Classical greek philosophy

Page
4

Aristotle

Developed rules of logic

Syllogism

All trees need light.

An oak is tree.

Therefore, oaks need light.

Inductive

This dog needs lungs, therefore all dogs need lungs

Deductive

All dogs have lungs, therefore this dog has lungs

Aristotle favored deductive reasoning

Slide 30

Aristotle

Wrote on politics

Assembled 158 constitutions to compare

Three type of governments existed

Rule by one man—monarchy/tyranny

Rule by a few men—aristocracy/oligarchy

Rule by many—polity/democracy

Individual considered greater than the state

Slide 31

Aristotle

Wrote on ethics

Nicomachean Ethics

Happiness sought after naturally

Three levels of happiness

Based on pleasure

Based on honor

Based on contemplation, philosophy

Advocated the Golden Mean

Money is not the means to happiness

Slide 32

Aristotle

Wrote Rhetoric

Book describing speech to influence others

Ethos—power of persuasion created by the character

Pathos—power of persuasion created by passion

Logos—power of persuasion contained in the speech itself

Slide 33

Aristotle' Influence

Taught Alexander the great

Therefore was mistrusted by Athenians

Basis of latter medieval science and religion

Ideas had internal consistency

Ideas were adopted by St. Thomas Aquinas and the Catholic Church

Slide 34

Summary – Greek Legacy on Learning

The world is rational (i.e., science)

The world can be understood by examining the fundamental

Truth is unchanging

Science is available to all

How to learn systematically

Rules of logic

Slide 35

The belief that the universe possesses and is governed according to a comprehensive regulating intelligence, and that this same intelligence is reflected in the human mind, rendering it capable of knowing the cosmic order, was one of the most characteristic and recurring principles in the central tradition of Hellenic thought.

— Tarnas, The Passion of the Western Mind, p 47.

Slide 36

"I cannot but greatly wonder at those who think that we must attend to none but the Greeks as to the most ancient facts, and learn the truth from them only, and that we are not to believe ourselves or other men . Indeed they admit themselves that it is the Egyptians, the Chaldeans and the Phoenicians (for I will not now include ourselves [Jews] among those) that have preserved the memory of the most ancient and lasting tradition. "