World History

1. World History Chapter Four Section four

2. Greek Philosophers • Challenged belief that everything was caused by the gods • Philosophers – lovers of wisdom • Used observation and tried to find causes for events • By using reason and observation we could discover the laws of the universe

3. Morality and Ethics • What is the best kind of government? What standards should rule human behavior? • Sophists – questioned accepted ideas – not really philosophers – taught subjects in demand • First to charge for their teachings – looked at as a disgrace for doing so • Developed the art of rhetoric – skillful speaking • Believed they could make a person think black was white • If you learned how to use rhetoric effectively one could advance their status or career • Some followed the Sophists and others accused them of ruining Greek values – would argue for the sake of arguing

4. Socrates • Philosopher • Was a critic of the Sophists • Wrote no books – spent his time talking to people about their beliefs • Used the “Socratic Method” – asking a series of questions to lead a person to an answer • Helped people seek truth and self knowledge • Many people saw him as challenging the Greek ways of life

5. Death of Socrates • At age 70 he was put on trial for corrupting the youth of Athens and not respecting the gods • Jury of 501 people • Defended himself but the jury found him guilty and sentenced him to death • He was loyal to Athens and drank a cup of poison hemlock to kill himself

6. Plato • Plato – philosopher and student of Socrates • Set up a school in Athens called the Academy • He taught his own ideas there • Emphasized reason and believed that through rational thoughts we could realize ethical values, see perfect beauty and learn how to best organize society • Wrote The Republic – describes ideal state

7. Plato • Rejected Athenian democracy because it condemned his teacher, Socrates • Believed the state should respect a citizens rights • Ideal society in three classes: • Workers – produce necessities • Soldiers – defend state • Philosophers – to rule the state

8. Plato • The wisest philosopher-king would rule the state and have ultimate authority • Believed that for the most part men were superior to women in both mental and physical tasks – but some women were superior to men • These women he thought should be educated and serve the state • Both men and women would have military training and raise their children in a communal center – for the good of the republic

9. Aristotle • Philosopher and student of Plato • Tutored Alexander the Great • Developed own ideas about government • Analyzed all governments that existed at the time and found good parts of each • Thought democracy could lead to mob rule so he favored rule by one single person – they had to be smart and virtuous

10. Aristotle • The “golden mean” – how people ought to live – a moderate course between two extremes • Reason should be the guiding force in our lives • Set up his own school, the Lyceum in which all subjects were studied • The first universities were based on Aristotle's ideas and the Lyceum

11. Architecture • Balance, harmony and order • Parthenon – temple dedicated to Athena exemplifies the above qualities • Early Greek styles copied Egyptian style of rigid figures – as time went on they developed their own style and created more life-like and idealistic figures • Only Greek paintings are on pottery – portray Greek life – war, daily chores, athletics

12. Literature • Included Homer and Iliad • Tragic Drama – plays – first created for religious worship of goddess Dionysus • Performed outside with little scenery • Actors wore elaborate costumes • Chorus chanted or sang to go along with what was on stage

13. Plays • Greatest Athenian playwrights – Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides • All wrote tragedies – human suffering normally ending with disaster • Purpose of a tragedy was to stir up emotions of pity and fear • Comedies – humorous plays that mocked people and their customs • Aristophanes – wrote most of the surviving Greek comedies we have today – much like today's political cartoons

14. Historians • Herodotus – “father of history” – • went beyond just reporting names and dates – he actively went to collect information from people who remembered events to get an accurate portrayal of what happened • He noted bias and conflicting accounts in his works • His writings did show a bias of hatred of the Persians

15. Historians • Thucydides – wrote about the Peloponnesian War • He lived through the war and described it thoroughly describing how brutal and violent it was • He was Athenian but tried to be non-biased in his writings • Herodotus showed how research was important and Thucydides showed the importance of bias