1. Greek Philosophers

2. Philosophers? “lovers of wisdom” Used observation and reason to find causes for events. Not just the wants of the Gods Logic? Use this to discover laws that governed universe Rhetoric? Skillful art of speaking Sophists that usually questioned the accepted ideas, success more important than moral truth

3. Socrates Wrote zero books Talked a lot around marketplace using Socratic method Ask series of questions and challenge them to examine implications of their answers Thought he was helping others seek truth and self-knowledge Some considered this a threat

4. Athenians thought not impressive, clothes untidy and made poor living, annoying Put on trial at age 70 Accused of corrupting city’s youth and not respecting gods Put on trial in front of 501 citizens and sentenced to death by poison “The unexamined life is not worth living”

5. Plato Student of Socrates Lifelong distrust of democracy Left Athens for 10 years, Academy Importance of reason with ideas Through rational thought people can discover unchanging ethical values, recognize perfect beauty, and learn how to best organize society Thought state should regulate every aspect of its citizen’s lives to provide for their best interests

6. Ideal society: 1. workers produce necessities of life 2. soldiers defend the state 3. philosophers to rule Ensure order and justice, wisest had ultimate authority Men surpassed women in mental and physical tasks, but some women superior to men

8. Aristotle Plato’s most famous student Analyzed all forms of government Suspicious of democracy since thought could lead to mob rule Favored rule by a single strong and virtuous leader Reason as the guiding force for learning

9. “golden mean” is the desirable middle between two extremes, one of excess and the other of deficiency. Lyceum school where students study all branches of knowledge. First European universities evolved 1500 years later based on the works and ideas of Aristotle

10. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyUmLxM rPU8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyUmLxM rPU8 Quotes