CONTRIBUTIONS OF

THE NOTABLE
GREEK PHISOPHERS
 Let’s Know the Philosophers
Pythagoras (570 BCE to 495 BCE)
• Mathematician and Scientist
• Pythagorean Theorem
• Devoted to studying religion and philosophy

The teaching most securely identified with

Pythagoras is metempsychosis, or the
"transmigration of souls", which holds that
every soul is immortal and, upon
death, enters into a new body.
 Let’s Know the Philosophers
Heraclitus (535 BCE to 475 BCE)
• A pre-Socratic Greek philosopher, and a native
of the city of Ephesus.

He proposed that everything that exists is

based on higher order plan called logos.
"You can never step into the same river; for
new waters are always flowing on you. No
man ever steps into the same river twice,  for
it's not the same river and he is not the same
man."
 Let’s Know the Philosophers
Democritus (460 BCE to 370 BCE)
• an Ancient Greek pre-Socratic philosopher primarily
remembered today for his formulation of an atomic
theory of the universe.

He devoted himself to the study of the causes of

natural phenomena.
First to propose that matter is made up of atoms.
 Let’s Know the Philosophers
Diogenes of Sinope (412 BCE to 323 BCE)
• a Greek philosopher and one of the founders
of Cynic philosophy. He was born in Sinope,
an Ionian colony on the Black Sea

Advocate of living a simple and virtuous life

“one should not talk of virtue but should show it
in words and in actions”
He was said to have lived like a beggar.
 Let’s Know the Philosophers
Epicurus (341 BCE to 270 BCE)
• An ancient Greek philosopher who founded a highly
influential school of philosophy now
called Epicureanism

He believed that philosophy could enable man to live

a life of happiness
Epicureanism – believes that wisdom and simple
living will result in a life free of fear and pain
 Let’s Know the Philosophers
Socrates (470 BCE to 399 BCE)
• a classical Greek (Athenian) philosopher credited as
one of the founders of Western philosophy, and as
being the first moral philosopher, of the Western
ethical tradition of thought.

He believed that philosophy could enable man to live a life

of virtue
Socratic Method – a means of examining the topics by
devising a series of questions that let the learner examine
and analyze his knowledge and views regarding the topic
 Let’s Know the Philosophers
Plato (427 BCE to 347 BCE)
• He was a philosopher in Classical Greece and the
founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution
of higher learning in the Western world.

Theory of Forms – everything that exists is based on an idea

or template that can only be perceived in mind; these non-
physical ideas are eternal and unchanging
Dialectic – a method of inquiry where two opposing ideas
are discussed in an attempt to arrive at new knowledge
 Let’s Know the Philosophers
Aristotle (384 BCE to 322 BCE)
• an ancient Greek philosopher and scientist born in the city
of Stagira, Chalkidiki, in the north of Classical Greece.
Along with Plato, he is considered the "Father of Western
Philosophy".

He disagreed on Plato’s theory of form.

For him, all ideas and views are based on perception and
our reality is based on what we can sense and perceive.
Deductive reasoning – specific statements are analyzed to
reach a conclusion or generalization
Why is there a need to philosophize?

All of us are Wonder Reflect on our

Tendency Capacity
potential and Own Experiences
to to
philosophers Doubt

Plato – need to philosophize from sense of wonder: how we came about

Rene Descartes – need to philosophize from sense of doubt: rejecting or questioning
established ideas
Karl Jaspers – need to philosophize because of experience: man is often confronted by
experiences which challenges his ideas and framework