Ancient Western Philosophy

good fucking luck bros

Philosophy

comes from the words Philo and Sophia

Philosophy

study of general and fundamental questions of existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language

Philo and Sophia

“the lover of wisdom“

Philosophy

the study of (human) life

Reasoning, Critical thinking

we develop these skills by asking philosophical questions

Philosophical Reflection

how we answer Philosophical Questions

Philosophical Answers

the heart of Philosophy

Ancient Western Philosophy

questions were focused on Physis during this time

Physis

a Greek term meaning nature, underlying reality, or essence of things.

Thales

father of Western philosophy

Thales

coined the the term ‘arche‘

Arche

the ultimate substance of life

Thales

proposed that the arche is water

Thales

considered a revolutionist due to his strange questions

Anaximander

star student of Thales

Anaximander

propposed that the arche was apeiron

Apeiron

meaning infinite

Anaximenes

separated the concepts of religion and philosophy

Anaximenes

proposed the arche was air

Pythagoras

to him, “everything can be explained through numbers“

Pythagoras

proponent of the Pythagorean theorem

Heraclitus

proposed the arche is fire

Heraclitus

proposed that everything that exists is based on a plan called logos

Heraclitus

advocated for the concepts of change and motion

Heraclitus

quote:
“you cannot step on the same river twice“

Parmenides

proposed that the idea that change is an illusion

Parmenides

proposed that the arche was “being“, where we make our own self/life

Empedocles

proposed that the arche is the elements of fire, water, air, and earth

Empedocles

proposed that humans are immortal, died jumping into a volcano, proving humans are mortal

Mt. Etna, Sicily

where Empedocles jumped into

Anaxagoras

proposed that the mind (nous) is infinite and self-ruled and is the arche

Anaxagoras

believed that imagination is boundless

Democritus

proposed that the arche was atoms

Epicurus

first to propose that Philosophy could lead to a happy life

Epicurus

advocated for mental pleasures over bodily pleasures

Epicurus

founded Epicureanism

Epicureanism

this philosophy values simple living and wisdom in order to have a life free from fear and pain

Classical Philosophy

era of philosophy including Socrates and his students

Socrates

the oratical philosopher

Socrates

developed the Socratic Method

Socratic Method

philosophical method where you clarify ideas and concepts by asking follow-up questions that are helpful and insightful

Socrates

asked people to “acknowledge their own ignorance and pursue wisdom“

Socrates

quote:

“An unexamined life is not worth living.“

Pre-Socratic

any Philosopher before Socrates

Plato

student of Socrates, wrote his master’s teachings and his own learnings

Plato

wrote the Republic

Plato

founded the Dialectic Method

Dialectic Method

a debate between two opposing ideas aimed at synthesis and combination of these ideas

Theory of Forms

proposes that “reality only exists in our mind“

Tripartite

proposed that the human is composed of “rational/logical, spirited/emotion, appetitive/physical desires“

Plato

established “Academy“ where students move around

Aristotle

student of Plato

Aristotle

proposed that experiences are where and how we pursue the truth

Aristotle

father of ancient taxonomy

Aristotle

founded both deductive reasoning and his school: Lyceum