ancient greece

Historical Background for Aristotle

Monday, September 26, 2011

Map of greece
Greece was divided into many small selfgoverning communities as a result of Greek geography, where every island, valley and plain is isolated from its neighbors by the sea or mountain ranges. This kind of city-state was called a polis, as in metropolis, or politics.
Monday, September 26, 2011

Macedonia

Asia Minor (Turkey)

Athens Sparta

Mediterranean Sea

Historical Background
Sparta, Athens, and the rest of the city-states were a bit like siblings They often fought amongst themselves If one polis was doing well, it would try to become the boss of the others, which would lead to war and strife If attacked from outside, they would band together (like in the movie 300 when the Persians invaded)
Monday, September 26, 2011

Historical Background
They fought for hundreds of years, most of the 5th and 4th centuries BCE, which left them weakened and vulnerable to outside attack. King Philip of Macedonia attacked and became the ruler of Greece in 338 BCE

But lets back up a bit, and catch up on those philosopher dudes...

Monday, September 26, 2011

Development of Greek Philosophy

As you can see, they dont t into nice, clean, distinct historical periods. Traditionally, Philosophy likes to separate out the holy trinity of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. The Pre-socratics include the earliest of philosophers, those who tried to use reason to explain the natural world instead of mythology. The Sophists were professional traveling teachers afuent families would hire to teach their sons. Plato criticized them for making the weaker argument seem the stronger.
Monday, September 26, 2011

Pre-socratic philosophers
circa 580-323 BCE

Sophists circa 445 BCE-400 CE Socrates (469-399) Plato (429-437) Aristotle (384-322) Hellenistic Philosophy (circa 330 BCE to 275 CE)

Socrates Taught plato

Well, sort of. Socrates didnt teach formal classes. He refused to take money for teaching. He did have young men who followed him around, listened to him talk to people and copied his form of questioning. Socrates liked showing people they didnt know what they thought they knew, which was probably really annoying. When, after one set of rulers (who were friends of Socrates) were put out of power, Athens put Socrates to death.

plato taught aristotle

After Socrates death, Plato opened a school called the Academy. Aristotle went there when he was 17 and stayed for 20 years. And you thought four years of college was a long time!
Monday, September 26, 2011

Aristotle taught alexander

Tradition says Aristotle was called back to King Philips court to tutor his son, Alexander. This may be legend, however, Aristotle did leave Athens after Philip invaded. Being Macedonian, he wasnt terribly popular. He returned to Athens in 335 to open his own school, the Lyceum, and remained until the death of Alexander in 323 BCE.
Monday, September 26, 2011

Historical Background
Aristotle lives at a time characterized as the pinnacle of Greek history. Philips conquering of Greece in 338BC is the beginning of the end of the Greek polis, or independent city states. Greece was under foreign occupation until the 19th century. While Philips son, who we know as Alexander the Great and a student of Aristotle, spreads Greek culture throughout the Arab world and as far as India, Philip and his son are Macedonian. Aristotle is the son of the court physician to King Philip, and technically Macedonian, not Greek.
Monday, September 26, 2011

lest athens sin twice against philosophy

In 323, at the age of 32, Alexander died while on campaign in the East. Anti-Macedonian sentiment rose across Greece, and in an attempt to get free of Macedonian rule, city-states declared war against Alexanders successor. Aristotle was subject to anti-Macedonian fever. He was charged with "impeity" or disbelief in the established gods, the same charge Socrates faced in 399 BCE. Aristotle left Athens in 323 BCE, not willing to let what happened to Socrates happen to him.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Historical Background

Sunset at Chalcis, Greece

Aristotle went to the city of Chalcis with his family. He died the next year from a stomach ailment. He was 63.
Monday, September 26, 2011

Aristotle Contemplating a Bust of Homer

Aristotle Contemplating Cartman

Aristotle Contemplating his Flat Screen

And on that happy note, lets get busy trying to understand just what this guy thought...
Monday, September 26, 2011