Golden Age of Pericles

Golden Age of Pericles

9/13/2008

Plato Ethical Realist Ethical Objectivist Ethical Absolutist

Pericles (Περικλῆς) c. 495 – 429 B.C.E.

Pericles

Golden Age of Pericles

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Ancient Athens

The Acropolis with Parthenon

Parthenon

Parthenon

Detail of Parthenon

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Statue of Athena in Parthenon

Statue of Athena in Parthenon

Theatre in Athens

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Theatre in Athens

Theatre in Athens

Pericles

The Peloponnesian War The Peloponnesian War

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Sophist

―Sophist‖ means ―wise one‖!

Sophist

Or ―wise guy‖!

There are no schools, no universities yet!

People of Athens

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So the wealthy hire us Sophists as tutors for their sons.

We teach them mathematics, law, rhetoric, logic, and politics.

Man is the measure of all Things.

Protagoras (Πρωταγόρας) c. 490 - c. 420 BCE

Of the things that are, that they are.

Of the things that are not, that they are not.

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Do I mean ―Mankind‖ or ―each individual man‖ is the measure of all things?

You be the measure!

I’ve got three things to say.

Gorgias (Γοργίας) 483-375 B.C.E.

First, nothing exists!

Second, even if something did exist, you couldn’t know it!

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Third, even if you could know that something exists, no one would believe you!

So there!

We sophists have been all over the known world, and we see that everything is relative!

For instance, we cremate the dead in Athens, but the Callatians eat their dead!

So, you see, it’s all relative!

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Socrates (Σωκράτης ) c. 470 – 399 B.C.E.

Socrates

Socrates

I don’t know anything.

Mars Hill

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I just ask very important people . . .

. . . very embarrassing questions . . .

. . . that make them very angry!

Like, what is Man?

Like, what is Beauty?

Like, what is Truth?

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Like, what is Justice?

When people try to answer my...

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