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My Top Favorite Greek Philosophers

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paharo45

paharo45

Active member
There are too many philosophers to count, but these are the ones I am studying at the moment. It's fascinating to me how influential the Greek philosophers are. Here's some things I am learning:

#1 Socrates

If philosophy had a poster boy, Socrates might very well be it. The father of Western philosophy, Socrates was a gadfly to Athenian society, questioning everything and Master to Plato. Known for the Socratic Method and his unflinching commitment to truth, Socrates' influence is immeasurable despite never having written a word.

#2 Plato

Rightly succeeding his mentor on this list, Plato's Academy saw him birth the first "university" of its kind. His unabashed idealism, immortal Forms, allegories like the Cave, and the pursuit of 'The Good' in moral philosophy set the stage for much intellectual discourse.

#3 Aristotle

Aristotle, another of Plato's students, had a more grounded approach to philosophy than his predecessor. With establishing principles of logic and reason, and contributions to virtually every field of academia, from poetry to physics, Aristotle's body of work remains foundational.

#4 Heraclitus

Heraclitus, famed for the idea that "change is the only constant," viewed the cosmos through a lens of process, flux, and an everlasting Logos that governs the world. Although little of his work survives, his influence on ancient and modern thinkers is profound.

#5 Epicurus

Known for his eponymous philosophy, Epicurus taught that the greatest good is to seek modest pleasures in order to attain a state of tranquility, freedom from fear (ataraxia), and absence of bodily pain (aponia). Often misunderstood, Epicureanism is starkly different from the modern use of 'epicurean' - it's much less about a luxury lifestyle and more about ethical considerations regarding personal fulfillment.
 
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This is a great collection of philosophers but you're right. There's so many more! Here are my favorites:
  • Socrates - Often considered the father of Western philosophy, he famously proclaimed, "I know that I know nothing," emphasizing the virtue of wisdom in acknowledging one's own ignorance.
  • Plato - A student of Socrates, known for his works such as "The Republic," which looked at justice and the ideal state, and his theory of Forms or Ideas.
  • Aristotle - The pupil of Plato and tutor to Alexander the Great, his extensive writings cover topics ranging from metaphysics to biology, poetics to politics.
But let's not forget the likes of Diogenes with his cynic approach to life, Pythagoras for his contributions beyond the famous theorem, Epicurus for his thoughts on pleasure and simplicity, and Zeno for his paradoxes and founding of Stoicism.
 
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