How Ancient Greek Philosophy Still Relevant In Modern Society

The term “philosophy” itself is of ancient Greek origin. In fact, the word “philosophy” comes from the Greek words “Philo,” meaning “love,” and “Sophia,” meaning “wisdom.”

Philosophy is generally defined as the study of fundamental questions about knowledge, reality, and existence. Besides, it often involves critical thinking, reasoning, and argumentation.

First, there were only religions and myths. Difficult questions, like why the sun comes up, or what happens when you die, were answered by faith in a story people came up with.

During this time, many people believed in multiple gods that worked together to create the features of our world. Everything that we now know as science, physics, or astrology.

Philosophy started when people stopped believing in these stories and wanted to know the real reason.

Reasoning is the base of philosophy. As soon as people started to answer difficult what, how, and why questions about our world with rational, explainable answers, philosophy was born.

Ancient Greek philosophy analyzed and theorized several ideas such as moral and ethical issues, and human nature.

The Ancient Greeks are famous for their contributions to philosophy and culture. Socrates, one of the most well-known Greek philosophers, was a major contributor to early philosophical thoughts around morality, knowledge, and justice.

Greek politics and democracy during this period had a major influence on the philosophies of the time. Ancient Greek thinkers debated over questions of justice, virtue, Knowledge, and truth.

They also developed ideas governing governments and social relationships, as well as theories of human nature influencing our modern thinkers today.

These debates laid important philosophical foundations for Greece and beyond, helping shape both politics and philosophy in Ancient Greece for generations to come.

In this article, we’ll discuss some of the key players and themes in Ancient Greece that shaped our world today.

Ancient Greek philosophy today

Ancient Greek philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle are considered to be some of the most influential philosophers in Western thought.

Their ideas have had a lasting impact on the development of philosophy and other disciplines.

The works of ancient Greek philosophers are often studied and discussed within the context of philosophy and Classics departments at universities.

Here is an overview of some ways in which ancient Greek philosophers have influenced modern thought and philosophy.

The concept of democracy

Ancient Greek philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle all wrote about the importance of democracy and the role of the citizen in a democratic society.

These ideas have had a lasting influence on modern democracy and political thought. Socrates was one of the most prominent ancient Greek philosophers.

Socrates spent the majority of his life asking questions, always in search of the truth.

He is responsible for developing what is known as the Socratic method, a technique still used by professors in law schools today.

Instead of lecturing the students, professors will ask them a series of thought-provoking questions.

These questions help the students think critically, and they are meant to elicit underlying presumptions and ideas that could be influencing the way a student views a case. Socrates engaged his students in this same fashion.

He did not leave any written record of his life or ideas, so most of what we know about Socrates was written by one of his students,

“The measure of a man is what he does with power.”

Socrates

The idea of natural rights

The ancient Greek philosopher Zeno is credited with developing the concept of natural rights.

In other words, the idea is that all people have certain inherent rights that cannot be taken away by the state or any other authority.

This concept has had a significant influence on modern political and legal thought.

“Nature has given to man a tongue as a means of communication, hands for the purposes of labor, and reason for the discovery of truth and the conduct of life.”

Zeno

The pursuit of wisdom

The ancient Greek philosophers were known for their pursuit of wisdom. Especially their ideas about knowledge and truth. These have continued to be studied and debated in the modern world.

“Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something.” — Plato.

Plato

The concept of the good life

In ancient Greek philosophy, Plato is known for researching justice, virtue, ethics, and other concepts about human behavior. Plato described the ideal city as one based on virtuous life and justice.

His studies on mathematics, politics, and philosophy were very persuasive and laid the basis for Euclid’s systematic technique of mathematics.

Taking Socrates as a model, Plato became an instructor too and founded an academy in Athens and inspired the next extraordinary Greek philosopher, Aristotle’s work.

Many ancient Greek philosophers, such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, wrote about the concept of the good life and what it means to live a virtuous and fulfilling life. These ideas have had a lasting influence on modern philosophical thought about ethics and morality.

“The ultimate value of life depends upon awareness and the power of contemplation rather than upon mere survival.”

Aristotle

Ancient psychology in general is helpful because each of the unique ancient pictures of the soul represents a philosopher’s genuine attempt to capture and explain what it means to live as a human being with a human mind.

Ancient thought thus represents an invaluable insight into the human condition, the benefit of which should not be discarded simply because it may not align with the facts of the matter.

This is why people do, and should, turn to ancient philosophy in order better understand themselves and how to be happy, virtuous people.

Resources:

1.https://www.structural-learning.com/post/ancient-greek-philosophy