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Ancient Greek Philosophy
Socrates 470 BC – 399 BC
Plato 427 BC – 347 BC
Aristotle 384 BC – 323 BC
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Socrates: 470BC – 399BC
Never wrote, taught orally through dialogue or
conversation, via questions
Taught publicly, questioned authority
Is known through his student, Plato, who made
Socrates the main character of all of his 39
“Dialogues” or books.
Died by drinking hemlock, after being jailed for
“corrupting youth”, “worshipping false gods”
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Plato 427 BC – 347 BC
Wrote his dialogues in defiance of the arrest
and death of his teacher, Socrates.
Socrates is Plato’s mouthpiece.
Concerned with justice, virtue, character,
the human soul.
Founded “The Academy” in Athens, Greece
Encouraged students to become their own
authority – think for self!
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Plato’s Philosophy
The only good life or life worth living is a life
reasoned by your own mind, not other’s ideas and
opinions-change your life and mind!
Examine your life, history, and ideas, once you
self examine, then you are ready for knowledge.
All knowledge begins in not knowing. To state “I
don’t know” is the first step – open to learning.
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Plato’s Philosophy
Everything has a truth or an “essence”, your
job is to seek this truth. Life as an
adventure and journey, not destination.
The good teacher will spark you, lead you
to the truth with integrity, reason,
imagination
Virtue is excellence, or doing your best –
reaching your highest potential for good.
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Plato’s Philosophy
All human’s have potential for virtue,
goodness, and to shape good character.
The potential rests in the human soul (or
psyche/mind), everyone born with a soul.
Character is what is developed from this
soul, and is molded and tested and shaped, a
dynamic process.
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Plato’s Philosophy
Plato was the first to unify a system of thought in
Western society.
We all begin with common sense beliefs, opinions,
we are lead further to ideas, and principles.
Human life always involves our fellow man and
our personal and societal destiny.
Philosophy is not specialized nor technical but an
way of life, requiring intellectual ability and moral
goodness to pursue the good and truth.
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Plato’s Philosophy
Appearances are deceiving; seeming isn’t
being.
Society is our ultimate teacher, and it may
produce errors and evils, as well as wrong
values. Previous generation may have been
wrong and transmitted bad ideas and
practices.
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Plato’s Philosophy
**Education is the conversion that leads us
out of the dark of the cave into the light.
This is a type of awakening, once we are
enlightened, we recollect, develop
knowledge, seek genuine well-being,
happiness, and virtue.
“The good man makes you better not worse”
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