Science and Philosophy: Greece and the Middle Ages

Question 1

Why did early Greek philisophes seek the truth about nature and the cosmos?

Answer 1

• To understand elements in which the universe was created

Question 2

Empiricism?

Answer 2

• Experience direct observation

Question 3

Epistemology?

Answer 3

• Nature of knowledge itself and how we acquire it

Question 4

Metaphysics?

Answer 4

• Study of fundamental nature of all reality

Question 5

Ethics?

Answer 5

• Moral conduct

Question 6

Logic?

Answer 6

• Reasoning and argumentation

Question 7

Philosophy?

Answer 7

• To love wisdom

Question 8

General ideas of Thales of Miletus?

Answer 8

• Water=basis of everything

- Father of Science

Question 9

General ideas of Anaximander?

Answer 9

• Air, fire, water=main elements

- “Infinite” apeiron - root cause (boundless, sourceless)

Question 10

General ideas of Pythagoras?

Answer 10

• “Mathematics”

- Father of numbers

Question 11

General ideas of Hippocrates?

Answer 11

• “Medicine” guy (remember with hippocratic oath)

- Disease have natural causes

Question 12

General ideas of Thucydides?

Answer 12

• World consists of constant causes/effects

- Neglected the gods

Question 13

General ideas of Critias?

Answer 13

-Religion= created by men to control the wicked

Question 14

Humanism?

Answer 14

-Good/bad- tied to human condition

Question 15

How did humanism affect Greek culture and philosophy?

Answer 15

-Helped it grow, despite tragedy of life

Question 16

Dialectics? What’s it’s importance to Socrates and his students?

Answer 16

• Question everything, understand individual/self-improvement
• Resulted in complete truth

Question 17

Why is Socrates a gadfly? Why did the Athenian gov. sentence him to death?

Answer 17

• He upset the status quo with his search for truth

- He corrupted the youth/denied gods

Question 18

Hellenic vs. Hellenistic?

Answer 18

• Hellenic-Golden Age of Greece
• Hellenistic-Alexander the Great(Mesodonian) {review guide answers says “Asia-Greek, Egytian/Persian”.. whatever that means}

Question 19

General ideas of Epicurus? What were his philosophies on happiness?

Answer 19

-Absence of pain/fear
-Tranquillity- Withdrawl from complications
-Meaningful friendships
(seen as annoying??)

Question 20

Medieval outlook? Importance of faith in all aspects of philosophical/scientific inquiry?

Answer 20

• Use faith to understand world, not just reason

- Faith bridges gap between philosophical/scientific inquiry

Question 21

St. Augustine’s views on reason/faith?

Answer 21

• City of God vs. City of Man- reason + faith

- Unlimited capacity to sin

Question 22

Tertullian’s views on reason/faith?

Answer 22

• Question need of Greece in Christianity

- Faith transcends reason

Question 23

How did Charlemagne reintroduce classical learning?

Answer 23

• Using church to control education

- Monasteries, cultural awakening

Question 24

In the medieval period, why were monasteries the center of learning and intellectual activity?

Answer 24

-Provided schools for upper class, missionaries, and spread christian faith

Question 25

Scholasticism?

Answer 25

-Reason and faith

Question 26

St. Thomas’s views on reason/faith?

Answer 26

• Reason below faith

- Experience/empiricism

Question 27

Adelard of Bath’s views on reason/faith?

Answer 27

-Man is above all other animals because we have reason

Question 28

What were the late medieval universities’ outlook on education and liberal arts? (aka, what 3 subjects did they focus on?)

Answer 28

-Theology, law, and medicine