classics - greek philosophy Flashcards
(17 cards)
What distinguishes philosophy from myth according to the Pre-Socratics?
Philosophy offers a systematic account of the world, derived from a logically coherent set of principles, while myth provides a narrative account of reality and is broad and flexible.
What challenge is presented when studying early Greek philosophy?
No complete works survive; only fragmentary quotations from later authors exist, making it difficult to discern whether they reflect the actual writings of early philosophers or summaries by later commentators.
What is the doxographic tradition?
It refers to the practice of summarizing earlier philosophers’ ideas, often with bias, as seen in Aristotle’s Metaphysics A, where he presents earlier figures as seekers of truth that he himself claims to have found.
Who were the Milesians, and what were they interested in?
Active in the 6th century BCE near Miletus, they were physical or natural philosophers interested in material explanations of the world, particularly the concept of a single substrate called the arche (first principle).
What is the arche according to the Milesians?
It is the first principle or the consistent substrate from which all physical matter is derived.
What did Thales believe was the arche, and what is his cultural significance?
Thales believed that water was the arche. He is a legendary figure seen as a model intellectual, with many semi-mythical stories surrounding him.
How did Anaximander’s view of the arche differ from Thales’?
Anaximander proposed that the arche was to apeiron, which translates to ‘the unlimited’ or ‘that which has not been subject to limits,’ emphasizing the dynamic and temporal nature of reality.
What did Anaximenes believe was the arche?
Anaximenes, a student of Anaximander, posited that air was the arche and that everything was composed of air at various densities.
What principle did Heraclitus emphasize in his philosophy?
He may have posited fire as the arche and emphasized the role of the logos, which can mean principle, reason, or logic, as governing the universe.
What is the central idea of Parmenides’ philosophy?
Parmenides posited that reality is separate from our sensory perception and emphasized that ‘is’ is the only true reality, denying the existence of motion, change, and difference.
What is the Eleatic question, as posed by Parmenides?
If we believe in things like motion, change, and time, how can we prove their existence in light of Parmenides’ assertion that they are illusions?
What significant discovery related to Empedocles was made in the 20th century?
A papyrus fragment containing 69 continuous lines of his work was discovered in a gentleman’s collar and later sent to the University of Strasbourg.
What are the Four Roots according to Empedocles?
Empedocles proposed four essential elements: Fire, Air, Earth, and Water, which were also personified as Zeus, Hera, Aidoneus, and Nestis, respectively.
What are Love and Strife in Empedocles’ philosophy?
They are cosmic principles dictating generation and destruction, with Love representing binding and generative forces and Strife representing separation.
What is the cycle of change according to Empedocles?
It is a cosmic process driven by unchanging principles of change, where Love and Strife govern cycles of unity and division.
How did ancient Greek religion influence Empedocles’ philosophy?
Empedocles flouted a key principle of Greek religion, which was not to attempt to be a god. His beliefs included the idea that mortal lives are deposed gods in a cycle of rebirth who can escape this cycle and regain divine status.
What connection do gold leaf poetic fragments from southern Italy have with Empedocles?
These fragments share resonances with Empedocles’ quotations and suggest a belief in reincarnation and the possibility of escaping the cycle of life and death.
