PHIL 203 Lecture Notes - Lecture 22: Hellenistic Philosophy, Ancient Philosophy, Egyptian Language
3 May 2018
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Department
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History of Ancient Philosophy
11.21 Lecture Notes – Hellenistic Philosophy, Letter to Menoeceus
We’e talked aout the
- Mythographers:
o Hesiod, Homer
o Story involving gods and the universe in explanation of how things came to be
o Naturalistic
- Presocratics
o More systematic, pseudo-scientific approach
o Attempted explanation of nature and natural processes
o Gods not a central explanatory role
- Plato
o Early: philosophy is studying human society and human behavior
▪ Dialectic approach
o Late: the Republic, the Allegory of the Cave
▪ The Forms, not really grounded in reality
▪ Systematic approach about justice and human society
- Aristotle
o Understanding common sense and creating philosophical principles to justify
them
o Understanding reality
o Explores the human being and how we fit into the rest of the world
o Argument forms
- What is philosophy for this group? And how does philosophizing proceed in this group?
The Hellenistic Period: not just a philosophical period, also a historical period
- Before the period, there is the classical period
- Hellenistic: (Hellas: Greek, istic: period)
- Plato dies in 347 BC, Aristotle in 322 BC
- Characterized by the eventual spread and dominance of the Roman empire
- Aleader’s epire fratures ito differet piees – creates a vacuum for the Romans
- 323 BC: Death of Alexander the Great – beginning of the Hellenistic Period
- 5th-6th AD – end of ancient philosophy (includes St. Augustine
- Hellenistic philosophers develop a series of original arguments, especially in ethics
- Many philosophers influenced by Christian, Jewish, and Muslim theisms and worldviews
- End of the period: 30 BC, when Cleopatra dies
- Not a lot of surviving writings of the Hellenistic philosophers – dependent on historians
- Why were Aristotle and Plato on the wayside?
o Questions on how to live take on more importance during this time
o The person who actually addresses this question a lot and also WITH HIS LIFE – is
Socrates
- Differet as i iitatig “orates’s spirit – his lifestyle, relentless questioning
- Form of Egyptian language – the Coptic – is written with capital Greek letters
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
11. 21 lecture notes hellenistic philosophy, letter to menoeceus. Mythographers: hesiod, homer, story involving gods and the universe in explanation of how things came to be, naturalistic. Presocratics: more systematic, pseudo-scientific approach, attempted explanation of nature and natural processes, gods not a central explanatory role. Plato: early: philosophy is studying human society and human behavior, dialectic approach, late: the republic, the allegory of the cave, the forms, not really grounded in reality, systematic approach about justice and human society. Aristotle: understanding common sense and creating philosophical principles to justify them, understanding reality, explores the human being and how we fit into the rest of the world, argument forms. The hellenistic period: not just a philosophical period, also a historical period. Before the period, there is the classical period. Plato dies in 347 bc, aristotle in 322 bc. Characterized by the eventual spread and dominance of the roman empire. Ale(cid:454)a(cid:374)der"s e(cid:373)pire fra(cid:272)tures i(cid:374)to differe(cid:374)t pie(cid:272)es creates a vacuum for the romans.
