Homeric Virtues and Socratic Wisdom: Shaping Western Thought
Homeric Virtues and Community
The practice of Western thought, born in Greece, is not found in a philosophical way in the Homeric poems (8th-7th century BC), but in a literary way. It presents a reflection on the moral edge:
- Good (doing what serves the community)
- Virtue (ability to excel)
The goal is to excel in good, paying the community the best services.
Socratic Attitude
Socrates is considered the creator of the Western practice. While philosophers dealt with the research of the principle of the universe,
Read MorePlato’s Philosophy: Understanding Reality and Knowledge
1. Plato’s Life and Work
Descended from an aristocratic family, Plato was born in Athens in 427 BC. His real name was Aristocles, but he was known as Plato (possibly due to the width of his shoulders). He began his philosophical journey under the Heraclitean Cratylus. However, the defining moment of his life and writing style (often in dialogue form) was his encounter with Socrates at the age of 20. After the death of his master, he left Athens for Megara and then, in 388 BC, traveled to southern
Read MoreImmanuel Kant: Reason, Knowledge, and Morality
Kant: Theme 1: Sense of a Critique of Reason
Kant’s philosophy arises from the need to analyze reason, which had been used inappropriately by rationalists, empiricists, and irrationalism.
1.1 Need for a Critique of Reason
- The dogmatic rationalist believes that reason is self-sufficient for interpreting reality, regardless of experience.
- Empiricist positivism (the maximum expression is skepticism) reduces thought to what the senses perceive, negating reason.
- Irrationalism emphasizes feeling, mysticism,
Plato’s Philosophy: Ideas, Soul, and the Cosmos
Plato
A disciple of Socrates and teacher of Aristotle, Plato became interested in politics, the origin of the cosmos, the origin of man, and his destiny after death. Plato’s work is preserved almost completely, written in dialogue form and with Socrates as the main interlocutor. The dictatorship of the Thirty Tyrants, Socrates, and living with his unjust death sentence changed the course of his life. In Athens, he founded a school called ‘The Academy,’ the first European university, due to the multiple
Read MoreCultural Relativism, Universalism, and the Human Mind
Most Popular Positions
Ethnocentrism
Ethnocentrism is the evaluation of other cultures based on the preconceptions originating in the standards and customs of one’s own culture. Ethnocentric individuals, therefore, judge other cultures based on the characteristics of their own culture. Brown, who involves two different cultures, highlights the inability to understand the consequences of different ways of life. On the other hand, it reinforces the feeling of cohesion within the group. As a result,
Read MorePlato’s Philosopher-Ruler: Education for a Just Society
This wording raises the question of what knowledge a person responsible for governing society must possess. Must the person who rules be trained? If so, what education should rulers receive to ensure their work is done best? Should this education be very specific and concrete, or, on the contrary, should it be trained to grasp universality? Based on Plato’s theories, I will try to explain how the training a ruler receives should be, by referring to his philosophy (called the Theory of Ideas), influenced
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