Lesson 4: History of Philosophy Flashcards
four major stages in philosophy
pre-socratic, ancient, modern, contemporary PHILOSOPHY
a group of thinkers who existed in ancient Greece before the time of Socrates
pre-socratic philosophers
age of socrates
470-399 BCE
They paved the way for the development of Western philosophy and played a crucial role in shaping the fundamental questions and concepts that would be tackled by subsequent philosophers.
pre-socratic philosophy
One of the key characteristics of Pre-Socratic philosophy was
its emphasis on the natural world and the search for explanations about its workings
pre-socratic philosophers were concerned with understanding the
nature of reality; origins of the universe; underlying principles that govern everything
pre-socratic philosophers sought
explanations based on observations, reason, and speculation rather than resorting to mythology or religious beliefs
refers to the period of philosophical thought that emerged in ancient Greece and continued until the fall of the Roman Empire.
ancient philosophy
It laid the foundation for Western philosophical thought and influenced various aspects of human knowledge, including ethics, politics, metaphysics, and epistemology.
ancient philosophy
One of the key aspects of ancient philosophy is the
emphasis on rational inquiry and critical thinking
Ancient philosophers sought to understand the
nature of reality, purpose of human existence, nature of knowledge itself
ancient philosophers rejected
traditional myths and superstitions
ancient philosophers relied on
reason and logical arguments to arrive at their conclusions
One of the earliest and most influential ancient philosophers was
socrates
socrates is known for
socratic method
socrates’ method of questioning
socratic method
aimed to stimulate critical thinking and self-discovery.
socratic method
sought to uncover universal truths and believed that self-knowledge was the key to leading a virtuous life.
socrates
refers to the philosophical thought and ideas that emerged during the 17th to 19th centuries.
modern philosophy
the modern philosophy witnessed
significant advancements in science, politics, and technology
what did significant advancements in science, politics, and technology do to modern philosophy
influenced the way philosophers approached fundamental questions about knowledge, existence, and nature of reality
One of the key developments in modern philosophy was the
shift towards empiricism and rationalism
argued that knowledge is derived from sensory experience and that all ideas come from external stimuli
empiricists (empiricism)
examples of empiricists
john locke and david hume
emphasized the role of reason and innate knowledge in understanding the world.
rationalists (rationalism)
examples of rationalists
rené descartes and immanuel kant
Descartes’ philosophy centered around
skepticism and the search for a foundation of knowledge
who proposed the cogito argument
descartes
descartes proposed the
cogito statement
what does the cogito statement say
“I think, therefore I am”
provided a starting point for developing a system of knowledge based on reason.
cogito statement
One significant area of contemporary philosophy is
moral and political philosophy
contemporary philosophers explore questions about the
nature of moral values, ethical principles, and how they guide individual/collective actions
contemporary philosopher discussions often touch upon issues such as
human rights, justice, equality, responsibility of individuals and governments towards social and enviromental well-being
