M o d u l e 0 2

PRE-SOCRATICS
THE BEGINNINGS OF PHILOSOPHY

OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this module you should be able to:
understand the beginnings of philosophy
know the different ideas of early philosophers
appreciate the significance of philosophy then and now

Note: If you are prompted to answer questions, directly type your responses on the spaces provided.
After, save all the changes made on this file and send it back to me via NEO drop box.

LET’S REVIEW!

Before we start with the lesson proper, let us have a short review session.
Part 1. Answer the following questions in 3-5 sentences only. Use your own words. (10 pts)
1. Describe Philosophy as an activity.
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2. What is the value of Philosophy?

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Part 2: Identify the branch of Philosophy the following statements fall under. (5 pts)

1. How do we determine a good art and bad art? _______________

2. What is truth? _______________
3. Is the mind and soul different from the body? _______________
4. Are there invalid patterns of reasoning? _______________
5. What is right or wrong? _______________
 From the last lesson, we have learned that asking questions (the right
questions) is highly significant when it comes to Philosophy. Us, human beings,
are naturally inquisitive. We ask questions about our existence, life, the world
around us and the like. These questions bothered not just us but also the people
before us. Early answers to these questions usually took the form of stories
involving gods, supernatural beings – stories that we call myths (Gk. mythos)
Today, we will learn how people transitioned from mythos to logos.

FROM MYTHOS TO LOGOS

Western Philosophy started when great thinkers from the eastern shore of
Aegan Sea tried to explain the world around them without using the traditional myths,
superstition, or even religion. They relied on rational explanations instead of magic and
superpowers. These great thinkers are who we call the Pre-Socratics.

Miletus is the birth place of (Western) philosophy. Our

first three Pre-Socratics came from this place. Hence,
they were called The Milesians.

THALES
Thales of Miletus is the first recorded (western) philosopher. This is why he is
considered by some as the father or founding father of philosophy in the
western tradition.
He is a geometer, mathematician, astronomer, and a meteorologist.
He was able to predict a solar eclipse in 585 BC.
He constructed an instrument for measuring distance.

WHAT IS EVERYTHING MADE OF?

Thales claimed that everything is made of WATER.
 Anaximander of Miletus is a younger compatriot, ANAXIMANDER
student of Thales. Just like his teacher, Anaximander was credited with
several scientific achievement of his time. He created the first world map,
first star chart, indoor clock, and the first sundial as well.
Unlike Thales and other Pre-Socratics, Anaximander wrote
down his ideas in a book called On Nature.

WHAT IS EVERYTHING MADE OF?

Anaximander disagreed with Thales that everything is made up of water.
According to him, if there is a fundamental element (basic ingredient
making up everything) it would NOT exist in an observable pure form.
According to him, what makes up everything must be unlimited or infinite
– the APEIRON.

ANAXIMENES
Anaximenes of Miletus is a generation younger than
Anaximander, his teacher. He agreed with Anaximander
that the ultimate element (arche) must be infinite or
unlimited but it is not something undefined.

WHAT IS EVERYTHING MADE OF?

The ultimate element making up everything,
according to Anaximenes is AIR.

Thales, Anaximander, and Anaximenes are the Milesians. They were

the firsts to try and explain the world using observation and reason.
 PYTHAGORAS
Pythagoras is from Samos. He was a numerologist who was really interested in
the mystical significance of numbers.

He has shared significantly in the development of Greek philosophy; hence, in

antiquity, he has shared credit with Thales for introducing philosophy.
Some accounts claim that he was the one who first used the terms philosophy
and philosophers. He is credited with inventing the word ‘philosopher’: instead
of claiming to be a sage or wise man (sophos) he modestly said that he was
only a lover of wisdom (philosophos).
WHAT IS EVERYTHING MADE OF?
Pythagoras believed that everything is made up of numbers. Mathematics, for him, is the key to
understanding the order and structure of the universe.

HERACLITUS
Heraclitus lived in the great metropolis of Ephesus, midway between Miletus
and Colophon. Even during his time, he was found difficult given that he uses
riddles to respond to people and to make statements. Hence, he is
nicknamed “the Enigmatic One,” “the Obscure,” and “the Riddler.” He is
also known as the “weeping philosopher” for his melancholic style. He said
everything is changing – nothing is constant.
WHAT IS EVERYTHING MADE OF? Heraclitus believed that
everything is fire.

XENOPHANES
Xenophanes is from Colophon (some hundred miles north of Miletus). Just like
the Milesians, he propounded on Cosmology. He, however, disagreed that the
ultimate or basic element is water or air.
Xenophanes claimed that the
WHAT IS EVERYTHING MADE OF? ultimate element is earth.

PARMENIDES
Parmenides was born in a wealthy family in Elea (hence belongs to the
Eleatic school in philosophy). While Heraclitus believed that everything is
constantly changing, Parmenides argued that nothing is changing – change is
impossible. He believed that everything is one.
Parmenides claimed that the
WHAT IS EVERYTHING MADE OF? ultimate element is being.
 EMPEDOCLES
Empedocles was born in Acragas, a Greek colony in Sicily.
He had varied careers as a physician, politician, and even a magician.
WHAT IS EVERYTHING MADE OF?
Empedocles is a pluralist, believing that the fundamental element is not just
one. He held that there are the simplest form of the four basic elements–
namely earth, air, fire and water– which are organized by the two forces
of love and strife.

ANAXAGORAS
Anaxagoras is a contemporary of Empedocles and possibly a student of
Anaximenes.
WHAT IS EVERYTHING MADE OF?
Infinite seeds - the world is comprised of infinitely divisible portions of
elements that are set in motion by a cosmic Mind.

DEMOCRITUS
Democritus was from the Greek coastal city of
Abdera. He wrote about ethics, physics, astronomy,
mathematics, and music.
WHAT IS EVERYTHING MADE OF?
Democritus systematized his teacher’s, Leucippus,
theory of atomism. Everything is made up of atoms.

LET’S TRY THIS!

Answer the following in 3-5 sentences each. (10 pts)

1. Imagine yourself in the time of the pre-Socratics, whose idea would you support? Why?
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2. What made the Pre-Socratics significant in the development of Western philosophy?

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 WRAPPING UP!
To conclude this module, please complete the following:

Write 3 things you’ve learned from this module.

1. ________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________
3. ________________________________________________________

Write 2 things that this module made you realize

1. ________________________________________________________
2. ________________________________________________________

Write 1 question you have in mind

1. ________________________________________________________

- END OF MODULE 02 -

CONGRATULATIONS for finishing module 02! Additional

resources can be found on our NEO class. I hope you will
find time to check my recorded discussions as well. If you
have questions, please feel free to send me a message on
NEO. I am online from M-F,
8:00AM – 5:00 PM.

SOURCES:

Merlchert, N., & Morrow, D. (2018). The Great Conversation. New York: Oxford University Press.
Palmer, D. (2002). Does the Center Hold? USA: McGraw-Hill Companies.
Pojman, L. P. (2005). The Quest for Truth. USA: Oxford University Press.
Soccio, D. J. (2016). Introduction to Philosophy: Archetypes of Wisdom. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
Waterfield, R. (2000). The First Philosophers. New York: Oxford University Press Inc.