Western Philosophy

Pre-Socratic Philosophy and the Milesian School

  • Pre-Socratic philosophy involves the cosmological and naturalistic speculations of ancient Greek philosophers who predated or were contemporaries of Socrates.

  • Miletus:

    • Located in modern-day Turkey.

    • A fishing and port village facing the Mediterranean Sea.

    • The exchange of ideas in Miletus was influenced by its status as a trade center, causing its philosophies to differ from other civilizations.

    • Milesian thinkers explained worldly things without relying on gods.

  • The Triumvirate of Miletus:

    • hales.

    • anaximander.

    • anaximedes.

  • Milesian Thought and Legacy:

    • Explained natural phenomena through the use of observation.

    • Conducted inquiries into vast topics that laid the foundations for different philosophies and sciences.

The Eleatic School and Inquirers of Nature

  • Aristotle referred to these thinkers as "inquirers of nature."

  • Thinkers of Elea (Eleatic thinkers):

    • anaxagoras.

    • empedocles.

    • zeno.

    • parmehides.

  • Eleatic Beliefs:

    • Based in Elea.

    • Believed in the oneness of the universe.

    • Held the core tenet that "All is One."

Goals and Concepts of Pre-Socratic Inquiry

  • Primary Goals:

    • Explain the nature of the kosmos.

    • Craft what is considered acceptable logic and argument versus what is not acceptable.

  • The Kosmos and the Nous:

    • The kosmos is viewed as a product of the "nous."

    • According to Pre-Socratic thought, the nous refers to the mind, intellect, or reason that preconceived the kosmos.

Socratic Philosophy

  • The Socratic Method:

    • Emphasizes the pursuit of truth and wisdom.

    • Conducted through rigorous dialogue and questioning.

  • Socrates:

    • An Athenian philosopher.

    • Notable for the quote:-- I know that I know nothing.‐‐

  • Subjects of Socratic Inquiry:

    • Ethics.

    • Morality.

    • Justice.

  • The Role of Dialogue:

    • Socratic philosophy relied on dialogue as a specific sign of true wisdom.

  • Preservation and Development:

    • Although Socrates did not write his own ideas down, his students kept his philosophy by writing it down.

    • Plato and Aristotle further developed these ideas.

The Case of Euthypro and the Definition of Piety

  • The euthypro and socrates excerpt:

    • Focused on an attempt to define the concept of piety.

  • Ethical Foundations:

    • The euthypro and socrates excerpt deals with consequential ethics.

  • The Core Dilemma of Piety:

    • The inquiry asks if it is mere loved by gods.

    • It questions: Is it piety because it is loved by the gods or is it piety because of an inherent quality?

    • It further explores if something is considered piety specifically how it is loved by the gods.

  • Argumentation and Skepticism:

    • The arguments of euthypro and socrates focused on skeptical questions.

    • The method involved questioning people's norms.