the quest of western philosophy

8/3/2019 The Quest of Western Philosophy

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WELCOMEWELCOME THE QUEST OFTHE QUEST OF

WESTERNWESTERNPHILOSOPHY.PHILOSOPHY.


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ANCIENTANCIENT--GREEK PHILOSOPHYGREEK PHILOSOPHY

(cosmocentric)(cosmocentric)

They wereThey were

not the firstnot the firstthinkers,thinkers,

they havethey have

the records.the records.


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ANCIENTANCIENT--GREEK PHILOSOPHYGREEK PHILOSOPHY

(cosmocentric)(cosmocentric)

During this time, whenDuring this time, whengods embodied naturegods embodied nature

and interfered inand interfered inhuman lives, thehuman lives, the

journey fromjourney from mythosmythos toto

logoslogos began.began.


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WHAT DO WE KNOW OF THE

PRESOCRATIC PHILOSOPHERS?

Not much ... not a single original work

has survived intact for us to study!

The only sources are1.Fragments --- a few quotations from

Presocratic works that have

survived in works written later.

2. Testimonia --- comments in the writingsof Plato and Aristotle on Presocratic ideas.

3. Doxography --- summaries of Presocratic

works.


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THALES of MiletusTHALES of Miletus624624 -- 546 BCE546 BCE

WATERWATER

IS THEIS THE

FIRSTFIRSTPRINCIPLEPRINCIPLE

(urstuff)(urstuff)


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1. The first to ask, "What is the basic1. The first to ask, "What is the basic

substance of the universe?"substance of the universe?"2. Water is the source or material2. Water is the source or material

principle (principle (archearche) of everything) of everything

3.

Earth is a flat disk3.

Earth is a flat diskfloating on waterfloating on water

4. Said to have predicted a solar4. Said to have predicted a solar

eclipse of 584 BC (probably myth)eclipse of 584 BC (probably myth)5. No difference between living and5. No difference between living and

nonliving matter: "All things arenonliving matter: "All things arefull of gods." (~ lifefull of gods." (~ life--germs?)germs?)


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ANAXIMANDER OF MILETUSANAXIMANDER OF MILETUS

610610 ------ 540 BCE540 BCE

EARTHEARTH

IS THEIS THE

FIRSTFIRSTPRINCIPLEPRINCIPLE

(urstuff)(urstuff)


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1. The first principle of all other things is

the infinite "apeiron" (no single

substance, indefinite)

2. From this, the heavens and the worlds

in them arise3.The earth is aloft, not supported by

anything, because it is of equal distance

from everything

4. Earth is cylindrical in shape


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ANAXIMENES OF MILETUSANAXIMENES OF MILETUS

fl. c. 545 BCEfl. c. 545 BCE

AIRAIR

IS THEIS THEFIRSTFIRST

PRINCIPLEPRINCIPLE

(urstuff)(urstuff)


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HERACLITUSHERACLITUS

fl. c. 500 BC (born in Ephesus)fl. c. 500 BC (born in Ephesus)

FIRE/ FLUXFIRE/ FLUX

IS THEIS THEFIRSTFIRST

PRINCIPLEPRINCIPLE

(urstuff)(urstuff)


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1. All things are an exchange of fire2. Change is the most important principle

of the universe

"everything flows"3. Universe eternal: no beginning,

forever changing

4. Heraclitus trusted his senses,

observing the world in a state of never-ending flux.


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PARMENIDES OF ELEAPARMENIDES OF ELEA

540540 -- 480 BCE480 BCE

NO CHANGENO CHANGEChange is butChange is but

an illusion!an illusion!


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1. Nothing can come out of nothing2. Everything in the world is eternal

3. Rejected the possibility of actual

change4. Our senses and observations of

change are unreliable

5. We follow the Way of Opinion

(illusion), not the Way of Truth


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EMPEDOCLESEMPEDOCLES

c. 492c. 492 ------ 433 BC (born in Acragas)433 BC (born in Acragas)

TheThe

urstuffurstuff isiscomposedcomposedof fourof four

elements.elements.


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1. Four primary and irreducible elements:

earth, air, fire, and water2. Physical world is made of these

unchanging eternal elements in various

changing combinations

3. Combinations of the four elements aredetermined by the interaction of Love

(attraction) and Strife (repulsion) >>>

chemistry!

today we call them positive and negativeelectric charge (unlike charges attract, like

charges repel)


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DEMOCRITUSDEMOCRITUS

c. 460c. 460 ------ 370 BC (born in Abdera)370 BC (born in Abdera)

ATOMATOM ISISTHE FIRSTTHE FIRSTPRINCIPLEPRINCIPLE


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CLASSICAL PHILOSOPHERSCLASSICAL PHILOSOPHERS

ANTHROPOCENTRIC


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ProtagorasProtagoras

480480--410 BCE410 BCE

MAN

IS

THE

MEASURE

OF ALL

THINGS


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SocratesSocrates

469469--399 BCE399 BCE

The Death of Socrates

by Jacques-Louis David (1787)


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Socratic MethodSocratic Method

There is only oneThere is only one

thing that I know;thing that I know;that is I knowthat is I know

nothing!nothing!


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PLATOPLATO

427427--347 BCE347 BCE

World of FormsWorld of Forms

andand

World of Ideas.World of Ideas.


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Allegory of the CaveAllegory of the Cave


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AristotleAristotle

384384-- 322 BCE322 BCE

Aristotle believed that

truth is found byobserving the universe.


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THEOCENTRICTHEOCENTRIC

Fall of theFall of theRoman EmpireRoman Empire

Medieval PhilosophyMedieval Philosophy


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Rise ofRise ofChristianityChristianityas a religionas a religion

Medieval PhilosophyMedieval Philosophy


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LandLand

TextilesTextiles

HorsesHorses

FEUDALISMFEUDALISM


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My HeartMy Heart

isis

RestlessRestlessuntil ituntil it

rest untorest unto

Thee!Thee!

St. Augustine of HippoSt. Augustine of Hippo

354354--430430 CECE


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Summa contraSumma contra

GentilesGentiles

SummaSumma

TheologiaeTheologiae

St. Thomas AquinasSt. Thomas Aquinas

12271227--1274 CE1274 CE


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St. BonaventureSt. Bonaventure12211221--1274 CE1274 CE


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TheThe RenaissanceRenaissance, also known as ", also known as "IlIlRinascimentoRinascimento" (in" (in ItalianItalian), was an influential), was an influentialcultural movementcultural movement which brought about a periodwhich brought about a periodofofscientific revolutionscientific revolution and artistic transformation,and artistic transformation,at the dawn of modernat the dawn of modern European historyEuropean history. It marks. It marksthe transitional period between the end of thethe transitional period between the end of theMiddle AgesMiddle Ages and the start of theand the start of the Modern AgeModern Age. The. TheRenaissance is usually considered to haveRenaissance is usually considered to have

originated in theoriginated in the 14th century14th century in northernin northern ItalyItaly andandbegun in the latebegun in the late 15th century15th century inin northern Europenorthern Europe..

RenaissanceRenaissance


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The ReThe Re--BirthBirth(Humanism)(Humanism)


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ReRe--birth meant the rediscovery of ancientbirth meant the rediscovery of ancient

Roman and Greek LatinRoman and Greek Latin heritage throughheritage through

ancient manuscripts and the humanistancient manuscripts and the humanistmethod of learning. These new ideas frommethod of learning. These new ideas from

the past (called the "new learning" at thethe past (called the "new learning" at the

time) triggered the coming advancements intime) triggered the coming advancements in

art, science and other areas.art, science and other areas.

CONTEXT


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Another possible starting point is theAnother possible starting point is the fall offall ofConstantinopleConstantinople to the Turks into the Turks in 14531453. It was. It wasa turning point in warfare asa turning point in warfare as cannoncannon andandgunpowdergunpowderbecame a central element. Inbecame a central element. In

addition, Byzantineaddition, Byzantine--Greek scholars fledGreek scholars fledwest to Rome bringing renewed energywest to Rome bringing renewed energyand interest in the Greek and Romanand interest in the Greek and Romanheritage, and it perhaps represented theheritage, and it perhaps represented the

end of the old religious order in Europe.end of the old religious order in Europe.


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Niccol MachiavelliNiccol Machiavelli((May 3May 3,, 14691469 -- June 21June 21,, 15271527))


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Francis BaconFrancis Bacon

(1561(1561 -- 1626)1626)


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Thomas HobbesThomas Hobbes

15881588--16791679


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Thank YouThank You

the quest of western philosophy

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