1. -Philosophers: “ Lovers of Wisdom”
Greek Philosophy
-Philosophers: “ Lovers of Wisdom”
*sought answers
to deep questions
like what is truth,
justice, virtue, etc.

2. Socrates Urged use of reason & logic His motto:“Know thyself”
Socratic Method
Taught by questioning & then showing the inadequacies of student’s answers
Tried to eventually arrive at a mutually accepted truth

3. “The unexamined life is not worth living”
“A sound mind in a sound body”
“I am not an Athenian, nor a Greek,
but a citizen of the world”
Socrates

4. Trial
Charged with corrupting Athenian youth (for making them question authority and the Athenian system of gov’t) and religious disrespect

5. >DRANK POISON HEMLOCK
>CONVICTED AND SENTENCED TO DEATH
>DRANK POISON HEMLOCK

6. PLATO
Student of Socrates
Academy - garden school where he taught

7. The Republic - Book with his ideal form of gov’t, a philosopher king
Dialogues - Written conversation between two or more people where they discuss ideas
*Socrates was often one part
of the conversation…

8. “Philosophy is the highest music”
“Those having torches will pass them on to others”
“Philosophy is the highest music”
Plato

9. Aristotle Student of Plato Taught Alexander the Great
The “Golden Mean”
(all things in moderation)

10. “The Golden Mean”
*Fled Athens after Alexander’s death,
as the Athenians hated Alexander, and he was worried
the Athenians would “sin twice against philosophy”
(the first time being the trial of Socrates)

11. Schools of philosophy Stoics: Accept fate
self-control in face of pain, sadness, and passions, allowing clear thinking and peace within oneself
Today: someone who doesn’t show a lot of emotion, who keeps a pretty even keel
*Passion distorts truth, and the pursuit
of truth is virtuous…

12. Epicureans: Epicurus (340-270 BC)
Seek modest pleasure through knowledge and living a virtuous life
“Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow may bring sorrow or death”
*Did not, however, advocate excesses!
-Today: fond of luxury and fine things
Epicurus ( BC)

13. Cynics: ~Virtue, not pleasure the desired end
~Sought harmony of morality and reason
~Today: distrustful & skeptical of peoples’ motives (and often with a sense of superiority)
*Emphasized 2 great & necessary truths, firstly, the absolute
responsibility of the individual as the moral unit, and secondly, the
autocracy of the will…