The Importance of Moderation in Greek Philosophy

Aristotle, the ancient Greek philosopher, once said that "all men possess by nature a craving for knowledge." This idea has been explored for thousands of years within various cultures throughout the world. Within Aristotle's own culture, many greek myths were developed that pondered the idea of the constant search for knowledge. One of the most famous perhaps is the myth of Daedalus and Icarus. This myth tells the classic story of a man, Daedalus, who wishes to escape the island of Crete with his son Icarus. He creates wings for both himself and Icarus but warns his son that he should not attempt to fly too low near the water or too high near the sun for fear of death. Icarus does not heade his warning and flies high near the sun. The myth ends in tragedy with Icarus falling to his death and drowning in the sea. The myth of Daedalus and Icarus is a classic example of the consequences of gaining too much knowledge. Remnants of this tale can be seen throughout the western world an in some of the greatest literature. The Greeks are known for their contributions to government, culture and philosophy. Their influence can still be seen today. The Greeks produced ideas that laid the groundwork for modern civilizations and they pushed the boundaries of knowledge in several areas. However, some of the most celebrated Greek thinkers questioned the limits of knowledge and its implications. The story of Daedalus and Icarus reflects the Greek philisophical concept that restrictions should be placed on knowledge and this idea can be seen in several important woks of western literature.

The Greek civilization was incredibly sophisticated, and they highly developed their government, economy, and philosophy. As advanced as their cult...

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