers, warriors, and commoners. • Led by a philosopher-king, men and women would have the same education and equal access to all positions.

Plato established a school in Athens called the Academy. • Taught there for 40 years • Astronomy, biology, mathematics, government • His most important pupil was Aristotle, who studied at the Academy for 20 years.

Aristotle • Studied at the Academy • After tutoring Alexander the Great, returned to Athens • Founded a school – the Lyceum • Botany, zoology, chemistry, astronomy, physics, politics and drama • Aristotle had wide-ranging interests including ethics, logic, politics, poetry, astronomy, geology, biology, and physics.

Came up with the syllogism: • FACT: all mammals are warm-blooded • FACT: cats are mammals • CONCLUSION: cats are warm-blooded • After studying and observing existing governments, he found three types of government that would rationally direct human affairs: • Monarchy: rule by one (tyranny) • Aristocracy: rule by few (oligarchy) • Democracy: rule by many (anarchy) • Aristotle preferred the latter.

The Greeks were the principal source of Western culture, providing the foundations of philosophy, the rational method of inquiry, and the roots of Western literature. • Essential Western political ideas also came from Greek culture.

To what extent does Socrates’ statement, “The unexamined life is not worth living,” have validity today? https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/Greek_philosopher_busts.jpg

Greek Philosophy