write a conclusion for this esay
Philosophers can help impact the world with their ideas, you might even know a few of them yourself. Throughout history there have been many important and influential people like kings, generals, mathematicians, artists, inventors, architects, but philosophers make you think. Philosophers are some of the most influential out of these people because they helped revolutionize parts of the world with their ideas. Philosophy is the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence. This essay will focus on three of the most important and influential Greek philosophers in history (According to Britannica*).
*“Socrates was an ancient Greek philosopher, one of the three greatest figures of the ancient period of Western philosophy (the others were Plato and Aristotle).”
Socrates - Was born in Athens in 469 B.C.E to a stonemason named Sophroniscus. He created the Socratic Method which is a dialogue between teacher and students, instigated by the continual probing questions of the teacher(Conor 2003). He was (wrongly) charged with impiety and corruption of the youth and he was executed in 399 B.C.E(Bowles 2007).
He is best known for his association with the Socratic method* of question and answer, his claim that he was ignorant (or aware of his own absence of knowledge), and his claim that the unexamined life is not worth living, for humans. He was the inspiration for Plato. A thinker widely held to be the founder of the Western philosophical tradition. Socrates even created simple forms of ‘constructive argument’ where each opposing party before any debate must clearly articulate and explain the opposing party's position and argument to the satisfaction of their opponent before any debate could occur. Seek first to understand then be understood. Socrates' ideas were so revolutionary in Athens at that time that the established powers considered him a great threat to their power. In his early 70s, he was sentenced to death by his fellow citizens on charges of impiety and corruption of the youth(James M. Ambury).
Plato - Was a student of Socrates and was born approximately 428 to 427 B.C.E in Athens. He grew up during the Peloponnesian war(431 to 404 B.C.) and he was educated in philosophy, poetry and gymnastics by distinguished Athenian teachers(the history team, 2009). He died close to the years 348 or 347 B.C.E and lived up to eighty years old.
Plato is most famously known for his idea of the ‘Platonic Cave’* where Image and Reality are observed very closely. His idea of the platonic cave was that if there were people living in a cave. The people have lived here since they where born and they cannot move. The people are directed to a wall. There is a road behind them with a big fire above. Puppeteers hide themselves behind the walls of the road and show all sorts of puppets to the people. They can see terrifying creature but in reality it could be as small as a mouse and only be casting a very large shadow. And that is the main concept of the ‘Platonic Cave’. As Plato once said “He who controls image controls reality.”
*Plato wrote down the idea of the platonic cave in around 380 B.C.
(By Plato 380 B.C. )(Translated by Shawn Eyer)
Aristotle - Was a student of Plato and was born in 384 B.C.E Both of Aristotle's parents died when he was about thirteen. He learned his ideas and thoughts from Plato. Also, Aristotle taught Alexander The Great. And died at the age of 62 to a stomach disease around 322 B.C.E.
Aristotle is an important figure in ancient Greek philosophy who was known for his huge contributions across a vast range of knowledge fields. His numerous written works have impacted philosophy, science, mathematics, and many more(By Viktoriya Sus May 16, 2023). Although Plato taught Aristotle for twenty years but Aristotle was known for rejecting Plato's theory of forms. Aristotle believed that wisdom was virtuous, but achieving virtue was not automatic or did it grant any unification of other virtues.(By Justin Humphreys).
But what makes Aristotle truly remarkable was his education and inspiration of Alexander the Great. When Alexander was a teenager, his father(Philip l l of Macedon) hired Aristotle to be his private tutor. He studied with Aristotle for three years and developed a love of science(particularly in the fields of medicine and botany). He would go on to conquer the then known world all the way to India. Alexander the Great helped spread Hellenism and Greek Ideas around the world transforming the thoughts of many. While Alexander was busy conquering Asia, Aristotle who was now around 50 years old created his own school in a gymnasium called the Lyceum. He also built a library and gathered a group of research students (known as “peripatetics”). The Lyceum was not private and most of the lectures were open to the public the lectures were also given free of charge (by Anthony J.P. Kenny Jan 5, 2023)