Socrates (469-399 BCE)
Socrates was a classical Greek Athenian philosopher. He is
recognized as one of the founders of Western philosophy. He is a mysterious
figure identified by the accounts of classical writers, such as the writings by
his students Plato and Xenophon, and the plays of his contemporary Aristophanes. Here is more information on Socrates.
In the course of his depiction in Plato's dialogues, Socrates has become notorious for his role in the field of ethics, and it is this Platonic Socrates who also lends his name to the concepts of Socratic irony and the Socratic Method, or elenchus. The latter continues to be a commonly used tool in a wide range of considerations. It is a style of pedagogy in which a series of questions are asked not only to draw individual answers, but also to encourage fundamental insight into the issue at hand. It is Plato's Socrates that also made important and lasting contributions to the fields of epistemology and logic, and the influence of his ideas and approach continues a powerful foundation in the western philosophy.
recognized as one of the founders of Western philosophy. He is a mysterious
figure identified by the accounts of classical writers, such as the writings by
his students Plato and Xenophon, and the plays of his contemporary Aristophanes. Here is more information on Socrates.
In the course of his depiction in Plato's dialogues, Socrates has become notorious for his role in the field of ethics, and it is this Platonic Socrates who also lends his name to the concepts of Socratic irony and the Socratic Method, or elenchus. The latter continues to be a commonly used tool in a wide range of considerations. It is a style of pedagogy in which a series of questions are asked not only to draw individual answers, but also to encourage fundamental insight into the issue at hand. It is Plato's Socrates that also made important and lasting contributions to the fields of epistemology and logic, and the influence of his ideas and approach continues a powerful foundation in the western philosophy.
Plato (428-347 BCE)
Plato was a philosopher in Classical Greece. He was also a mathematician, student of Socrates, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, which is the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Along with his mentor, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle, Plato helped to lay the foundations of Western philosophy and science. In the words of A. N. Whitehead:
The safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato. I do not mean the systematic scheme of thought which scholars have doubtfully extracted from his writings. I allude to the wealth of general ideas scattered through them.
Plato's sophistication as a writer is evident in his Socratic dialogues; thirty-six dialogues and thirteen letters have been ascribed to him. Plato's writings have been published in several fashions; this has led to several conventions regarding the naming and referencing of Plato's texts. Plato's dialogues have been used to teach a range of subjects, including philosophy, logic, ethics, rhetoric, and mathematics. Plato is one of the most important founding figures in Western philosophy. Here is more information in Plato.
The safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato. I do not mean the systematic scheme of thought which scholars have doubtfully extracted from his writings. I allude to the wealth of general ideas scattered through them.
Plato's sophistication as a writer is evident in his Socratic dialogues; thirty-six dialogues and thirteen letters have been ascribed to him. Plato's writings have been published in several fashions; this has led to several conventions regarding the naming and referencing of Plato's texts. Plato's dialogues have been used to teach a range of subjects, including philosophy, logic, ethics, rhetoric, and mathematics. Plato is one of the most important founding figures in Western philosophy. Here is more information in Plato.
Aristotle (384-322 BCE)
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath. He was student of Plato
and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings covered many subjects, such as
physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics,
politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology. Plato and Socrates (Plato's
teacher), Aristotle is vital in Western philosophy. His writings were the first
to produce a comprehensive system of Western philosophy, around morality,
aesthetics, logic, science, politics, and metaphysics. Here is more information on Aristotle.
Aristotle's views on the physical sciences greatly shaped medieval scholarship, and their
influence extended well into the Renaissance. In the zoological sciences, some of his observations were set to be accurate only in the 19th century. His works have the earliest known formal study of logic, which was incorporated in the late 19th century into modern formal logic.
In metaphysics, Aristotelianism had a deep influence on philosophical and theological thinking in the Islamic
and Jewish traditions in the Middle Ages, and it continues to influence Christian theology, especially the scholastic tradition of the Catholic Church. Aristotle was well known among medieval Muslim intellectuals and admired as "The First Teacher".
His ethics, nevertheless always significant, gained new interest with the modern start of desirable quality ethics. All characteristics of Aristotle's philosophy persist to be the object of active academic study today. While Aristotle wrote many elegant treatises and dialogues (Cicero
described his literary style as "a river of gold"), it is thought that the bulk of his writings are now lost and only about one-third of the original works have survived.
Theophrastus (370- 288 BCE)
Theophrastusa Greek native of Eresos in Lesbos, was the
successor to Aristotle in the Peripatetic school. He started in Athens at a
young age and originally studied in Plato's school. When Plato died, he involved
himself to Aristotle. Aristotle gave Theophrastus his writings and chose him as
his successor at the Lyceum. Theophrastus was in charge of the Peripatetic school for thirty-six years. For the duration of this time the school thrived significantly. He is frequently considered the "father of botany" for his works on plants. After his death, the Athenians contented him with a public funeral. His successor as head of the school was Strato of Lampsacus. Here is more information on Theophrastus.
The interests of Theophrastus were widespread, expanding from biology and physics to ethics and metaphysics. His two surviving botanical works, Enquiry
into Plants and On the Causes of Plants, were an important influence on medieval
science. There are also surviving works On Moral Characters, On
Sensation, On Stones, and fragments on Physics and Metaphysics all written in Greek. In philosophy, he studied grammar and language and
continued Aristotle's work on logic. He also viewed space as the simple
understanding and position of bodies, time as an accident of motion, and motion
as a necessary consequence of all activity. In ethics, he viewed happiness as
depending on outside influences as well as on good value and notably said that
"life is ruled by fortune, not wisdom."
successor to Aristotle in the Peripatetic school. He started in Athens at a
young age and originally studied in Plato's school. When Plato died, he involved
himself to Aristotle. Aristotle gave Theophrastus his writings and chose him as
his successor at the Lyceum. Theophrastus was in charge of the Peripatetic school for thirty-six years. For the duration of this time the school thrived significantly. He is frequently considered the "father of botany" for his works on plants. After his death, the Athenians contented him with a public funeral. His successor as head of the school was Strato of Lampsacus. Here is more information on Theophrastus.
The interests of Theophrastus were widespread, expanding from biology and physics to ethics and metaphysics. His two surviving botanical works, Enquiry
into Plants and On the Causes of Plants, were an important influence on medieval
science. There are also surviving works On Moral Characters, On
Sensation, On Stones, and fragments on Physics and Metaphysics all written in Greek. In philosophy, he studied grammar and language and
continued Aristotle's work on logic. He also viewed space as the simple
understanding and position of bodies, time as an accident of motion, and motion
as a necessary consequence of all activity. In ethics, he viewed happiness as
depending on outside influences as well as on good value and notably said that
"life is ruled by fortune, not wisdom."