Unit 10: Early Greek Philosophy: The Presocratics and Socrates: Study Questions Flashcards
Q: What historical circumstances helped to foster the new spirit of inquiry in fifth-century Ionia?
A: Increased trade, colonization, and cultural exchanges exposed Ionians to diverse ideas. The rise of independent city-states encouraged rational debate, while political instability led thinkers to seek natural rather than divine explanations for the world.
Q: How did the explanations for nature and the world suggested by Presocratic philosophers differ from traditional Greek mythology?
A: Presocratic philosophers rejected mythological explanations, seeking rational, natural causes for the world’s phenomena. Instead of gods controlling nature, they proposed fundamental principles like elements (water, air, fire) or abstract concepts (the Apeiron).
Q: Summarize the major concerns of Presocratic philosophy.
A: The Presocratics explored the origins of the universe, the nature of matter, change, and permanence. They sought a rational understanding of the cosmos, focusing on elements, opposites, and the forces governing existence.
Q: Do you think that the Presocratic philosophers can be considered early scientists?
A: Yes, because they used observation, logic, and systematic reasoning to explain natural phenomena. However, their methods lacked controlled experimentation, making them more speculative than modern scientists.
Q: What similarities do you see between the approach of the Presocratics and the historians Herodotus and Thucydides, and the classical playwrights?
A: All sought rational explanations—Presocratics for nature, historians for human events, and playwrights for human nature. Like the historians, they emphasized cause-and-effect over divine intervention, and like playwrights, they explored ethical and existential questions.
Q: What were the achievements and limitations of Greek medicine in the fifth century?
A: Greek medicine, led by figures like Hippocrates, moved away from supernatural causes, emphasizing natural explanations and observation. However, it lacked knowledge of anatomy and effective treatments, relying on balance theories like the four humors.
Q: What was the difference between education for Greek boys and girls?
A: Boys received formal education in literacy, rhetoric, music, and physical training, preparing for citizenship. Girls were trained at home in domestic skills, with little to no formal schooling.
Q: Why were erotic bonds considered to be an important part of educating the young men of Greece?
A: In aristocratic circles, older male mentors (erastes) formed bonds with younger men (eromenos) to provide moral, intellectual, and military training. This practice reinforced social hierarchies and loyalty.
Q: What social and political conditions account for the rise of the Sophists?
A: The expansion of democracy in Athens increased demand for rhetorical skills in law and politics. The Peloponnesian War and political instability also encouraged skepticism about traditional values.
Q: How did the professional goals and methods of the Sophists challenge traditional Greek education?
A: Sophists focused on persuasive rhetoric and relativism rather than absolute truths. This contrasted with traditional education, which emphasized virtue and objective moral values.
Q: What were the major views of the Sophists?
A: Sophists believed that truth and morality were relative, that rhetoric was key to success, and that law and customs were human-made rather than divine. They questioned traditional values and emphasized subjective knowledge.
Q: How did the experiences of Greeks, and especially the Athenians, during the Peloponnesian War and its immediate aftermath foster a questioning spirit at the end of the fifth century?
A: The war’s devastation and Athens’ defeat led to disillusionment with traditional values. Many questioned democracy, justice, and the gods, leading to greater philosophical skepticism.
Q: Summarize, for future review, the parts of the Apology.
A: Socrates’ defense consists of three main parts: (1) Refuting old prejudices, (2) Addressing new accusations, and (3) His reaction to the guilty verdict and sentencing. He maintains his commitment to philosophy throughout.
Q: What are the old accusations or prejudices against Socrates, and how does he refute them?
A: Socrates was accused of studying natural philosophy and corrupting youth. He refutes this by arguing that he does not charge fees like Sophists and that his questioning arises from the Delphic Oracle’s claim that he is the wisest.
Q: What are the new charges against Socrates, and how does he refute them?
A: He was charged with impiety and corrupting youth. He refutes these by questioning the logic of his accusers, arguing he could not intentionally harm the youth, and challenging the notion that he disrespected the gods while believing in divine matters.
Q: How do you imagine that Socrates’ style of questioning and reasoning would have entertained and won over some Athenians but irritated others?
A: His sharp wit and logical skill impressed admirers but frustrated those whose beliefs he exposed as weak or contradictory. His method made powerful figures feel embarrassed or threatened.
Q: What statements by Socrates might be taken as a broader defense of philosophy?
A: Socrates insists that the unexamined life is not worth living and that questioning leads to wisdom. He argues that philosophy is a public duty and a search for truth, not mere rhetoric or deception.
Q: What elements or references to Presocratic theories and the Sophists can you detect in the Apology?
A: Socrates references natural philosophy but distances himself from it. He also critiques the Sophists’ emphasis on persuasion over truth, while using their rhetorical skills to dismantle his accusers’ arguments.
Q: Socrates begins by defending himself, but by the end of his speech, who do you think is really being judged and who has become the jury?
A: Socrates shifts the trial’s focus onto Athenian society itself, questioning its values and justice. In a sense, the jury becomes the accused, as Socrates exposes their fear of truth and change.
