01/22 Greek Thinkers

Greek Thinkers

A Social Studies Lesson

Objective

I will be able to analyze beliefs by describing how Greek Sophists influenced morals and values.

Philosophy

• Philosophy: love of wisdom (knowledge)

• Philosophers: Greek thinkers that shaped the world with new of knowledge

Multiple Choice

What does "philosophy" mean?

• love of thinking

• love of sophists

• love of Phil

• love of wisdom

Multiple Choice

What is a philosopher?

• somebody named Phil

• Phil's son, Sopher

• a thinker

• a wisdomer

The Sophists

• Sophists: a group of philosophers in Ancient Greece who taught rhetoric

• Rhetoric: the art of public speaking and formal argument (debate)

Multiple Choice

What is rhetoric?

• a type of philosopher

• something you eat in a pie

• public speaking and debate

• an angry Greek

Multiple Choice

Who were the Sophists?

• people who liked festivals

• groups of gods

• a group of Greek thinkers

• A bunch of people named Sophia

Multiple Choice

What does it mean to have an "absolute right or wrong"?

• What is right for one person is right for everyone. What is wrong for one person is wrong for everyone.

• What is right for one person is NOT right for everyone. What is wrong for one person, is NOT wrong for everyone.

Multiple Choice

Greeks believed the gods did not have power over their life.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Sophists believed the gods did not have power over their lives.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Greeks believed all things were either absolutely good or absolutely bad.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Sophists believed what was bad for one person was bad for everyone.

• True

• False

Socrates: The Anti-Sophist

• trained sculptor who became a teacher of philosophy

• did not agree with the Sophists

• like other Greeks, thought there was absolute right and wrong

• believed all real knowledge was buried deep inside a person

• Socratic Method: teaching by asking questions instead of lecturing so students think for themselves

Multiple Select

Select all the things that are true about Socrates.

• He preferred to ask students questions.

• He thought the Greek gods were fake.

• He did not agree with Sophists.

• He thought everyone had their own god powers.

• He believed there is an absolute right and wrong.

Multiple Choice

How was Socrates different from the Sophists?

• He thought everyone should be rich before learning and the Sophists didn't.

• He only taught debate and public speaking.

• He thought there was an absolute right and wrong and the Sophists didn't.

Socrates: A Danger

• Leaders in Athens thought Socrates was dangerous because he encouraged people to question their leaders' decision.

• Discuss: What other city-state do we know of that also didn't want people to be educated and question their leaders?

Open Ended

Why would a leader not want to be questioned by the people they rule?

The End of Socrates

• In 399 BC, at 70 years old, he was arrested.

• He was found guilty of teaching young people to rebel, or fight back, and sentenced to death.

• He could have left Athens before his death, but he said since he lived there, he would obey the city's laws.

• He drank poison to carry out his death sentence.

Multiple Choice

Why was Socrates arrested?

• He was constantly fighting the Sophists.

• People hated him and wanted him off the streets.

• He was teaching young people to rebel.

• He was handing out poison.

Multiple Choice

How did Socrates die?

• He drank poison.

• He was killed by the Athenians.

• He was hanged.

• He died in his sleep.

Plato: The Anti-Democrat

• Socrates' student

• wrote a famous book called The Republic where he described his plan for the ideal society

• Hated Athenian democracy

• didn't believe everyone knew how to make good decisions

Open Ended

Do you think that everyone is capable of making good decisions?

Multiple Choice

Why did Plato dislike Athenian democracy?

• He thought he was smarter than everyone else.

• He didn't think everyone was able to make the right choices.

• He wanted women to be in charge.

• He thought it was unfair people weren't educated.

Multiple Choice

What does an "ideal society" mean?

• a bad society

• a society full of ideas

• a good society

• a perfect society

Three Part Government

• #1 Philosopher Kings: thought they were wise enough to do what was best for everyone

• #2 Brave Warriors: defend society

• #3 Common People: do all the work because Plato thought they were too dumb to make good decisions

Multiple Choice

In Plato's perfect society, who gets to be in charge?

• brave warriors

• philosopher kings

• common people

Multiple Choice

In Plato's perfect society, who gets to defend society?

• brave warriors

• philosopher kings

• common people

Multiple Choice

In Plato's perfect society, who does he think is dumb and should do all the work?

• brave warriors

• philosopher kings

• common people

Multiple Choice

Why did Plato want philosopher kings in charge?

• He was a philosopher and wanted to be a king.

• He thought warriors would just fight each other if they were in charge.

• He wanted to make sure that no dumb people landed in charge.

• He thought they were smart enough to make good decisions for everyone, not just themselves.

The Academy

• Plato believed both men and women should be educated and have the same jobs.

• He started a school called The Academy and Aristotle was his first student.

Aristotle: Plato's Student

• wrote more than 200 works on government, science, and the planets

• opened school called the Lyceum

• believed in people learning through observations

Multiple Select

What did Aristotle write about? Select all that apply.

• government

• educated women

• science

• planets

• poems

Open Ended

What does it mean to "learn through observation"?

Aristotle and Politics

• He divided government into three types: oligarchy, monarchy, and democracy.

• He believed the best type of government was a combination of all three.

• His ideas on politics influenced the founding fathers of the United States, which is why we have a representative democracy instead of a direct one.

Multiple Choice

What did Aristotle believe was the best type of government?

• oligarcy

• monarchy

• a combination of oligarchy, monarchy, and democracy

• democracy

Multiple Choice

How did Aristotle's ideas influence the US government today?

• It encouraged the founding fathers to pick a king as a leader.

• It encouraged the founding fathers to let women vote.

• It encouraged the founding fathers to make up their own beliefs.

• It encouraged the founding fathers to combine government types to form a representative democracy.

Open Ended

What type of government would you want in YOUR ideal society? You can make one up, or use one of the ones we've learned about.