LESSON 3: EARLY PHILOSOPHY
Ancient Greek philosophy can be broadly divided into three main periods:
Pre-Socratic philosophy (6th-5th centuries BCE): The pre-Socratics were primarily concerned with understanding the physical world and its origins. They focused on questions like "What is the basic substance of the universe?" and "What are the forces that govern change?" Some of the most famous pre-Socratic philosophers include Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes, Heraclitus, Parmenides, and Zeno of Elea.
Socratic philosophy (5th century BCE): Socrates is considered the father of Western philosophy, and his work marked a major turning point in Greek thought. Socrates shifted the focus of philosophy from the natural world to the human world, and he was particularly interested in questions of ethics and knowledge. He did not write anything himself, but his ideas were preserved by his students, most notably Plato.
Hellenistic philosophy (4th-1st centuries BCE): The Hellenistic period saw the rise of several different schools of philosophy, each with its own unique focus. Some of the most important Hellenistic schools include:
Platonism: Founded by Plato, Platonism is an idealistic philosophy that posits the existence of a perfect world of Forms, of which the physical world is only a shadow.
Aristotelianism: Founded by Aristotle, a student of Plato, Aristotelianism is a more empirical philosophy that emphasizes the importance of observation and reason in understanding the world.
Epicureanism: Founded by Epicurus, Epicureanism is a hedonistic philosophy that emphasizes the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain.
Stoicism: Founded by Zeno of Citium, Stoicism is a philosophy that emphasizes the importance of living in accordance with nature and reason.
These are just some of the main types of Ancient Greek philosophy. Each school of thought has its own unique contributions to our understanding of the world and ourselves.
