Greek Philosophers

The word "philosophers" means lovers of wisdom; these people explored subjects like math, music, logic, and rational thinking.  Some were also interested in ethics and morality and debated on what the best form of government was and what standards should rule our behavior.

Socrates

• Was an Athenian stonemason and philosopher.
• Did not have a lot of money; he was poor and usually dirty and badly dressed, yet he was very strong and an excellent soldier.
• Son of a poor stonecutter who provided him with the best education he could.
• Married Xanthippe, who was a very mean woman.
• Openly criticized Sophists because they charged money to teach and taught how to debate instead of how to think.
• Sophists were people who questioned accepted ideas; for them, success was more important than moral truth.  They developed skills in rhetoric (art of skillful speaking) and many young Athenians followed them after the Peloponnesian War.
• Socrates did not charge for teaching because he said he had everything he needed.
• Had a fame of being smart; he once went to think under a tree and people went see him.
• Considered words important; spoke with few words.
• Thought virtue was knowledge.
• Emphasized the improper use of language (foul words) hurt the soul.
• Developed the Socratic method, which consisted of him wanting people to:
1. Think through
2. Watch their words
3. Show their ignorance
• Was put on trial at age 70 because his enemies acused him of corrupting the city's youth and failing to respect the gods.
• Stood before a jury of 501 citizens and offered a calm and reasoned defense.
• Was condemned to death and given the chance to escape because execution only ocurred when Theseus' boat arrived, but he was loyal to the laws of Athens and accepted his death penalty by drinking a cup of hemlock (poison).  This shows his integrity:
• "One of the greatest crimes is disobeying your city-state."
• His last words were to pay a chicken he owed.
• He did not write because he spent his days in the town square asking people about their beliefs; we know what we know about him thanks to his student, Plato.

Plato

• Distrusted democracy after his teacher, Socrates, was condemned to death.
• Fled Athens for 10 years and established a school called the Academy when he came back.
• In the Academy he taught about his ideas and emphasized the importance of reason.
• Wrote a book called The Republic in which he stated that an all-powerful philosopher king should rule and people should be divided into 3 classes:
• workers to produce the necessities of life
• soldiers to defend the city-state
• philosophers to rule, ensuring order and justice, the wisest would be the king
• Thought men were stronger and smarter than woman in general, but that some women were superior to some men.
• Said talented women should be educated to serve the state.
• Plato is a precursor of Christianity; St. Paul studied him.  We see many of Plato's beliefs in the Christian religion, for example:
• "Material things are less important than those that can't be seen."
• "Goodness is its own reward."
• Was a poet.
• Aristotle was his most famous disciple.

Aristotle

• Analyzed the government and was suspicious of democracy, like Plato.
• He favored a rule by a single strong and virtuous leader, like Plato's philosopher king.
• Taught Alexander the Great at the Lyceum, the school he set up for the study of all branches.
• "Philip gave Alexander his life, but Aristotle taught him how to live it."
• Is called the "Father of Natural Sciences" because of his discoveries in astronomy, botany, math and biology.
• Wrote a book called Politics in which he states everyone should live with nobility, and that people should be kind and just with each other.
• Thought good conduct was pursuing the "golden mean."
• The first university courses were based on the 1,500+ writings he left on diverse topics.

Historians

• Herodotus is known as the "Father of History."
• Wrote about the Persian Wars but he was biased and included religion.
• Thucydides was the best historian of his age.
• Wrote about the Peloponnesian Wars without religious influences.
• Wanted to be a warrior and was appointed general, but was late and fired, so he starts writing.
• Died before finishing his last sentence.
• Plutarch is an accidental historian from the Roman age.
• Is considered a historian because of his book "Parallel Lives", in which he compares the daily life of a Greek to that of a Roman.