Pre-Socratic philosophy

The pre-socratics were ancient philosophers that lived in Greece during the sixth and fifth centuries, who contemplated reality among other new concepts. The documentation of their beliefs and works are known through writings of other later philosophers, mostly Aristotle. A particular group of these philosophers allowed for the evolution and contemplation about the first cause of reality. Thales, Anaximander, and Anaximenes made up what is known as the Milesian school of philosophy, where Thales…

lives of his students Plato and Xenophon, who both became great philosophers in their own right. In fact, his knowledge has defined an era, so much so that the philosophers that came before him are now known as pre-Socratic. He is commonly credited as being one of the founders of Western philosophy, greatly increasing our understanding of both ethics and epistemology, among others (Kessler 65). Socrates did not consider himself to be wise, yet his understanding of the world has had a very…

Along with Socrates, Plato continued building philosophy around the conception of the divine attributes of the universe, termed ideal forms by Socrates. These ideas resembled the Pre-Socratic notions of the mind, being, and logos. The search for reality requires intense contemplation and intuition, years of study, and mastery on the nature of the universe, the shape of the world, the soul and its immortality, human thought, psychology, and politics, but they lacked the empirical focus that…

Western philosophy began in the 6th century BCE in ancient Greece. These first philosophers that we know of are called “Pre-Socratics”, meaning they came before Socrates. Socrates’ philosophical prowess, however, brought forth a time that freedom of self-consciousness was first challenged. In my opinion, Socrates was the first philosopher to distinguish the value of philosophy even though they were just mere thoughts of men. In Bertrand Russell’s “The Value of Philosophy”, he addresses the very…

Mortimer J. Adler was a well-known philosopher who worked with many other great philosophers to come up with ways to enrich the pre-existing curriculum. Many of the ideas that Adler had are still relevant today. Many works on which he focused on are often used in the curriculums. Adler was deeply impacted by the ideas of Aristotle. He also felt that the Perennials philosophy was very important and it held a lot of weight. Adler experienced many critics along the way, as many people believed…

Socrates, the man who forever changed philosophy forever. In fact, he changed it so much that when trying to put ancient philosophy into a timeline, it is often broken up into “Pre-Socratic”, “Socratic”, and “Post-Socratic”. This is just one form of breaking it up of course, but it does highlight the importance of Socrates. Socrates was especially different in that he brought philosophy to the common man; his idea was that anyone could be a philosopher. He was able to think this because of both…

questions: what virtue is and whether it can be taught. This style of philosophy is commonly known as the “Socratic Method” in which Socrates and his interlocutors participate in a form of inquiry in which Socrates asks questions to stimulate critical thinking. Plato uses Socrates and his Socratic Method along with other theories in his dialogues “Meno” and “Phaedo” to prove what he believes is the correct way to do philosophy. The “Meno” dialogue focuses on Meno’s attempts to define virtue…

individuals and topics, which have had an immense influence on molding western civilization. It has been built upon the achievements of history’s greatest leaders, ideas and documents. The most important, however, was that of Greek mythology, the philosophies of Socrates, and Augustine’s, Confessions. From the beginning of the belief in higher powers, to the philosophical advances and growth of religion, it is inevitable that these topics have been able to provide pathways to the structure of…

corrupting the minds of the youth. These charges have philosophical reflections within them. This trial holds great importance for philosophy. The Trial of Socrates can also been seen as the Trial of philosophy. Socrates was a job less philosopher whose only form of income was what little donations received from others he met. Socrates walked around and spread knowledge and philosophy to others. Many people did not like Socrates because he would play the devil’s advocate whenever he talked…

rule as kings...and adequately philosophize, and political power and philosophy coincide in the same place… my dear Glaucon, nor I think for human kind, nor will the regime we have now described in speech ever come forth from nature, insofar as possible, and see the light of the sun.” In other words, Socrates’ perfect city consists of philosophers becoming kings because, in doing so, they are capable of interlacing their philosophies and political power. This then allows for the kings to use…