What did Greek thinkers do?

They studied and analyzed the world around them using logic and reason. Although we often think of philosophy as religion or “the meaning of life”, the Greek philosophers were also scientists. Many studied mathematics and physics as well. Often the philosophers were teachers of wealthy children.

Why were the ancient Greek thinkers important?

Ancient Greek philosophy opened the doors to a particular way of thinking that provided the roots for the Western intellectual tradition and civilisation, so it comes as no surprise that these philosophers of ancient Greece are known as some of the greatest thinkers to have ever stepped foot on this earth.

What is Socrates emphasized?

Socrates always emphasized the importance of the mind over the relative unimportance of the human body. This credo inspired Plato’s philosophy of dividing reality into two separate realms, the world of the senses and the world of ideas, declaring that the latter was the only important one.

What characteristics defines Greek philosophy?

Four presuppositions form the characteristics of classical Greek philosophy. A particular attitude towards reality. The aim is not to change the world but to know reality. The ancient Greeks highly esteemed an inquiring mind. Knowledge is man’s reflection of nature and knowledge is an end for its own sake.

What did Greek philosophers think everything was made up from?

About 2500 years ago the Greek philosopher Empedocles proposed that all matter was composed of four elements: earth, air, fire, and water.

What did Socrates emphasized to know the self?

After coming to the realization that one’s inner self, or soul, is all important, Socrates believed the next step in the path towards self knowledge was to obtain knowledge of what is good and what is evil, and in the process use what one learns to cultivate the good within one’s soul and purge the evil from it.

What did Greek philosophy focus on?

In ancient Greece, philosophers contemplated and theorized about many different ideas such as human nature, ethics, and moral dilemmas.

What is the main focus of Greek philosophy?

epistemology. The central focus of ancient Greek philosophy was the problem of motion. Many pre-Socratic philosophers thought that no logically coherent account of motion and change could be given.

What did ancient philosophers believe?

Pre-Socratic philosophers mostly investigated natural phenomena. They believed that humans originated from a single substance, which could be water, air, or an unlimited substance called “apeiron.” One well-known philosopher from this group was Pythagoras, the mathematician who created the Pythagorean Theorem.