Greek Philosophy

Greek Religion is the beginning to Greek philosophy and the beginning to many great philosophers. The lack of stimulation that Greek religion is the main reason why the study of philosophy became so popular in Greek culture. Philosophy of religion was studied because people like Socrates did not understand why things were and why they had to be only that way. The lack of religion is what led to people and philosophers questioning the ethical choices people followed.

Philosophy is a study of beliefs and knowledge by a group or an individual; the study of philosophy according to Socrates was supposed to lead man with knowledge that equaled virtue that eventually led to happiness. Philosophy was a way of living back in Greek culture. There were philosophers like Socrates, Plato, Arcamedies, and Aristotle that were constantly question why things happened and went against what was Greek religion. These men taught the Greek people to study philosophy and knowledge so it would free their souls. Socrates felt that mans soul was rational factuality but the soul was filled with irrational choices. Man needed to focus on what they could do to become truly pure and rational that would led them to there rational soul.

The Greek sophists were the professional educators in the poleis. It was these sophists that taught Greek men and boys to open their souls and become one with themselves. They mad them question everyday living and why things were there. A sophist was a type of person that was not philosophical all the time but they were educating on the good in human life and only the truth was acceptable. These sophists were paid teachers of the Greek culture to the polis.

Socrates was one of the most important philosophers of his time. He was a man that stood up for what he believed in and he did for that cause. He questions politics and faith when no one else wanted too and it got him in trouble but he felt an unexamined life was not worth anything because there was no fault. A life that was not question was a life that was just lived with out and theory or question to why things are they way they are and how did they become that way. Socrates wanted men to examine what they were living for and why they became that person.

With the popularity of Socrates a young man named Plato joined his followings and became his apprentice in a sense. Plato stayed with Socrates up till his death. Plato soon became the creator of metaphysics. Metaphysics was the idea that there are absolute goods and absolute truths which are only known to some men that were educated by the right people and if they are absolute with themselves they will live by The Republic. The Republic was the study of Plato's ideas, in this doctrine Plato says that: earthly life is corruptible and that man must try to understand the realm of ideas, the realm of these ideas are spiritual so one must also prepare for the afterlife. One can say that Plato was hinting to what would become Christian tradition. In a sense Plato aid that all men are born equal but there souls are not. Man has to work towards having a pure soul and devoting his life to become pure.

The universals were the complete opposite to the sophist; they were considered the perfect ideals to people. It was what sounded a perfect