Chapter 6 Section 2 Philosophers and Writers of the Golden Age

Philosophy The study of basic questions of reality & human existence Great Greek achievement “Lover of Wisdom” Natural laws & truths could be discovered through reason

Socrates Athenian - Education – key to personal growth Students should learn to think for themselves. Socratic Method – questions to teach Critic of democracy – unskilled rule

Socrates Falsely accused of denying the existence of the gods and corrupting the youth At trial refused to deny his teachings – Found guilty and executed Drank hemlock

Plato Socrates’ greatest student Recorded Socrates’ ideas Taught Socrates’ teachings The Academy – school in Athens Dialogues or Discussions Dealt w/ Government, religion, justice, and education

Plato -“Theory of Forms” Material things an imperfect expression of perfect ideas or forms Perfection could never be reached in physical world Humans consisted of two parts: body and soul

Plato - The Republic Written dialogue of Plato’s view of a perfect society and government Aristocracy – governed by upper class based on wisdom not wealth/birth - ideal

Aristotle Student of Plato at the Academy – opened school All subjects should be studied logically Classified things (science) Facts organized into systems

Aristotle Ethics – What makes people happy? Poetics – What makes a good or bad play Studied politics – all forms could be corrupt Wanted limited democracy

Science *No practical scientific knowledge developed *Foundations of anatomy, botany, and zoology laid by Aristotle *Greeks believed the world could be explained through natural laws *Reason v. Superstition

Math *Pythagoras: believed everything could be explained by math *Developed Pythagorean theorem A 2 +b 2 =c 2

Medicine *Hippocrates: founder of medical science *Disease from natural sources not the gods *“Hippocratic Oath”: still take this pledge today. Code of Ethics

History *Greeks 1 st to take history seriously *Herodotus – “father of history”   --Traveled around world *Thucydides – understand Human nature through history   --History of the Peloponnesian War   --Made history accurate and fair.

Drama *Plays containing action, dialogue, conflict, emotion *Plays in poetic form ~2-3 actors speak lines ~Chorus describes action *All men no women *Plays performed in outdoor theaters carved into hillside

Tragedies *Main character struggles against fate or events *Usually defeated in the end. *Punished for hubris (pride) *Sophocles and Euripides: famous tragic writers

Comedies *Made fun of ideas and people *Tragic and humorous figures *Aristophanes: most famous writer of Greek comedy