Western civilization. Ideas of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle - Essay Example

Western civilization Ideas of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle Athens in olden times was an intellectual and artistic centre of the Greek world. Theadvanced thinkers came in and rejected the traditional explanations of the world of nature. The Greek thinkers started suspecting rational order to the universe. In such an atmosphere came the traveling teacher the Sophist. They were men whose responsibility was to train and educate the sons of Athens [1]. Amongst the ranks of Sophist came Socrates (c.469-399 B.C.), the most notable and wisest Athens ever survived. His most prized student was Plato (c.427-347 B.C.), who came from a wealthy and powerful family and devoted himself to teachings of philosophy under Socrates at a young age of twenty. Amongst Plato's prized student was Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) born in small Greek colony in Thrace and whose father served grandfather of Alexander the Great. He was interested in details of natural life. [2] Socrates was a classical Greek philosopher. He is the founder of Western philosophy, and has contributions in the field of ethics, epistemology and logic. His ideas and approaches strongly provide a foundation for the western philosophy. His most important contribution is his dialectic method of inquiry which is known as Socratic Method used in examination of concepts of good and justice. He is known as the father of politics, philosophy, ethics and moral philosophy. He taught his students to be concerned with their families, careers and political responsibilities and also with the welfare of their souls. He believed in immortality of the soul, and that virtue could be taught. Socrates argued that the moral excellence was a matter of divine legacy and not the 1) Steven Kreis, the history guide, Lecture 6: The Greek thoughts: Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, 2000. http://www.historyguide.org/ancient/lecture8b.html 2) Dr. C. George Boeree, the ancient Greeks part2: Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, copyright 2000, 2009. http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/athenians.html Parental nurture. His few believe were that no one desires evil, no one does wrong willingly or knowingly, all virtue is knowledge and virtue is sufficient for knowledge. This believes are characterized as Socratic paradoxes. He is himself referred as saying, "I know that I know nothing" [3]; he believed that wrongdoing was a consequence of ignorance. He connected the art of love with the love of wisdom i.e. philosophy. Socrates believed that the best way for the people to live was to focus on self development rather than material wealth. He stressed that virtue was the most valuable of all possessions [4]. Plato was Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, writer of philosophical dialogues and the founder of Academy in Athens. He laid the foundations of natural philosophy, science and western philosophy. He taught philosophy, logic, rhetoric and mathematics. He often discussed the father-son relationship and the impact it had on son's life. Plato discovered that mankind is born with knowledge and it is present in human mind at birth. He argued that in daily lives we collect information from our experiences and gave great importance to the physical, mental and spiritual development of an individual. Plato introduced the idea that the mistakes were due to not engaging properly within justice, beauty and equality (he called them "forms"). In metaphysics Plato predicted a systematic rational treatment of the forms and their interrelation. In ethics and moral psychology he developed the view that the good life requires not just a certain kind of knowledge but also training to healthy emotional responses and harmony between the three parts of the soul; reason, spirit and appetite. [5] Aristotle was a Greek philosopher, a student of Plato and the teacher of Alexander the Great. His 3) Benjamin Jowett, The republic by Plato, book 1, 23rd September 2009. 4) Sarah Kofman, Socrates: Fictions of a Philosopher ,1998, ISBN 0-8014-3551-X 5) Encyclopedia Britannica: Plato, Online, 02 December 2009, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/464109/Plato Areas of interest included physics, metaphysics, poetry, theatre, music, logic, rhetoric, politics, government, ethics, biology and zoology. He is an important figure in finding Western philosophy and the first one to create a comprehensive system of western philosophy, encompassing morality and aesthetics, logic and science, politics and metaphysics. His views shaped medieval scholarship and their influence extended into renaissance. In the biological sciences, some of his observations were confirmed to be accurate only in the nineteenth century. In metaphysics he influenced on philosophical and theological thinking in the Islamic and Jewish traditions which influenced Christian theology. [6] Conclusion Socrates was obsessed with truth; he placed value not just on knowledge but how we know knowledge, he never lectured, instead he asked questions on top of questions. His greatest rhetorical tool was irony by which one pretend to be ignorant of others dogmatic beliefs. Socrates endless questioning was extremely annoying, and the barefoot philosopher's inquisitiveness made him powerful enemies who placed him on trial for corrupting the youth due to which he was forced to commit suicide by drinking hemlock. His work lived on through his students. Plato's work did not stop on dialogues, his work dealt with government, law, ethics and reasons. Aristotle was the one who had the highest intellect; he wrote on literally ever subject of the day this positioned him to become the teacher of Alexander, son of King Phillip. He relied on sensory input as a source of knowledge, and on pure reasons, not experiments to come to a conclusion. 6) Jonathan Barnes, Life and Work, the Cambridge Companion to Aristotle , 1995 Protestant Reformation Protestant reformation was the great religious revolt of the sixteenth century. The doctrine of church remained pure; a number of beneficial medieval instructions of the church were being followed uninterruptedly, unhappy conditions were due to civil and profane influences of the authority in civil spheres. There was vigor and variety at different places in religious life and church. The charity and education had been abounded, religious art was living and domestic missionaries became influential and pious, artistic literature was common and appreciated. Due to the hostile spirits of the civil powers in many parts of Europe, political and social conditions were created which held back the free reformatory activities of the church and favored the bold and corrupt, who seized a unique opportunity to let loose all the forces of heresy and schism so long held in check by the harmonious action of the church and civil authorities. [1] The revolution had many causes; the religious causes were that the barbarian invasions of Church bought a transformation in Western Europe and lead to a new development of religious and intellectual life. The activities related to Church were no longer confined within Church boundaries but affected almost every sphere of popular life. This created a regrettable worldliness in high ecclesiastics. The worldly activities started continuing with more interest than guiding man to his eternal goal. Higher clergy aimed for political power, material possessions, privilege positions in public life, the defense of ancient historical rights and earthly interest. The religious and actual Church aims fell into background. 1. George Cornelius Gorham, Gleanings of a few scattered ears during the period of reformation in England, London, 1857. http://books.google.com/booksid=esICAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false Various attempts were made to correct the existing evil in the society. Art and literature were considered luxuries; the true Christian religious ideas were lost, and crude materialism prevailed amongst the elite and educated class which was associated with love of pleasure and desire for gain. People were no more interested in supernatural life, wicked poems and romance, biting satires on Church people and institutions, revolutionary works and songs were circulated in various directions of Europe. Thus with the growth of humanism violent wars were waged against Scholasticism of the time. The humanist educated new methods based on Bible's theology and study of the Father, but there was strong opposition from the Scholastics. The place was ready for growth of revolutionary movements in religious spheres. [2] To summarize, The missionaries had converted the people of Europe into Christians There was serious abuse in the church, the large administrative structure of the church needed great deal of money to finance it and run properly.[3] The political causes were the bishops and abbots had started considering themselves secular rulers rather than servants of Church, the members of cathedral chapters and other beneficed ecclesiastics were considered of their income and started thinking of ways of increasing it, higher clergy were busy with utilizing their luxuries, their moral standards reduced. The condition of monasteries was worsening, the prestige of clergy had suffered and its members were regarded as scorn. Ignorance, superstition, religious indifferences and immorality was common. The authority of the Holy Sea was seriously damaged due to secular princes and its occupants. The 2) New Advent, Catholic encyclopedia: the reformation, http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12700b.htm 3) Roland Bainton, the Reformation of the Sixteenth Century, Boston: The Beacon Press, ISBN 0-8070-1301-3, 1952. Pope's removal to Avignon in the 14th century was a grievous event; the severest blow was dealt by the disastrous papal schism which brought the idea that war could be made with all spiritual and material weapons against the pope. the clergy were dissatisfied by the taxes imposed by the Church, The reform councils of the fifteenth century, instead of improving the situation, weakened still more the highest ecclesiastical authority by reason of their anti-papal tendencies and measures. [4] Summarizing, The Holy Roman emperor claimed to be the secular head of Christianity The kings were under emperors, followed by princes, dukes and counts The Kings were increasing their power over the own people and against the pope and the emperor in Western Europe [5] The economical causes were that the princes and governments had developed a national awareness which was purely worldly and hostile to the Church; the evil powers interfered in Church matters, initially all matters were dealt by the Church but now the government interfered and this resulted in collision between Church and State. The future of Church was subordinate to civil power and was increasingly in danger with complete subjection. A new era was foreshadowing in the mind of people with regards to religion. [6] Concluding, the cities grew wealthy and independent; they threw the control of local lords and bishops. Many turned to the king for protection. [6] 4) Jaroslav Pelikan, Reformation of Church and Dogma (1300-1700), focus on religious teachings Chicago, University of Chicago Press, ISBN 0-226-65377-3, 1984. 5) Farlex, the free dictionary, reformation, http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Protestant+Reformation 6) Edith Simon, Great Ages of Man: The Reformation, Time-Life Books, pp 120-121. ISBN 0662278202, 1966. Work cited 1) Steven Kreis, the history guide, Lecture 6: The Greek thoughts: Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, 2000. http://www.historyguide.org/ancient/lecture8b.html 2) Dr. C. George Boeree, the ancient Greeks part2: Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, copyright 2000, 2009. http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/athenians.html 3) Benjamin Jowett, The republic by Plato, book 1, 23rd September 2009. 4) Sarah Kofman, Socrates: Fictions of a Philosopher ,1998, ISBN 0-8014-3551-X 5) Encyclopedia Britannica: Plato, Online, 02 December 2009, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/464109/Plato 6) Jonathan Barnes, Life and Work, the Cambridge Companion to Aristotle , 1995 7) George Cornelius Gorham, Gleanings of a few scattered ears during the period of reformation in England, London, 1857. http://books.google.com/booksid=esICAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false 8) New Advent, Catholic encyclopedia: the reformation, http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12700b.htm 9) Roland Bainton, the Reformation of the Sixteenth Century, Boston: The Beacon Press, ISBN 0-8070-1301-3, 1952 10) Jaroslav Pelikan, Reformation of Church and Dogma (1300-1700), focus on religious teachings Chicago, University of Chicago Press, ISBN 0-226-65377-3, 1984. 11) Farlex, the free dictionary, reformation, http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Protestant+Reformation 12) Edith Simon, Great Ages of Man: The Reformation, Time-Life Books, pp 120-121. 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