PHIL1001 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Theism, Anaximander, Monism
Philosophy 1001 September 15th 2016
Pre-Socratic Philosophers (600-400 BCE)
*Rationalism: rational process vs Empiricism: know the world through
observation
Mysticism, Mythology: make up a story to explain things
-Tradition: what was taught, what you know
Incorrigible: not capable of being corrected or informed
Interested in justification of our conclusions
Strongly held yet incorrect belief
Thales (585 BCE)
-Did not accept Mythology and Tradition
-First Greek Philosopher, initiated a way of understanding the world that was based on
reason and nature rather than tradition and mythology. Held in some sense that water
is the basic material, that all things are full of gods and all things possess soul. Predicted
an eclipse of the sun and was considered the founder of Greek astronomy and
mathematics.
“What is everything made of or what kind of stuff goes into the composition of
things?”p.6 Answer: Water
Rejecting tradition and mythology, Thales wanted to develop a rational explanation for
the nature of reality
“Thales was the first to give a non-anthropomorphic ( non-human based) materialistic
answer to the nature of the world” (Flagel, p.4)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Mysticism, mythology: make up a story to explain things. Incorrigible: not capable of being corrected or informed. First greek philosopher, initiated a way of understanding the world that was based on reason and nature rather than tradition and mythology. Held in some sense that water is the basic material, that all things are full of gods and all things possess soul. Predicted an eclipse of the sun and was considered the founder of greek astronomy and mathematics. What is everything made of or what kind of stuff goes into the composition of things? p. 6 answer: water. Rejecting tradition and mythology, thales wanted to develop a rational explanation for the nature of reality. Thales was the first to give a non-anthropomorphic ( non-human based) materialistic answer to the nature of the world (flagel, p. 4) His unique contribution to thought was his notion that in spite of differences between various things there is nevertheless a basic similarity between them all.
