Ancient Greek Philosophy and Historical Philosophical Perspectives

Flashcards covering key vocabulary, definitions, and concepts from the lecture notes on ancient Greek philosophy and major historical figures.

Philosophy (Ancient Greek)

Meaning "love of wisdom," it originally involved asking foundational questions about being, knowing, acting, and self.

Philosophy (Modern)

The study by logical reasoning of the basic truths and laws governing such things as the universe, nature, life, and morals; the system of values by which one lives.

Physis

The natural world and how it works, serving as the origin for words such as physics and physical.

Cosmology

The study of the origin, nature, and development of the universe as an orderly system.

Cosmogony

The study of what the world is made of.

Aperion

A combination of earth, wind, fire, and air that Anaximander theorized to be the original source of the world.

Rationalism

The philosophical belief that human thought is the primary source of knowledge.

Empiricism

The philosophical belief that experience is the primary source of knowledge.

Sophists

Pre-Socratic Greek thinkers who focused on practical success and human behavior, asserting that individuals should do whatever is necessary to succeed without adhering to a fixed moral code.

Relativism

The absence of a fixed or absolute morality.

Socratic Method

A method of teaching and inquiry conducted by asking questions and evaluating responses to see which hold up under logical scrutiny.

Dialectic

The process of testing ideas against other ideas through dialogue, discussion, and debate.

Akrasia

The weakness of will caused by selfishness, cited by Plato as the primary barrier to establishing a utopian society.

Anamnesis

The process of remembering ideal reality, based on Plato's assertion that the soul is immortal and possesses latent knowledge that must be recalled.

Teleology

The branch of philosophy concerned with the study of purpose, founded by Aristotle.

Material Cause

One of Aristotle's four causes; "that out of which" an object is made or composed.

Formal Cause

One of Aristotle's four causes; the essence, structure, shape, or organization that defines what an object is.

Efficient Cause

One of Aristotle's four causes; the source of an object's principle of change or stability, including the preceding events and processes that brought it into being.

Final Cause

One of Aristotle's four causes; the end, goal, or ultimate purpose that an object serves.

Proximate Matter

Matter that possesses existing physical properties, such as wood, cells, or electronic components.

Prime Matter

Theoretical matter that possesses no inherent properties.

Golden Mean

Aristotle's principle of living in moderation, summarized as "never too high, never too low."

Stoicism

A philosophy founded around 300 BCE emphasizing emotional detachment, adaptability, and personal control over one's attitude regardless of external circumstances.

Stoic Fatalism

The view that while many outcomes are determined by fate, an individual is obligated to act when a situation falls within their direct control.

Autarkeia

Self-sufficiency, which Diogenes and the Cynics believed could be reached through an ascetic lifestyle that rejects social norms and material comforts.

Ataraxia

Mental tranquility, sought by Epicureans through the avoidance of pain and the moderation of desire.

Skepticism

A philosophical approach, founded by Pyrrho of Ellis, asserting that human beings cannot be certain of anything and ought to question all assertions.