The Greek Golden Age Entry # 12

Objective Describe the importance of education and philosophy during the Greek Golden Age

What’s a Golden Age? Greek Golden Age (500-300 BCE) Major advancements in literature, education, art/architecture, philosophy Patronage, or support/encouragement for the arts, becomes a major reason for a Golden Age. Greek Golden Age (500-300 BCE)

Charioteer of Delphi Discobolous

Philosophy Philosophy 1. Love and pursuit of wisdom by intellectual means and moral self-discipline. 2. Investigation of the nature, causes, or principles of reality, knowledge, or values, based on logical reasoning rather than empirical method (freedictionary.com)

Socrates Asked questions to get people to think about the world around them Loved to criticize the government Gov’t believed Socrates corrupted youth Sentenced to death by poisoning (hemlock) People must understand themselves before they can know right from wrong “The unexamined life is not worth living”

The Death of Socrates by Jacques Louis-David

Plato Student of Socrates…disappointed in gov’t A ruler should be of good character (wise)…must study hard and love wisdom Founded the Academy in 385 BCE Special school that taught those lessons on how to govern A person’s reality is a combination of knowledge acquired through learning and opinions based on experience

Aristotle Entered Plato’s Academy at 18…studied for 20 years 1st scientist…studied both animals and plants Interested in how things really are…the physical world is a combination of the elements of fire, air, earth, and water. All human knowledge comes from experience

You become the Philosopher Pretend you are speaking to either Socrates, Plato, or Aristotle. The question has been asked…”Do the Gods make it rain?”. From what you know of these philosophers and their ideas, provide an answer to this question.