Greek Philosophy

Greek Philosophy

Philosophy, the use of reason and argument in seeking truth and knowledge of reality. Throughout history man has searched for the origins of his existence, both on an outward and inward level, seeking truth and understanding of his world. The first culture to actively explore this idea of philosophy was the Greeks. Because their civilization placed less emphasis on religion and the masses didn't have to constantly answer to religious figures man had time to explore other things. Not only did Greek philosophy play an important role in Greek society, but it's voice and influence has and will continue to reverberate throughout the ages.

Modern philosophy has it's roots in a small city called Miletus, which was controlled by Greece but was not part of Greece proper, in fact it was on the western coast of Asia Minor. The first philosopher was known as Thales and he was from Miletus. The period that he began was known as the Presocratic period and it lasted from c.600 to c.400 BC. Philosophy, at that time, was still part of the other sciences. The main goal at this time was to achieve a rational understanding of the external world of nature, because of this is sometimes known as "natural philosophy." This is not what we know of philosophy today "Instead, philosophers searched for the basic substances from which all known objects were made up and for the processes which transformed these substances into the great variety of things around today. Yet all of these early philosophers explored the mystery of the cosmos rather than the problems of human existence" (Breisach, pg 9)

Miletus produced many of the first philosophers, including Anaximanter and Leucippus, the founder of Atomism. The fundamentals of Atomis...

... middle of paper ...

...gs. The voice of Pythagorus rings out when we measure a right triangle, as well as when Socrates is credited by modern day thinkers.

Bibliography:

Selected Bibliography

Breisach, Earnst. Historiography Ancient, Medieval, and Modern. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1983

Collinson, Diane. 50 Major Philosophers A Reference Guide. London: Routledge, 1987

Hamlyn, D.W. A History of Western Philosophy. New York: Viking, 1987

Honderich, Todd, et al., eds. Studies In Presocratic Philosophy. Vol 2. Atlantic Highlands, NJ: Hamilton Press, 1975.

Luce, J.V. An Introduction to Greek Philosophy. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1992.

McGreal, Ian P.. Great Thinkers of the Western World. New York: HarperCollins, 1992.

Starr, Chester. A History of the Ancient World. New York: Oxford University Press, 1965