1. Greek Philosophers

2. Philosophy Philosophy  love of wisdom
Early Greek philosophers were concerned with the development of logic and reasoning, and how divine forces worked

3. Thales of Miletus 636-546 B.C. Earliest known philosopher
Studied Egyptian and Babylonian astronomy and mathematics
Believed that the universe was controlled by fixed laws
Basic element – water.
Got rich with olive presses!

4. Pythagoras B.C.
The universe could only be understood thru numbers.
Sun, moon, and earth revolved around a central fire.
Each planet produces a tone!
Famous for the Pythagorean Theorem: a2 + b2 = c2

5. Pythagoras B.C. c2 a2 b2
Pythagorean Theorem: a2 + b2 = c2

6. Protagoras 485 - 410 B.C. Most famous of the Sophists
Believed that reason and knowledge should be used to achieve a comfortable, safe, and happy life.
Teachings to equip citizens for life in the polis:
Public speaking – oratory and rhetoric
Politics
Grammar – language
The art of being respectable
Plato named one of his dialogues after him.

7. Hippocrates 460-377 B.C. Founded a school of medicine
Rejected that sickness comes from the gods
Careful observations of symptoms
Acute
Chronic
“Holistic” healing
Hygiene
Diet
Curative powers of nature
The Hippocratic Oath

8. Democritus 460? - 360 B.C. Developed the atomic theory.
Taught that the universe was formed out of chaos through the joining of atoms of like shape and size.
Atoma = indivisible particles.
“the laughing philosopher”

9. Euclid c.300 B.C. One of the most prominent mathematicians
Wrote The Elements
Widely used till about 1903.
2nd only to the Bible in numbers of translations, publications, and study
Greek – Arabic – Latin
Said to Ptolemy: “There is No Royal Road to geometry!”

10. Archimedes 287 - 212 B.C. Greek mathematician – Geometry
War machines and other devices
Theory of buoyancy - “Eureka!”
Law of the lever
Archimedean screw

11. The Three Most Famous Philosophers
Socrates Plato Aristotle

12. Socrates (469-399 B.C.) “The unexamined life is not worth living.”
Beliefs
We contain all the knowledge of the world in our souls
Reincarnation
We lose touch with that knowledge after every rebirth
We DO NOT learn new things, but are reminded of what we already know

13. Socrates (469-399 B.C.) Beliefs
Good is not good because the gods say so
Good is measured by practical usefulness
Don’t need religious texts to tell us right from wrong
Monotheistic
Did not believe in the multitude of Greek gods & goddesses
Anti-authority
Wanted students to question society

14. Socrates (469-399 B.C.) Legacy The Socratic Method Death
Teaching by using question-and-answer format to lead pupils to understanding concepts through reasoning
Let students learn for themselves
Leads to modern school system
Death
Put on trial & convicted by an Athenian jury of corrupting the youth of Athens
Forced to drink hemlock and commit suicide

15. Considered the greatest philosopher in Western Civilization
Plato (437?-347 BC)
“Dictatorship naturally arises out of democracy, and the most aggravated form of tyranny and slavery out of the most extreme liberty.”
Socrates’ student
Wrote down all of Socrates beliefs
Considered the greatest philosopher in Western Civilization

16. Plato (437?-347 BC) Beliefs How do we know what’s real? The Republic
Earth is not real
Must live in a rational state
The higher world of eternity is real
The Republic
Does not trust democracy
Offers his ideal state
Philosopher kings – driven by wisdom
Warriors – provide courage
Peasants – driven by desire, but would produce
Argued against materialism

17. Plato (437?-347 BC) Beliefs Men and women should be educated
They should have equal access to all positions
Three Levels of Pleasure
Physical  i.e. sex
Sensual  i.e. admiring beauty or enjoying relationship in marriage
Ideal  intellectual love; connecting with another mind
No physicality to soil the relationship
Platonic love

18. Plato (437?-347 BC) Beliefs God is perfect
We must strive to resemble God
We move closer to God via reincarnation
He created the world out of raw materials
Sin is people being ignorant
Do not punish, but reform sinners via education

19. “The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal.”
Aristotle ( B.C.)
“The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal.”
Prized student of Plato
Teacher of Alexander the Great
Lyceum
Built school of philosophy
Beautiful grounds with covered walkways
Traditional college campuses based on the Lyceum

20. Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) Beliefs Three Souls Three forms of government
Plant Soul  essence of nutrition
Animal Soul  essence of pleasure, pain, & desire
Human Soul  essence of reasoning
People learn through reasoning
Three forms of government
Monarchy
Negative  could turn into tyranny
Aristocracy
Negative  could turn into an oligarchy
Constitutional Monarchy
Negative  could turn into anarchy

21. Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) Legacy System of Classification
The ologies: biology, zoology, etc.
Governments: democracies, oligarchies, tyrannies
Inventor of modern logic
p v q
Wrote the first book on psychology