Greek Culture

Drama and Philosophy

Historiae

Herodotus of Halicanarssus:

“the purpose is to prevent the traces of human events from being erased by time and to preserve the fame of the important and remarkable events”

Thucydides: History of the Peloponnesian War. Explored long term cause and effect.

Drama

Greeks loved tragedies Aeschylus: 27 time dramatist of the year! Simple plots based on a tragic flaw. Wrote in “Trilogies” such as the Oretesia. Euripedes: a skeptic who wrote about the

excess of worshiping Dionysus in the Bacchae

Social commentary: critical of Peloponnesian War-Lysistrata

Oedipus: Sophocles

Philosophy

Greek word meaning “love of wisdom” Concerned with nature of universe and the

place of divine forces within it. Sophists: traveling philosophical teachers

who rejected speculation as foolish, understanding the universe was out of our reach…sole goal personal improvement.

There is no absolute right or wrong, for this they were considered dangerous.

Socrates:

Left no writings An “ugly stonemason” Preferred to teach for free as

his sole purpose was understanding human nature and improving the individual.

Socratic method: question and answer technique to lead the student to the answer.

“Unexamined life is not worth living”

Sacrificed

Plato:

Greatest philosopher of Western Civilization?

Wrote a great deal on reality. How do we know what is real? Allegory of the Cave

Major work is The Republic “Forms theory”. There are

ideal forms, our job is to try and perceive them as best as we can through an astutely trained mind.

Allegory of the Cave

Republic

Plato distrusted the democracy of Athens

Population divided into three basic groups: a ruling elite (Philosopher Kings). 2. Those who showed courage (warriros to protect). 3. The masses, those driven by desire.

Equality of the genders. “there will no rest from

troubles” unless Philosophers become kings.

The Academy

Founded in the 4th century BCE ran until it was closed in the 6th century CE by the Byzantine emperor Justinian.

Aristotle

Studied at Plato’s Academy Tutored Alexander the Great Dismissed Plato’s forms. Intense study could lead to

the understanding of objects and their true form.

Emphasized classification and research

Politics

Aristotle examined 158 state constitutions.

Examined three “good governments” that can become bad

1. Monarchy (can become tyranny)

2. Aristocracy (can become oligarchy)

3. Constitutional Government (that can become “mob rule” or anarchy.)