Unit 10: Early Greek Philosophy: The Presocratics and Socrates: Objectives Flashcards
Q: Identify the historical circumstances that help account for the origins and early development of philosophy in Greece during the sixth and early fifth centuries BCE.
A: Greek philosophy emerged in a time of political and cultural change, with increased trade, colonization, and contact with other civilizations. The rise of the polis (city-state) encouraged rational debate, and the decline of mythological explanations led thinkers to seek natural causes for the world’s workings.
Q: Explain the major concerns of the Presocratic philosophers.
A: The Presocratics sought to understand the fundamental nature of reality, focusing on cosmology, metaphysics, and the origins of the universe. They questioned the nature of matter (e.g., Thales’ water theory), change (Heraclitus’ flux), and permanence (Parmenides’ rejection of change).
Q: Explain who the Sophists were and their contributions to philosophy.
A: Sophists were traveling teachers who emphasized rhetoric, persuasion, and relativism. They challenged traditional beliefs, arguing that truth was subjective and that human perception shaped reality. Their focus on argumentation influenced later philosophical and political thought.
Q: Explain the philosophical contribution of Socrates.
A: Socrates revolutionized philosophy by focusing on ethics and epistemology, using the Socratic method to challenge assumptions and pursue truth. He emphasized self-examination, virtue, and the idea that knowledge leads to a just life.
Q: Summarize the account of Socrates’ trial in Plato’s Apology.
A: Socrates was accused of corrupting youth and impiety. In Apology, he defends himself, arguing that he seeks truth and wisdom, not harm. He refuses to abandon philosophy, accepts his death sentence, and claims that an unexamined life is not worth living.
