THE SOPHISTS

The Sophists were a group of rhetoricians

who travel from city to city charging
admission to their lectures.
The most famous Sophist who taught that the way to
achieve success is through a careful and prudent
acceptance of traditional customs.
He believed that all customs were
relative, not absolute

He believed that all customs were

relative, not absolute
“Man is the measure of all things.”

“Man is the measure of all things.”

- He was indicted for blasphemy by the Athenians.

- He was indicted for blasphemy by the Athenians.

 He wanted to dethrone philosophy and
replace it with rhetoric.
Gorgias is not teaching to search for a
truth but to win an arguments.

Gorgias is not teaching to search for a

truth but to win an arguments.
He was famous by his non-existent theses.
1. There is nothing.
2. If there were anything, no one could know it.
3. If anyone did know it, no one could
communicate it.

He was famous by his non-existent theses.

1. There is nothing.
2. If there were anything, no one could know it.
3. If anyone did know it, no one could
communicate it.
 He was known for his claim
“Justice is in the interest of the stronger”
He once said that “might makes right”

He once said that “might makes right”

He is the nemesis of Socrates.

He is the nemesis of Socrates.

He was the main target of Socrates
method of questioning.

He was the main target of Socrates

method of questioning.
 He believed that traditional
morality is just a clever way for the weak masses to
shackle the strong individual.

“What matters is power, not justice.”

“What matters is power, not justice.”

He said that traditional Greek virtue of

moderation is for the simple and the feeble.

He said that traditional Greek virtue of

moderation is for the simple and the feeble.
The man who overturned the democracy
and temporarily established an
oligarchical dictatorship

He once said that ruler controls subject by

encouraging their fear of nonexistent gods.

He once said that ruler controls subject by

encouraging their fear of nonexistent gods.

“What matters is not truth but

manipulation and expediency”

“What matters is not truth but

manipulation and expediency”
THE BIG THREE OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
He was considered the foremost philosopher of
ancient times and made great contributions
to the field of ethics.
He was credited with formulating
the Socratic Method

He was credited with formulating

the Socratic Method
- famous statement “The unexamined life is not
worth living.”

- famous statement “The unexamined life is not

worth living.”
- he believed that philosophy could enable
- he believed that philosophy could enable
a man to live a life of virtue.

a man to live a life of virtue.

 The most important virtues according to Socrates:
1. Courage 2. Justice 3. Piety 4. Temperance
Socrates spent much of his time in the streets
and marketplace of Athens.

Socrates spent much of his time in the streets

and marketplace of Athens.
He offended many powerful figures in Athens.

He offended many powerful figures in Athens.

 He was known as the gadfly of Athens.
The three division of Socratic dialogue:

The three division of Socratic dialogue:

1. A question is posed: like “What is justice?",
"What is holiness?”, etc.

1. A question is posed: like “What is justice?",

"What is holiness?”, etc.
2. Finding minor flaws about the definition and
forcing someone to admit ignorance.

2. Finding minor flaws about the definition and

forcing someone to admit ignorance.
3. An agreement is reached by the two
admittedly ignorant companions to
pursue the truth seriously.

3. An agreement is reached by the two

admittedly ignorant companions to
pursue the truth seriously.
 Q. So you think that
A. Yes, because they
the gods know
are gods.
everything?

A. Yes, of course they

Q. Do some gods
do. They are always
disagree with others?
fighting.

Q. So gods disagree
A. I suppose they
about what is true
must do.
and right?

Therefore the gods Q. So some gods can

A. I suppose that is
cannot know be wrong
true.
everything! sometimes?
 Socrates method of questioning angry
his fellow Athenians.

He was put into trial because of his idea.

He died by drinking a poisonous

beverage of hemlock.

After he died, all the information about his

life was in Plato’s writings
 Plato is the most important disciple of Socrates.

He was the first in the history of Western

civilization to publish philosophy.

A talented wordsmith from an aristocratic family.

The one who wrote Socrates’ life, debates,

dialogues, and even his trial and execution.
 He was the founder of the first
university known as “Academy.”

He was known for writing several books but the

most famous is the book “The Republic.”

He was known by his concept of

idealism the “Theory of Forms”

Two specific levels of Theory of Forms:

1. The visible world that is made up of sights and sounds.
2. The intelligible world(the world of Forms) that gives the
visible world its being.
He believed that material world around
us is not real is called idealism.
He presented his idealism and Theory of Forms
through his book, “The Republic” on a story
known as “Allegory of the Cave”
He believed that world of forms is eternal,
unchanging, and cannot be seen.

Plato also discussed his understanding

of rationality and the soul.
 Plato also emphasized the importance
of love known as “Platonic Love”

Platonic Love- It is a spiritual relationship between

two people with common interests,
and similar worldviews.

Plato emphasized the importance of

education. He believed children should be
taught early on to always seek wisdom
and to live a virtuous life.
 One of the student attended in Academy, and
was a prominent student of Plato.

He disagree about the idea of his teacher

regarding about the Theory of Forms

He believed that ideas and views are

based on what we can sense
and perceived.
 He founded the
school “Lyceum”

He was considered as the

“Father of Biology”. He
revealed about various
aspects of life of
plants and animals.

He was famous tutor of Alexander the Great,

Ptolemy, and Cassander.
 He even inspired Alexander to discover the East
to collect exotic flora and fauna for him.

He was curious about the rocks, plants, and

animals. In fact, he created a
classification system.

He supported Pythagoras
observation that
the Earth is round.
 He rejected idealism and replaced
it with empiricism.

Empiricism is a knowledge comes from

observation of the physical world around us.

He brings Plato’s Forms down to earth by

asserting that they are really just the
‘sensible forms’ of things, which can be
observed through the five senses.
 He was considered the father of modern logic.

Through logic, he formulated a three-step

argument called a syllogism.

Example of syllogism:
• If all X are Y, and all Y are Z, then all X are Z.

1. All Greek people are human.

2. All humans are mortal.
3. Therefore, all Greek people are mortal.
 Aristotle believed that all things in the universe
has its purpose and function known as teleology.

The doctrine of the four causes explains all the purpose

and function of all things
that exist in the universe.

1. What is it made of? (the material cause)

2. Who made it? (the efficient cause)

3. What is its essence? (the formal cause)

The fourfold explanation of
Doctrine of the Four Causes
4. Why does it exist? (the final cause)
1. What is it made of? 3. What is its essence?
(the material cause) (the formal cause)
2. Who made it? 4. Why does it exist?
(the efficient cause) (the final cause)
 Aristotle emphasized also on moderation known
as the doctrine of golden mean.

He said to attain the golden mean is to avoid

extreme, aiming always to act in a moderate fashion.

Rashness Courage Cowardice

Excess(vice) Mean(virtue) Deficiency(vice)

 Aristotle puts friendship as the highest good.

Three types of friendship according to Aristotle:

1. Friendship of Utility- the relationship you develop
because it is mutually useful.
2. Friendship of Pleasure- relationship build because you
have a common interest.

3. Friendship of Virtue-it excludes utility and pleasure

because you inspire the individual to be good.
 He was the founder of Cynicism.

This school of thought believes that the purpose of

life is to live in agreement with nature.
He believed that a virtuous person should reject
wealth, power, and fame to achieve a
simple and happy life.

He lived his life as a beggar and lived

in a massive jar with stray dogs.

A famous critic of Plato and Aristotle.

 He was the founder of Epicureanism.

This school of thought believes that wisdom and simple living

will result in a life free
from fear and pain.

The greatest pleasure in life is only attainable through

knowledge, friendship, and a temperate life.

He once said that the main obstacle to

happiness is the fear of death. If we can
overcome the fear of death, we can be happy.
 He was the founder of Stoicism.

This school of thought believes that man is

completely powerless to change the reality instead
to accept and deal with it.

He also said that calmness and emotional

fortitude is needed to the things over which we
have little or no control.

He also believed in Diogenes that the purpose of

life is to live in agreement with nature.
 One of the best philosopher and mathematician
of Hellenistic Period.

Apart from being a philosopher he

is also a famous inventor.

Archimedes invention and discovery:

Physical Law of Buoyancy, Archimedes’ screw,
pulley and lever, Geometry of spheres and
cylinders, Iron Claw, measurement of the circle,
and burning mirrors.
 WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
School of Main Features, Notable
Historical Period
Thought Beliefs Philosophers
Ancient Rome Emphasis on
Seneca
(1st century morality, virtue, calm,
Stoicism Epictetus
BCE to 5th century and emotional
Marcus Aurelius
CE) fortitude
 WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
School of Main Features,
Historical Period Notable Philosophers
Thought Beliefs
Application of
Medieval Period St. Thomas Aquinas
philosophy to define
(5th to 15th Scholasticism St. Augustine
and explain religious
centuries) Meister Eckhart
doctrines
 WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
School of
Historical Period Main Features, Beliefs Notable Philosophers
Thought
Emphasis on the human
Petrarch
Renaissance person; use of
Desiderius Erasmus
(14th to 17th Humanism philosophy to understand
Niccolo Machiavelli
centuries) society, nature, and
Francois Rabelais
humanity
 WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
Historical School of Notable
Main Features, Beliefs
Period Thought Philosophers
Reason and logic is considered
The
the basis of knowledge and belief; Rene Descartes
Enlightenment
Rationalism man has innate knowledge that Immanuel Kant
(17th to 18th
can be accessed through intuition Gottfried Leibniz
centuries)
or deduction
 WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
School of Notable
Historical Period Main Features, Beliefs
Thought Philosophers
The Knowledge is gained through the
David Hume
Enlightenment senses and experience; reliance on
Empiricism Francis Bacon
(17th to 18th inductive reasoning to arrive at
John Locke
centuries) generalizations
 WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
School of
Historical Period Main Features, Beliefs Notable Philosophers
Thought
Discussions on the ideal Voltaire
The Enlightenment Social and human situation and Jean Jacques
(17th to 18th Political society; emphasis on Rousseau
centuries) Philosophy individual rights and Thomas Hobbes
liberties John Stuart Mill
 WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
School Notable
Historica
of Main Features, Beliefs Philosophe
l Period
Thought rs
Studies and observes
Modern the relation between
Period Positivis things and laws of Auguste
(19th m science; knowledge is Comte
century) based on observable
phenomena
 WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
Historical School of Notable
Main Features, Beliefs
Period Thought Philosophers
An action is morally
right if it produces the
Modern Period Jeremy Bentham
Utilitarianism greatest good for the
(19th century) John Stuart Mill
greatest number of
people
 WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
Historical School of
Main Features, Beliefs Notable Philosophers
Period Thought
Emphasis on the Charles Peirce
20 century
th
Pragmatism practical use of William James
knowledge and ideas John Dewey
 WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
School of
Historical Period Main Features, Beliefs Notable Philosophers
Thought
20th century Existentialis Human experience is defined Soren Kierkegaard
Friedrich Nietzsche
by the views, emotions, and
m actions of the individual. Martin Heidegger
Jean Paul Sartre
Simone de Beauvoir
 WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
Notable
Historical School of Main Features,
Philosopher
Period Thought Beliefs
s
Experience is
studied based on
20th Phenomenolog Edmund
the subjective
century y Husserl
viewpoint of the
individual.
 WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
Historic Notable
School of Main Features,
al Philosophe
Thought Beliefs
Period rs
Man will never
understand the
20th Absurdis Albert
human condition
century m Camus
and the meaning
of life.
 WESTERN PHILOSOPHY
Historical School of Main Features, Notable
Period Thought Beliefs Philosophers
Analysis on how
Post-modernism
knowledge, ideas, Jacques Derrida
20th century Post-
and power relations Michel Foucault
structuralism
are defined