Outline on Socrates’ background (469-399 BC)

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A. Intellectual Background

1. Traditional "Explanations": Supernatural

2. The Pre-Socratics: Attempts at natural explanations- ex. are

a) Thales: water

b) Anaximenes: air

c) Heraclitus: fire

d) Anaxagoras: all equally basic

e) Anaximander: an unknown 5th element underlies all else

f) Pythagoras: everything is really #’s

3. Assessment of the Pre-Socratics: now, Socrates’s response (which is ours), the popular response

4. The Sophists: Their views, Socrates’s response (which is ours), the popular response

B. Cultural & Political Background

1. Athens, the oldest democracy (508 BC)

2. Pride & traditional values: Honor, nobility, piety, respect for elders, moderation, courage, justice, loyalty

3. Tradition is the guide, poets & politicians are the authorities: the sources of wisdom

C. The Great War w/ Sparta (Peloponnesian War): 431- 404 BC

1. Disaster & political upheaval

2. Revolt of "The Four Hundred" in 411; return of "The Thirty Tyrants" in 404

D. A Crisis in Values

1. 3 different responses

2. failure of religion to reinforce the values