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Philosophy 144 content summary
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PHILOSOPHY 144:SECTION A
Ancient Greek & Medieval Philosophy.
, TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION;WHY STUDY GREEK PHILOSOPHY 3
ANCIENT GREECE & GREEK GODS 3
THE PRE-SOCRATICS (MILESIAN PHILOSOPHERS) 4
THALES 4
ANAXIMANDER 5
ANAXIMENES 6
ATHENS 5TH CENTURY BCE 6
SOPHISTS 7
PROTAGORAS 7
SOCRATES 7
SOCRATIC METHOD OF QUESTIONING 8
SOCRATES METAPHYSICS & ETHICS 8
SOCRATES POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY 9
SOCRATES LEGACY 9
PLATO 10
UNIVERSAL FORMS — BASIS OF KNOWLEDGE 11
PLATO’S THEORY OF FORMS 11
METAPHYSICAL DUALISM 12
ANALOGY OF DIVIDED LINE-DEGREES OF REALITY 12
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FORMS & PARTICULARS 13
STRUCTURE OF THE SOUL 13
BALANCED SOUL 14
PLATO’S LEGACY 15
ARISTOTLE 15
SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE 16
PROBLEM OF INDUCTION 16
LOGIC 17
ARISTOTLE’S UNIVERSALS 18
SUBSTANCE 19
PROBLEM OF CHANGE 20
TELEOLOGY 20
EUDAEMONIA & HUMAN EXCELLENCE 21
ARISTOTLE’S LEGACY 22
THE ROMAN PERIOD 23
PLOTINUS 23
NEOPLATONISM 23
INFLUENCES 23
THE ONE 24
PROBLEM OF EVIL 25
Notes by Layla !1
, NEOPLATONISM’S LEGACY 25
MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY: RETURN TO FAITH 25
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GREEK AND JUDEO-CHRISTIAN RELIGIONS 26
PROBLEM OF FAITH AND REASON 26
PLATO AND ARISTOTLE IN CHRISTIAN THOUGHT 26
HERESY (COUNTERS TO CHRISTIANITY) 27
CRITICISM OF ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY 27
ST. AUGUSTINE 27
PROBLEM OF CHANGE 29
PROBLEM OF EVIL 29
ST. AUGUSTINE’S INFLUENCE 29
ISLAMIC EMPIRES 29
ISLAMIC PHILOSOPHERS 30
AVICENNA (IBN SINA) 30
AL GHAZALI 30
AVERROËS (IBN RUSHD) 30
11TH & 12TH CENTURIES 30
SCHOLASTICISM 30
ST. AQUINAS 31
DEFENDER OF ARISTOTLE 31
FAITH AND REASON 31
GREAT CHAIN OF BEING 32
GOD 33
ST. AQUINAS INFLUENCE 33
UNRAVELING OF MEDIEVAL SYNTHESIS 33
WILLIAM OF OCKHAM 33
OCKHAM’S INFLUENCE 34
Notes by Layla !2
, INTRODUCTION;WHY STUDY GREEK PHILOSOPHY
We can define philosophy as ‘the human attempt to systematically study the most fundamental
structures of our entire experience in order to arrive at beliefs that are as conceptually clear,
experientially confirmed and rationally coherent as possible.”
It is not about not about what you believe, but rather about the reasonable, logical search of truth; it
suggests that the reasoning behind an opinion or argument is more important than the opinion itself.
There are several values to studying ancient greek philosophy, in specific.
* It allows us to properly understand the origins of our beliefs and thoughts— where they came from
and what effect their origin has on our outlook on the world.
* It gives us the opportunity to exercise rational thought.
* It’s interesting to look at what all of our thoughts/beliefs are based off, especially considering that
some ancient greek philosophical theories still have relevance to modern philosophical issues and
beliefs.
* We cannot understand nor practice either contemporary philosophy or contemporary society without
it.
* Plato and Aristotle’s respective influences on contemporary society is incalculable, not only in
Western thought but in the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe. Their influences reached the
majority of the world both directly and through religions such as Christianity, Islam, and Judaism.
* The ancient greeks also established universities as well as philosophy/science as a discipline and new
way of thinking.
* If we understand where our ideas come from, we can start judging them critically. And a great many
of our beliefs, concepts, values and attitudes come from the Ancient Greeks, via the Middle Ages
(especially through Christianity, Judaism and Islam).
ANCIENT GREECE & GREEK GODS
Before Thales/philosophy came into play, the ancient greeks explained everything from the world
order to what was expected of you was in relation to the actions of the gods. The seasons, weather,
and almost all other aspects of nature were said to be the actions of the gods, taking out their
emotions on the world.
These greek gods were not morally righteous, they were selfish, self-centered and wanted whatever
was in their favor and would act on the basis of that.
However, despite having the order of the universe explained as being the gods emotions, there was
still a sense/need for an objective moral order by which everyone should abide and regard others.
There was a dilemma that on the one hand there are the gods who take out their anger and emotions
when something is displeasing to them but contradictorily there is the idea that there is an element
of necessity or fate that even the gods are subject to, to some degree.
On May 25, 585 BCE (they day that western philosophy began) there was a solar eclipse. It is
suggested that this was the day philosophy ‘started’ because an ancient greek philosopher, Thales,
had predicted the eclipse and according to ancient greek culture, the only reason for this eclipse
could have been that a god had intended/created it. So Thales predicting it was a key indication of a
flaw in their ideology.
Notes by Layla !3
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