Socrates, Plato, And Aristotle : The Age Of Philosophy

As the Greek philosopher Aristotle is widely thought to have said, "The ultimate value of life depends upon awareness and the power of contemplation rather than upon mere survival." The earliest accounts of human history chronicle the struggle for survival against all odds. It is therefore remarkable that roughly 2400 years ago the question of virtue was raised, let alone contemplated at great length, forming a foundation upon which Western philosophers build to the present day. Socrates and Aristotle were two key individuals credited for their roles in the advent of Classical philosophy. Men in ancient Greece lived relatively privileged lives (save for war, disease, and lack of indoor plumbing), giving rise to a class of people able to devote time to leisurely pursuits and intellectual inquiry. Indeed, Socrates and Aristotle were far from the only free men in ancient Greece to contemplate truth and virtue, but their respective contributions afford them contemporary relevance. While they both were philosophers, they led tremendously different lives. Socrates lived from 469 BC to 399 BC, while Aristotle from 384 BC to 322 BC; despite the overlap in their lives, Aristotle was never directly under Socrates 's tutelage. Rather, Aristotle was a pupil of Plato, who was a pupil of Socrates. As a testament to the intellectual climate and diversity of thought characteristic of this era in Hellenic Athens, the two philosophers differed in their fundamental understanding of the

In contrast, Socrates was not aware, nor intentionally caused his martyrdom. For Socrates, he would gather his knowledge and theories simply by walking in public spaces, and having conversations with citizens, and esteemed figures, discussing life, and the universe, as well as asking questions of ethics, morality, and justice. Instead of preaching to the public of what truths he knew, he would ask questions to his students, which would allow them to think independently, and create a logical explanation for these questions. This method of teaching later became known as the Socratic method, which is still used today. As there were those for him, those against Socrates at the time accused him of rejecting the existence of the Olympian Gods (putting intelligent men in government above any supernatural deity,) being an atheist, and imposing radical philosophical questions on Athens’ new generation of scholars.

Around 1200 A.D, a group of people began to read old Greek writings about philosophy. Soon, Greek philosophy was everywhere around Europe. Greek philosophy revolved around the ideas of human reason and logic. Despite the fact that Greek philosophical ideas opposed the church's teachings, many people began to get interested in it because it gave them support, unlike the church, during hard times. The concepts of human reason and logic suggested that humans had the capacity of making sense of things, analyzing them, and finding a reasonable solution. The reason why Greek philosophy was accepted so quickly was because of the desperation

​As a result of the Greeks spreading throughout many regions following Alexander the Great’s conquests, the Hellenistic period saw old ways of thinking replaced with new ideas that reflected changes in society and the blending of diverse cultures that had now been exposed to one another. As Greek language and lifestyle swept through Egypt and West Asia, and major cultural hubs like Alexandria came to prominence, the Greek way of life had a profound effect on these distant lands, just as their own exotic customs and histories similarly affected Greek thought and culture. This, along with the changing political climate in these regions, led to a period of immense advancement in philosophical and religious discourse that would forever change the course of history and pave the way for the birth of Christianity. The three most significant catalysts for change in Hellenistic religion were the exposure of diverse cultures to one another, the vast changes in political and societal life during this period, and the shifts in philosophy and religious thought

Plato’s The Republic and Aristotle’s The Politics are two classic texts in ancient Greek political thought. Although Plato taught Aristotle, the two philosophers had differing viewpoints on many subjects, one of them being the purpose of political rule. Plato believed that the purpose of political rule is to allow for the manifestation of a just city where both the city and its citizens are in harmony due to a specialization of roles according to individuals’ natures, whereas Aristotle believed that the purpose of political rule is to create a regime that pursues the common advantage and preserves the political partnership of the city.

Paul’s message to the Athenians demonstrates a perfect example of witnessing to unbelievers without using Scripture.

In 469 B.C. a man by the name of Socrates was born. Socrates was a very wise man that cared about doing the right thing. He believed that the best ways to develop ideas was in the give and take of conversation, and that the best way to educate people was to ask them a series of questions leading in a particular direction (now named “Socrates method). Socrates had been quick to identify the drawbacks of democracy, and he had also been the teacher of two men who in different ways harmed Athens: Alcibiades and Critias. Which made the parents of the children that Socrates had taught very upset and angry. Granting all this, it lead to the Trial of Socrates 399 B.C. During this trial Socrates expressed his view of death by using his question-and-answer method, for which he was famous for and what seemed to have gotten him in trouble. Socrates did not write so we have to depend on on what others wrote, and by doing that we now get to see the diverse ways people read and understand what was written about his speech. My chosen primary source, Socrates View on Death, is important, because it gives one view of Socrates speech while my outside source, Ancient Greece, gives a slightly more in depth view.

Greek philosophy and Greek religion were both very important to the ancient Greece culture which has influenced the cultures of today’s society. Greek philosophers believed rationality was a huge part of mankind as well as science, botany, chemistry, and physics (Matthews, Noble, & Platt, 2014). Moreover, the Greeks viewed religion as the explanation of how one understood the universe not just a part of one’s life (“Ancient Greek Religion,” 2016). According to Donn (n.d.), “Ancient Greeks were very diligent in worshipping their gods every day. The Greeks believed in a great many gods” (para. 1).

Socrates is known for demonstrating "Socratic irony" and the "Socratic method". He is also recognized for creating the teaching practice of pedagogy. In this practice,

As an Athenian philosopher, Socrates spent his life in constant pursuit of insight. He loved engaging in conversations that helped him derive philosophical views on a number of different issues. The birth of ideas through critical reasoning can be credited back to his method of teaching, which is now known as the Socratic Method. Although widely respected today, many of his teachings were found controversial in Athenian times. Socrates was placed on trial and put to death soon after because of the disapproval of his ideas.

Chapter 7 How Ancient Greek Philosophy Influenced the Early Church Spiritual gifts are to be exercised in an orderly way by “all” (men and women) “so that all may learn” (1 Cor 14:31; Dr. Martin Hanna). Ancient Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle thought beyond the pagan societies in which they lived and numerous elements found in their philosophies were embraced by Jewish and Christian religious leaders. The common thread was the effort to understand God as revealed in nature as well as His interaction with humans.85 The philosophers sought many of the answers that Christians often ponder. Both groups wanted to know more about their creator, what were the abilities of God, His morality, and how did the human soul come about.

Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) was a Greek Philosopher from the Socratic/Classical period in Athens, Greece. Socrates developed a system of critical reasoning in order to determine how to live properly and tell the difference between right and wrong. Aristotle was one of his followers along with Plato and they made a commitment to the truth, and organized and systematized most of the problems of philosophy. He is one of the most important figures in Western Philosophy and was the first person to create a comprehensive system of philosophy.

Comparing the political theories of any two great philosophers is a complex task. Plato and Aristotle are two such philosophers who had ideas of how to improve existing societies during their individual lifetimes. While both Plato and Aristotle were great thinkers, perhaps it is necessary first to examine the ideas of each before showing how one has laid the groundwork and developed certain themes for the other.

In order to compare these great philosophers, it is important that we first of all view their history from an individual perspective.

Socrates is known in today’s world as one of the greatest philosophers in history. Born in 469 BC just outside of Athens, Socrates was properly brought up and thoroughly educated, he developed both physical and mental strengths. Socrates spent time with the philosopher Archelaus, where he studied astronomy, mathematics, and was introduced to philosophy. Archelaus taught with a scientific approach. Socrates turned from this approach and created his own. He decided instead of trying to understand the universe, he would try to understand himself. Socrates spent many days in the Athens marketplace where he became skilled in the art of arguing.