Greek Classical PhilosophyGreek Classical Philosophy

““Western philosophy is just a Western philosophy is just a series of footnotes to Plato.”series of footnotes to Plato.”

A BRIEF OverviewA BRIEF Overview

The Major PlayersThe Major Players What they believe…What they believe… Some examples…Some examples…

The 3 Great Minds...The 3 Great Minds... Socrates (469 BC- 399 BC)Socrates (469 BC- 399 BC)

Plato (428 BC-347 BC)Plato (428 BC-347 BC) Aristotle (384 BC- 322 BC)*Aristotle (384 BC- 322 BC)*

SocratesSocrates

One of the founders of Western One of the founders of Western PhilosophyPhilosophy

Not known for his writing, but Not known for his writing, but through other observers----- Plato’s through other observers----- Plato’s dialoguesdialogues

Major concept: the Socratic methodMajor concept: the Socratic method ““Gadfly of the state”----DeathGadfly of the state”----Death

Socratic Method or Socratic Method or “Elenchus”“Elenchus”

To solve a problem, it would be broken To solve a problem, it would be broken down into multiple questions.down into multiple questions.

The answer eventually comes to the The answer eventually comes to the forefrontforefront

Perfect for assessing personal beliefs Perfect for assessing personal beliefs and the extent of someone’s knowledgeand the extent of someone’s knowledge

““The highest form of human excellence The highest form of human excellence is to question oneself and others.”is to question oneself and others.”

The Steps of the Method…The Steps of the Method…

Socrates' interlocutor asserts a thesis, for example 'Courage is endurance of the soul', which Socrates considers false and targets for refutation.

Socrates secures his interlocutor's agreement to further premises, for example 'Courage is a fine thing' and 'Ignorant endurance is not a fine thing'.

Socrates then argues, and the interlocutor agrees, that these further premises imply the contrary of the original thesis, in this case it leads to: 'courage is not endurance of the soul'.

Socrates then claims that he has shown that his interlocutor's thesis is false and that its contrary is true.

Socrates and PhilosophySocrates and Philosophy

A little difficult… Why?A little difficult… Why? The Soul & ImmortalityThe Soul & Immortality Virtue & Moral Stature Divine BequestVirtue & Moral Stature Divine Bequest Knowledge: Wrongdoing was a Knowledge: Wrongdoing was a

consequence of not knowing betterconsequence of not knowing better Virtue & Ideal life in search of the goodVirtue & Ideal life in search of the good Politics: Government of Philosophers a Politics: Government of Philosophers a

“Philosopher King”“Philosopher King”

PlatoPlato

Student of Socrates & Recorder of Student of Socrates & Recorder of the the DialoguesDialogues

Founder of the Academy in AthensFounder of the Academy in Athens PlatonismPlatonism

PlatonismPlatonism

The senses… Reality???The senses… Reality??? ““He who sees with his own eyes is blind.”He who sees with his own eyes is blind.” Physical objects and physical events are Physical objects and physical events are

shadows of their ideal or perfect forms, shadows of their ideal or perfect forms, and exist only to the extent that they and exist only to the extent that they instantiate the perfect versions of instantiate the perfect versions of themselves.themselves.

Perfect Justice exists… But not clear Perfect Justice exists… But not clear where…where…

The Theory of Forms (Ideas)The Theory of Forms (Ideas)

The material world as it appears to The material world as it appears to us is not real, but only a shadow of us is not real, but only a shadow of the real world.the real world.

The forms are unknown, because we The forms are unknown, because we cannot fully grasp them…cannot fully grasp them…

A Form is an Abstract QualityA Form is an Abstract Quality

6 Concepts of Forms:6 Concepts of Forms:

Forms are Forms are transcendenttranscendent- do not exist as a part of - do not exist as a part of space or timespace or time

The forms are The forms are purepure- Are separated from all other - Are separated from all other qualitiesqualities

The forms are The forms are archetypesarchetypes- perfect models for all of the - perfect models for all of the properties that are present in material objectsproperties that are present in material objects

The forms are The forms are ultimately realultimately real. Material objects are . Material objects are images or copies of the forms.images or copies of the forms.

The forms are the The forms are the causescauses of all that exist in the world. of all that exist in the world. Systematically Interconnected-Systematically Interconnected- They are all connected They are all connected

to one another and flow down from the form of goodto one another and flow down from the form of good

How it works…How it works…

The Theory of Forms Was The Theory of Forms Was meant to Solve:meant to Solve:

How can humans live a happy life in How can humans live a happy life in a changing world, where everything a changing world, where everything they attach themselves to can be they attach themselves to can be taken away?taken away?

How can the world appear How can the world appear permanent and changing?permanent and changing?

An Example…An Example…

The Basketball…The Basketball…

For example, if you separate the roundness of a basketball from its color, its weight, etc. and consider just roundness by itself, you are thinking of the form of roundness. Plato held that this property existed apart from the basketball, in a different mode of existence than the basketball. The form is not just the idea of roundness you have in your mind. It exists independently of the basketball and independently of whether someone thinks of it. All round objects, not just this basketball, participate or copy this same form of roundness.

““As for me, all I know is that I know As for me, all I know is that I know nothing.”nothing.”