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Philosophy - truth and wisdom, or the love of wisdom Usually wont come to any definitive conclusion, innumerable answers Philosophers are comfortable with many answers, rather than the one answer most are comfortable with The point is to clarify concepts Sometimes theories go against perceived tradition. The most important thing is to remain objective and rise above your own subjective viewpoints DO NOT CLOSE YOUR MINDS :)

PRESOCRATICS - 6th Century BC (before Socrates) Speculative Cosmologists - looked at nature and the universe. Interested in Ultimate Reality, inquired into celestial matters, physical science and nature. Did not look at human nature Hylacists - Materialists, looking at nature and the material world (hyla means matter) *Relationship between Philosophy and Science - since they were the first to question anything, over time answers were found and categorized under the different sciences. Everything was once philosophy

Some of the Presocratics were: 1) Thales (624-546 BC) Considered to be the first philosopher. Predicted the first solar eclipse - used mathematical and astrological means to make this prediction, also delved into Ultimate Reality. Thought that water was the basic constituent that all there is. 2) Zenophones - Criticized the human characteristic Gods, first monotheist (believed in one true God) 3) Pythagoras - cult like philosophers, some people might say this guy is the first philosopher because he asked modern intuitive questions. Very into self denial - few

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foods they could even eat because every living thing had a soul. Very strict, lived away from other people 4) Harminodes - observed that nature is always changing, for there to be knowledge it has to be constant. The real world of Being is unchanging and cannot be seen. The world of senses, movement, and appearances is just an illusion, REASON alone can grasp the world of Being 5) Zeno - series of paradoxes that prove movement is just an illusion 6) Heracleitus - exact opposite of Harminodes, opposed to there being no movement, everything is actually moving. You can never step into the same river twice. Permanence is an illusion; there is only Becoming. Logos = ultimate reason 7) Pluralists - believed that more than one thing is the basis of all reality 8) Atomists - believed that atom is the basis of all reality They were responsible for most of the most identifiable theories: heliocentric, earth is spherical, ect

SOPHISTS (460-380 BC) 5th Century BC (cynical, skeptical, and egoistic) PRACTICAL Exceptional political leadership, Democracy Time of the playwrites (Sophocles) Secularism increased - more cynical about religion Political speechmaking became important Rhetoric - the art of persuasion Its all about making the weaker argument stronger, not aimed at truth and enlightenment, but just persuasion These people were the first modern lawyers and paid teachers Rejected the quest of the presocratics, said it was useless speculation. Said if the smartest minds couldnt come to a conclusion then it was not practical

email to Thomas - up to this point

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Quiz on this material on Friday Older generation and newer generation the newer were much more cynical than the older The older generation didnt know if the gods were real, but said religion was crucial in keeping society together The newer (much more cynical) said that even though religion isnt true, theyre going to keep it around anyways and that it was in place to keep the stronger from overcoming the weaker and to keep order

**General Feature of Sophists** : 1) Secularists (started to question the gods and live in a non-religious way), religion is a mechanism for social control 2) Rhetoric - just a skill for making the weaker argument the stronger, to win and persuade. Aimed at defeat rather than enlightenment 3) First to make education into a business. First lawyers as well 4) Were pragmatists (down to earth and practical, didnt believe in lofty speculation) and concentrated on concrete things - success and moneymaking 5) Ethical Egoists (whats good for me is good for me. I am moral, for my morals) especially the younger generation all looked out for themselves 6) Ethical Relativists - younger/newer generation - ethics/rules/moral principals are entirely based on the individual

Socrates (died in 399 BC) -most importantly focused on human natureWas influenced by the Presocratics and Sophists to some degree Liked what the Presocratics dealt with concerning lofty speculation, but said that the most important thing was human nature rather than physical nature Socrates brought philosophy down from the heavens and put it into homes Mildly agreed with the Sophists that you should speculate on human nature rather than lofty subjects Thought to be the Father of Moral Philosophy Was against ethical relativism, believed in universal morality

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Believed that education isnt about one person putting knowledge into everyones heads, but rather questioning until you remember that knowledge you inherently possessed. Believed that your mind/soul knows everything already, and that you start to forget once youre born and connected with a body The wisest person knows they are not wise and admits there is always more to know Socratic Irony - says hes not wise and all that but acts like he is Wisdom = Virtue The ultimate goal is immortality of the soul through morality and knowledge. Most important = virtue

GENERAL 1) Care for the soul is all that matters Function of the soul is to attain virtue 2) Self knowledge is the prerequisite for the good life (moral life) 3) Virtue is knowledge and vice versa, therefore evil is ignorance (There is no weakness of will - knowing the good but doing the opposite) 4) You cannot harm the good or virtuous person, but in trying to harm the other, you actually harm yourself (All about immortality of the soul..in trying to harm youre hurting your goal of achieving immortality) 5) God chooses the good because it is good. The good is not good because God chooses it. (Morality is not dependent on God)