Socrates, Plato and Aristotle

Socrates

• 470-399 B.C,- NEVER wrote anything
• Gave philosophy its preeminent method- Socratic method or questioning (form of inquiry and debate between individuals with opposing viewpoints based on asking and answering questions to stimulate rational thinking and to illuminate ideas)
• Believed knowledge does not come from memorizing facts & repeating them
• True wisdom comes from being able to answer why?

Plato

• Pupil of Socrates (427 -347 B.C.)
• Founded the 1^st multi-subject, multi-teacher institution of higher learning in Western Civilization
• Wrote a number of dialogues, most famous of which is the Republic
• Platonic metaphysics formed model for Christianity for around 15 centuries

Aristotle

• Taught by Plato (384-322 B.C.)
• Coined term metaphysics, which translates to “after the things of nature”
• Wrote about numerous subjects including metaphysics, biology, poetry, physics
• Believed in the importance of direct observation of nature & having factual data before theorizing
• In 13^th century A.D., his metaphysics came to dominate Christian theology