As a reminder my question is “To what extent do modern philosophers contribute to the advancement of human knowledge and understanding, and how does their work compare to the contributions of philosophers from the past?” To help answer this today I will be researching some key ideas in ancient philosophy and how they contributed to their society’s. To understand the impact that ancient philosophers had we should know what they were all about. How well known were their ideas? After I will compare what I found to modern philosophy and see if their scope of impact is comparable.
In this blogpost i will be talking specifically about the ancient philosophies of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, and how they impacted their societies. These men were the main philosophical figures in ancient Greece. Firstly, Socrates who was around the time of 470-399 BCE. He is known for his Socratic method, which involved asking questions to stimulate critical reflection and self-examination. Socrates’ primary concern was with ethical matters, and he believed that human flourishing was the measure of success in mankind (2).
Secondly Plato, who was around 427-347 BCE, was a student of Socrates. Plato’s works, such as “The Republic” and “The Symposium,” explored ethical, political, and metaphysical questions. Plato’s theory of Forms, which posited the existence of abstract entities and their importance in understanding the world, had a profound impact on ancient Greek society (3)(4).
Lastly Aristotle who was around 384-322 BCE was a student of Plato. His works covered a vast range of subjects, including logic, metaphysics, ethics, politics, and natural sciences. His ethical and political theory, especially his conception of ethical virtues and human flourishing, continues to exert influence in philosophical debate (5).
These ideas were well-known and widely accepted in ancient Greek society as it shaped its intellectual, and political landscape. The impact of ancient philosophy on society continued to be immense, laying the groundwork for many aspects of Western culture and values. The impact of ancient philosophy on society cannot really be compared to modern philosophy. Simply because ancient philosophy laid the foundation for many fundamental concepts and ways of thinking in Western culture, Ideas like metaphysics developed by philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle continue to shape modern philosophical discourse. (1)
