02 Ancient Precursers - D2L (1)

Ancient Precursors

The Greek Philosophers

  • Early questions and answers re-emerge throughout history.

  • Early animism: belief that god(s) play a role as causal agents in the natural world.

  • Greeks shifted focus towards nature and the environment.

  • Naturalistic orientation: emphasis on discovering physical principles that govern all life forms.

Ontological Musings

  • Elementalism:

    • Democritus: proposed materialism, distinction between mind and body, and concepts of determinism and empiricism.

  • Anti-elementalists and Basic Substances:

    • Thales: identified water as the fundamental component.

    • Heraclitus: emphasized fire as the element representing change.

    • Parmenides: suggested that matter signifies permanence and immobility.

    • Anaxagoras: focused on the concept of relationships and constant change.

Epistemological Inquiry

  • Fundamental questions:

    • How do we know anything?

    • How can we know anything?

  • Early development of Empiricism and Rationalism.

Pythagoras (570-495 BCE)

Pythagoras' Philosophy

  • Proposed that all phenomena can be comprehended through mathematical relationships.

  • Suggested that perfection exists in the realm of mathematics, while human perception is flawed.

Plato (427 – 347 BCE)

Plato’s Realms

  • Believed knowledge is innate and exists within every individual.

  • Distinguished between two realms:

    • Physical Realm: where appearances can be deceptive.

    • Realm of Ideas/Forms: represents the perfect, eternal, and real.

  • Concept of material mind contrasted with immaterial soul.

Aristotle (384 - 323 BCE)

Aristotle's Perspectives

  • Proposed that form and matter are intertwined; they cannot be separated.

  • Emphasized the interdependence of body and soul.

Aristotle’s Causality

  • Identified four types of causes:

    • Material Cause: What is it made of?

    • Efficient Cause: What force caused it?

    • Formal Cause: What is the framework or style of organization?

    • Final Cause (Teleological): What is the purpose or reason for it?

Aristotle’s Views on Memory

  • Association by Similarity: links between concepts sharing common properties.

  • Association by Contrast: connections formed between opposing concepts.

  • Association by Contiguity: concepts experienced together become associated.

Aristotle’s Theory of Intelligence

  • Identified three types of intelligence:

    • Theoretical Intelligence: Cognitive capabilities including logic and scientific reasoning.

    • Practical Intelligence: Ethics and the ability to make sound judgments.

    • Productive Intelligence: Artistic creativity and ability to create tangible products.