Post on 18-Jan-2016
The Greek Mind
Chapter 10.2
Greek Thinkers
500 B.C. to 350 B.C was known as the Golden Age of Greece.
Art, architecture, literature, and philosophy thrived
Philosophy is a Greek word meaning “love of wisdom”
The Sophists
• Sophists were teachers that traveled from one polis to another.
• They taught all subjects, including rhetoric, the art of speaking and debate.
• Didn’t believe the gods had power over humans
• Challenged Greek traditions• Taught winning was better than seeking
the truth
Socrates• Lived in Athens and trained to be a sculptor• Loved philosophy and teaching• Believed in absolute truth and knowledge is in
everyone• Didn’t leave written records but students wrote
about him• Asked questions as teaching strategy – Socratic
method• Wanted students to question and think for
themselves
Socrates• After Peloponnesian War, open debate wasn’t
trusted in Athens• Leaders feared his influence• Arrested in 399 B.C. and charged with
encouraging the young to rebel• Found guilty and sentenced to death by poison• He was given the opportunity to leave Athens,
but refused saying he had to follow the law.
Plato
• Student of Socrates• Quit career in government after death of
Socrates• Became a teacher and founded the Academy in
Athens• Wrote The Republic, plan for society and
government• Wanted philosopher kings to rule• Didn’t think common people could think for
themselves• Believed women should have more rights
Aristotle• 335 B.C. started the Lyceum school• Taught the “golden mean”, live moderately• His methods of studying science influenced modern
science• Wrote Politics, a book on government• Believed best government had features of monarchy,
oligarchy, and democracy• Influenced later governments including the U.S.• Alexander the Great was his student
Greeks and History
• Herodotus– 435 B.C. wrote a
history of the Persians Wars
– “Father of history”– Researched the
events and questioned many people
– Still believed gods played a role in events
• Thucydides– Wrote The History of
the Peloponnesian War
– Believed on people made history
– Wanted eyewitness accounts
– Believed one could learn from mistakes of the past
The First Scientists• Believed natural events could be explained by
logic• Thales studied astronomy• Pythagoras believed every relationship could be
expressed in numbers.• Pythagorean Theorem
Ancient Greek Medicine
• Hippocrates – “father of medicine”
• Believed disease was from natural causes
• Traveled all over Greece treating the sick
• Hippocratic Oath – list of rules for doctors on how to treat patients
• Doctors today use the Hippocratic Oath