Minoan Trading community on the

island of Crete Highly advanced for the time Capital: Knossos Labyrinth and Minotaur myth Around 1600 BC: disappears May be the lost civilization of

Atlantis (destroyed by volcanic explosion of Thera)

Mycenaean Powerful city-state on the

Greek mainland Iliad and the Odyssey

◦ Story of the Trojan War◦ Written by Homer◦ Shows the ideal Greek hero as

being one who outsmarts his enemies

◦ Greeks see themselves grounded in logic and reasoning

No such place as “Greece” in the ancient world

Really a collection of city-states: ◦separate political units ◦united by a common culture

Largest city-states and rivals: ◦Athens and Sparta

On the sea – trading center Very wealthy with a great navy Individuals matter – freedom rules Government:

◦Democracy – every citizen votes on every law Sets the ideal structure for democracies and

republics of the present Problem – capitalism leads to inequality and

poverty for some – wealth and success for others

Ruled by a military dictatorship / council Society runs on absolute obedience to the state – even women

have roles to play Society of absolute equality – unique in the ancient world Individualism is suppressed for the good of the state Men – serve in the army from age 7 Women – serve the state by having babies for the army Disobedience and waste is forbidden Spartan army is the most efficient fighting machine in the

ancient world

Foundation for Western Civilization◦Greek Science and Mathematics

◦Humanism – man can observe and figure out his own world based on reasoning

◦Greek Philosophy – development of logical reasoning

Astronomy◦ Earth is Round – based on lunar Eclipse◦ Earth’s circumference determined (quite accurately) using

math and observation◦ Geocentric model of the universe

Model based on observation and reasoning Puts the Earth at the center of the universe Everything revolves around the Earth

Greek Medicine◦ Hippocrates – developed ideas behind the Four Humors

Tried to observe then diagnose Step towards modern medicine

Development of Geometry◦ Mathematics of Space and volume◦ Mathematical principles based on a logical reasoning

Philosophy – The search for Wisdom Philosopher – one who seeks wisdom Wisdom

◦ Different from facts and knowledge◦ Uses facts and knowledge to understand how to

question◦ Really just the search for knowledge◦ Best described in Plato’s Analogy of the Cave

Socrates at his Death

Born in Athens -- 469 BC Originally a stonecutter Told by the Oracle at Delphi at the Temple

of Apollo that he was the wisest man in Athens and spent the remainder of his life trying to prove her wrong – he never did

Went around Athens asking questions and trying to find “wise” people

Teacher (called “Master”)– people left everything to follow him (similar to Jesus)

Greatest student – Plato Question Everything – the answers

themselves don’t matter, as long as one understands the need to question

Sentenced to death by Athenian court for corrupting the youth in 399 BC

Plato (from the painting “School of Athens”)

Socrates’ greatest student Recorded the life and wisdom

of Socrates Wrote a series of dialogues –

like reading conversations between Socrates and the citizens of Athens

Question Everything (from Socrates), but if one asked the right questions, one would eventually come up with the correct answers (True Forms)

Most famous book – The Republic

Plato’s greatest book – done in a series of chapters (called books by Plato)

True form of government – The Republic (people vote for reps – reps vote on the laws for the people)

True form of reps – “philosopher kings” How does one become a philosopher? Develop

wisdom How does one develop wisdom? Understand the

“cave” and get out of it.

Aristotle

Student of Plato Mathematician and scientist Developed the idea behind

logical reasoning True forms are only true if

they can be defended by logic Answers to questions then,

can be different and yet both answers can be right, depending on one’s perspective

Only had one student: Alexander the Great – he would take the ideas of Ancient Greece and spread them around the known world