Greek Philosophers

Socrates

• What we know about Socrates comes from his student Plato

• He wrote NO books

• Used the Socratic method, asking questions to his fellow citizens about their beliefs

• Many saw this questioning as a threat towards traditions

Socrates

• Put on trial at age 70 and accused of corrupting the city’s youth and not respecting the Gods

• Sentenced to death and drank a cup of hemlock, which is a deadly poison

Plato

• One of Socrates’s students; fled Athens after his death

• Came back to Athens 10 years later and set up a school called The Academy

• Students studied reasoning and rational thought

• He rejected Athen Democracy

Plato

• Argued that the state should regulate every aspect of a citizen’s life

• Divided ideal society into workers, soldiers, and philosophers who would rule

• A philosopher king, the wisest of all, would rule

• Believed talented women should be educated to serve the state

Aristotle

• Plato’s most famous student

• Analyzed all forms of government

• Was suspicious of democracy, which he thought could lead to mob rule

• Favored rule by a single strong leader

• Addressed the question how people should live

Aristotle

• Set up a school called Lyceum for the study of all branches of knowledge

• Wrote about politics, ethics, logic, biology, literature, and knowledge

• Which Philosopher do you most agree with and tell me why?– This is to be turned in by the end of the period – Half page for a grade