Major Schools of Philosophy: From Socrates to Epicureanism

Posted on Jan 5, 2025 in Religion

Philosophy

Philosophy (from the Greek philo, meaning “love” or “attraction,” and sophia, meaning “wisdom”) is a totalizing science that moves all the curiosity of the human being to find the reason for their existence. It is based on reason and is fundamental. It intends to make a better world.

Thales of Miletus was the first philosopher. His philosophical thesis was that everything comes from water because everything needs water. Anaximenes believed that everything comes from air. Empedocles, a pluralistic philosopher, believed that everything comes from air, water, earth, and fire.

Branches of Philosophy:

  • Aesthetics (beauty)
  • Logic (correct reasoning)
  • Ontology (study of being)
  • Epistemology (study of knowledge)
  • Psychology (study of the soul and thought)

Ethics

Ethics studies human acts of good and evil. Its ultimate goal is happiness and the good life.

Socrates (The Father of Ethics)

Basic principles:

  • Do well and avoid wrong.
  • Respect yourself and your neighbor.
  • Reason before acting.

To reach the good life, one must know oneself. Character is a person with the first free person. The truly wise is God. Do not fear death. To reach the good life, follow these steps:

  1. Self-control
  2. Self-knowledge through:
    • Andria (courage)
    • Wisdom (value)
    • Strength
    • Justice

Socrates proposed self-control or moral intellectualism: “No one does evil at heart.” “We love good by nature.” “Ignorance is the source of evil in the world.” “To contemplate the good is to be attracted to it.”

Plato (428-347 BC)

Plato was the main commentator of Socrates. His philosophy was Idealism: “Reality is formed by two fields: the ideal world (the highest place in heaven) and the shadow world (where we are spiritually supreme).”

  • Doxa: Everything we can obtain from this superfluous world without a rational basis.
  • The highest part of the soul: The eyes are the mirror of the soul.

Plato retakes Socrates’ concepts. He practiced Mayeutica: one reaches the truth through dialogue. He speaks of politics as a very large state of the soul:

  • Intellectuals – Philosophers
  • Irascible – Army Leaders
  • Concupiscible – The Rest of the People

He vindicates women. He speaks of three types of children:

  • Children of Gold: The most intelligent, educated to be philosophers.
  • Children of Silver: Clever, educated for the militia.
  • Children of Bronze: Not so smart, they had the opportunity to choose their profession.

He proposed eugenic measures to make the first race perfect, without defects. Education is fundamental; begin with physical education.

Aristotle (384-322 BC)

Born in Macedonia, Aristotle was Plato’s most distinguished student. He was Alexander the Great’s teacher. After Plato’s death, he founded the “Lyceum.” Everything that exists must have:

  1. Material cause (because it exists)
  2. Formal cause (identity)
  3. Final cause (complies with an objective)
  4. Efficient cause (necessity)

Levels of being:

  • Vegetative: Basic functions
  • Animal: Gives movement
  • Intellectual or Rational: Thought

The human being is the only one who fulfills all three. For life to be produced, each agency must work correctly. He rejects innate experiences. He is the father of ancient empiricism. Philosophical empiricism: Nothing happens in the mind that has not passed through the senses.

Happiness is inner and external well-being (emotional equilibrium). Happiness is reached through virtue (good habits). Timidity is a weakness, a complete lack of character, a lack of value. Contexts are according to circumstances.

Hellenistic Schools

Objective: To help find ataraxia (imperturbable soul, total peace). They emerged towards the end of the 4th century BC. They sought to avoid pain, failure, etc.

Stoicism

Passions and feelings lead the soul to suffering, so they had to be eliminated. Happiness has more to do with inner peace. The first ethics that arises is deontological ethics (duty = obligation). Katēkon are duties that by nature the soul must fulfill:

  1. 1st Katēkon: Be rational, think before acting.
  2. 2nd Katēkon: Respect to be respected; all people have dignity.
  3. 3rd Katēkon: Fulfill duties in society.
  4. 4th Katēkon: I must not affect myself to help others; if I did, it would be an immoral act.

Accept with resignation what you cannot change. They believed in a fatalistic destiny. The strongest representative was Marcus Aurelius. Nothing should affect you. We must be impeccable in what we do.

Epicureanism

Founded by Epicurus, “vain and unnecessary pleasures.” To reach ataraxia, one must stick to the basic and necessary. Love is the most perfect friendship. Fear leads to suffering. Good is easy to achieve. Evil is easy to avoid. Do not fear death or the disinterested gods. A friend is a guide who whips you well, corrects you harshly, and is forever. The further from politics, the better. Social conventions are harmful.

Cynicism

One must act according to ethics and virtue, always respecting others. Young animals and children are a source of wisdom. Modesty goes against human nature. Alexander the Great admired Diogenes very much.

Eclecticism

The truth is not in a single theory; it is necessary to take what is convenient from each new theory and form a new one.

Hedonism

Immediate pleasures lead to happiness.