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The Greek Mind

The Greek Mind. Greek Religion & Humanism Symbolism : Gods represent abstract concepts Gods seen as a separate, superior human-like race of immortals Humanistic Culture : no priesthood widest latitude of freedom for the individual Humanistic Principles :

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The Greek Mind

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  1. The Greek Mind

  2. Greek Religion & Humanism Symbolism: • Gods represent abstract concepts • Gods seen as a separate, superior human-like race of immortals Humanistic Culture: • no priesthood • widest latitude of freedom for the individual Humanistic Principles: • ananke – “what has to be” - even the gods must obey this universal law • moira – a personal pattern of life / an individual’s potential • hubris – overreaching pride brings doom Destiny’s Wildcards: • free will • accident • divine intervention

  3. BEWARE!

  4. EARLY GREEK PHILOSOPHERS e • Thales(625-545 B.C.) • Water is the Primary Substance • spherical Earth floats on water • all things are full of “God” • removed individual Gods from nature • heavenly objects solid are material objects, not gods • natural causes: nature is impersonal • contemporary Hebrews, Zoroastrians, Buddhists, Daoists conclude the same thing • Gods reserved for concern with spiritual welfare of man • founded Ionian school at Miletus • Anaximander(611-547 B.C.) • the “Boundless” is the Primary Substance (not definable) • “Boundless” cannot be perceived • things are born not from one substance, but each from its own particular principles • Fire added to list of basic substances

  5. Greek Schools of Material Philosophy Ionians EVERYTHING IS IN A STATE OF CONSTANT CHANGE • UNIVERSE COMPOSED OF ONE SINGLE ELEMENT • BOUNDLESS – LOGOS • CONCLUSIONS BASED ON THE FIVE SENSES • Herakleitos (535-475 B.C.) • there is no being; everything is in a state of becoming • Fire is the basic element • Logos is the guiding force behind all change • the quest for “What is Real?” is done with the senses, not the mind

  6. Greek Schools of Material Philosophy Pythagoreans Pythagoras • ALL RELATIONSHIPS IN THE UNIVERSE CAN BE EXPRESSED NUMERICALLY • HARMONY OF THE COSMOS • CONCLUSIONS BASED SOLELYON THE MIND • TRANSCENDENTALISM / TRANSMIGRATION • Pythagoras (582-500 B.C.) • numbers and geometry provided a conceptual model of the universe • quantities and shapes determine the forms of natural objects • relationship between geometry (shape) and arithmetic (quantity) • music: pleasant tones in integer relationships • numerology and mysticism • numbers and shapes influence natural and human affairs • symmetry and perfection • symmetry refers to something which is unchanged after an action • symmetry, beauty, truth, perfection, simplicity are all related concepts • deeply linked in aesthetics and in art • Pythagorean Universe • Ouranos = Earth and sub lunar sphere • Cosmos = movable heavens bounded by sphere of fixed stars • Olympos = home of the gods • founded mystic brotherhood • devoted to mathematical speculation and religious contemplation • men and women admitted on equal terms • all property and ideas held in common • mathematical discoveries kept secret from outsiders

  7. Greek Schools of Material Philosophy eleatics Parmenides • WHATEVER IS REAL MUST BE PERMANENT AND UNCHANGING • SENSES CANNOT BE TRUSTED • THE MIND CAN ARRIVE AT THE TRUTH WITHOUT THE SENSES Early Athenians Democritos • THEORY BASED TOTALLY ON THE MIND • ALL MATTER CONSISTS OF ATOMA • THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ATOMA IN THE UNIVERSE NEVER CHANGES • CONSERVATION OF MATTER AND ENERGY

  8. Apocrypha Apocryphal

  9. SOCRATES (469 ? – 399 BC) DID HE EXIST OR NOT? ONLY REPORTS FROM STUDENTS PLATO AND XENOPHON • SOCIAL GADFLY • CONSCIENCE OF ATHENS – PROMOTES SELF-EXAMINATION • LOVED BY INTELLECTUAL STUDENTS, HATED BY POLITICIANS • SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR CORRUPTING YOUTH • THE GOAL OF A GOOD LIFE IS HAPPINESS • HAPPINESS IS ATTAINED THROUGH KNOWLEDGE

  10. SOCRATIC METHOD – DIALECTIC • USE OF INCREASINGLY SHARP QUESTIONS TO REVEAL THE TRUTH • QUEST FOR GENERAL DEFINITIONS THROUGH RATIONAL ARGUMENT • SEEKS A PURELY OBJECTIVE UNDERSTANDING OF SUCH CONCEPTS AS JUSTICE, LOVE, AND VIRTUE • VIRTUE IS MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICES BASED ON REASON • VICE IS THE RESULT OF IGNORANCE MORALS AND METHODOLOGY HAVE PROFOUND INFLUENCE ON PLATO, ARISTOTLE, THE CYNICS, THE STOICS

  11. P l a t o( 427 – 347BC ) • Student of Socrates • early writings are dialogues with Socrates as principle speaker. • coined term “philosophy” – love of knowledge • WHAT IS REAL? • uses Pythagorean and Eleatic principle of unchangeability • Allegory of the Cave: • Reality consists of Forms (Abstract Ideas) that cannot be grasped by the senses. • Forms are independent, unchanging, and eternal. • They have no creator. • What we sense are mere shadows of these Platonic Absolutes. • The human soul relates to these forms, and is therefore trapped in its physical body.

  12. DOCTRINE OF ETHOS • Since the arts (especially music) are transcendent, their main purpose is to promote ethical behavior. • For this reason, he condones censorship of the arts. MUSICAL PREFERENCES • Dorian Mode played with the Lyre. • Phrygian Mode played with the Aulos

  13. THE REPUBLIC • Treatise on Government and the Nature of Justice. • (obsessed with justice after Socrates’ death) • Plato formulates a highly advanced society. • Nature determines that there are different classes of people. • Specialization according to class and occupation. • Society should be ruled by the intellectual / guardian class of Philosopher-Kings. • Each class should be educated only to the level it needs to function and be happy. • The Arts should be strictly controlled. • Both wealth and poverty should be banished. • Guardians and Soldiers should be forbidden property. • All other classes should hold individual, NOT community property. • There should be social mobility, decided during childhood. • JUSTICE • If everyone has there proper place in society, no-one’s rights will be interfered with. • REALITY • In the “Ring of Gyges” section, Plato shows that this ideal society cannot exist. • Justice can only be approached by the Golden Mean – a balance between intellect and human nature.

  14. Aristotle (384 – 322 BC) • born in Macedonia • Plato’s greatest student at the Academy • founds his own school – The Lyceum • a Peripatetic school • lacks Plato’s vivid imagination • father’s medical background gives him a foundation based on • empiricism (observation and sense experience) • writings are enormous • (even though only ½ have survived) • most are in the form of lecture notes • Politics - forms of human association • Poetics – scientific analysis of the arts • Rhetoric - the theory and practice of eloquence, whether spoken or written • Organon -(“instrument”) - logic • Metaphysics – nature of being and reality • Ethics – human behavior, character and intelligence as they relate to happiness • Physics - natural science, astronomy, meteorology, plants, and animals • Influence: • Teacher of Alexander the Great • Foundation of Philosophy during the Middle Ages • System of logic still used today

  15. Field of Aesthetics – • The Poetics– guidelines for what constitutes fine art • Greek techne (craft) – art is the making of something • Art imitates Nature • Nature always seeks the highest good • Tragedy is the highest art form • Aristotelian Unities – Time / Place / Plot • Protagonist must have a “tragic flaw” leading to downfall • Six elements: Plot, Character, Diction, Thought, Spectacle, Melody

  16. Field of Logic- rules for chain of reasoning that • would, if followed, never lead from true premises to false conclusions • syllogism – tool of deductive reasoning • “All humans are mortal” • “All Greeks are humans” • therefore • “All Greeks are mortal”

  17. Reality – • Aristotle follows the IONIAN tradition • uses senses – scientific observation • Abstract Idea and Physical Substance must coincide • Reality is a constant progression of substance and form ENTELECHE “Having Purpose Within” • By nature, all things have an inner goal to fulfill. • All things move toward perfection. • The cause of this process is the ultimate perfection: • “GOD” is the only instance of pure form separated from matter.

  18. The Good Life – • All things, including humans, seek to attain the highest good. • SUMMUM BONUM [genikoterokalo] • Since humans are “rational animals” – they use their minds to fulfill this goal. • Therefore, human perfection is a rational process. • Virtue is a sign of this perfection. • Extremes in virtue, however are bad. • The GOLDEN MEAN is the ideal balance. • The ideal life is one of CONTEMPLATION.

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