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Ryker Olsen

Professor Israelsen

Philosophy

9/23/2016

Paper #1

Ancient Greece saw many great and famous philosophers. These philosophers had many

opinions on various topics. Whether it be Parmenides who thinks all is an illusion (Parmenides

of Elea), Xenophanes monotheism and knowledge (Xenophanes), Socrates obnoxious

questioning of everyone he talked to in order to prove that they know nothing just like him

(Euthyphro), or Platos theory of forms in which ideas are eternal (Soccio, 134-136), the

philosophers of ancient Greece were very abstract thinkers with opinions to share and people to

teach. Despite the differences in these philosophers, they were all attempting to provide rational

explanations of reality, and its connection to divinity and goodness.

Xenophanes was a wandering poet who sought knowledge of the world through thought

and observation. He had many beliefs that people of the time would have disagreed with, but he

held strong to them. He believed there is only one god, people make gods in their image, and

knowledge is powerful, especially when it comes to ruling over people (Xenophanes).

Xenophanes had a pupil named Parmenides. Parmenides did not adopt Xenophanes

teachings, but did spend a great deal of time trying to answer questions related to Xenophanes

views. Parmenides specifically concerned himself with the mystery surrounding what is.

Parmenides believed that in order to have genuine knowledge, it must be about what is because
what is not is unthinkable. He believes that what is can not undergo any qualitative change

(Parmenides of Elea).

Socrates was a philosopher who wrote no philosophy. He devoted his life to getting to

the bottom of things through questioning. Socrates believed that he knew nothing, and because

of this, he would question people in order to prove that they know nothing as well. Socrates

made many enemies throughout his life as a philosopher due to his questioning, and even ended

up in on trial for it. Although Socrates made a detailed defense at the trial (fount in his Apology)

in order to prove that the claims against him were just slander, he was put to death (Soccio, 117-

119).

Plato was a pupil of Socrates. Plato was concerned with the fact that the uneducated

have a say in a democracy (the form of government that put Socrates to death). Plato believed

that the wise should rule, and even created a school dedicated to educating wise rulers. Plato

created a theory, the theory of forms, in which ideas are eternal, not only are they more eternal

than their physical forms, but they can even exist independent of their physical forms. An

example of this would be, a tree would always exist even if all trees physically disappeared,

because the idea of a tree would still exist (Soccio, 155, 156). In Platos allegory of the cave,

there are many people in a cave, chained so they can not leave. These people are in a state of

becoming where they are imprisoned in a shadowy world of imagination and illusion. The

becoming people have a chance to reach enlightenment where they become wise (getting out

of the cave). If one of these people should get free, and out of the cave, the wise person then has

an obligation to return to the cave and help the others reach enlightenment. This allegory is very

similar to Socrates life story, and demonstrates Platos devotion to Socrates as his pupil (Soccio,

143).
Plato had many things in common with Xenophanes. Both Xenophanes and Plato

believed that knowledge was possible through seeking, and reason. Xenophanes had strong

views on knowledge being necessary for rule. Xenophanes stated, Small is the delight that

would come to a city if someone wins a contest by the banks of the Pisa, for this does not fatten

the coffers of a city meaning his knowledge is more powerful than athleticism (Xenophanes).

This fact is similar to Platos views on knowledge because he believed (like Xenophanes) that

the wise should rule. Plato strictly believed that democracy is a faulty form of government that

appeals more to emotion rather than reason. He believed that the average person was too

uneducated and untrained to make the important decisions needed in the government. Plato was

disturbed by the fact that the lazy and not well informed have a say in what the government does

(Soccio, 129).

Parmenides had many things in common with Xenophanes. Parmenides (like

Xenophanes) believed in the pursuit of knowledge, and that knowledge is powerful. Parmenides

is thought to have asked questions like why does the world appear as it does? Parmenides

believed that nothing came into existence, or left existence. He believed that if something does

not exist, then it can not be investigated (Parmenides of Elea, 61). Xenophanes believed that

there is only one God, and he is one God, greatest among gods and men, not at all like to

mortals in body nor in thought. All of him sees, all things, all hears. But without any toil he

shakes all things by the thought of his mind. He remains ever in the same place moving not at

all, nor is it appropriate for him to flit now here, now there (Xenophanes) this idea is also

strikingly reminiscent to Platos theory of ideas, and Parmenides idea that all things never came

to be, nor perished, in the sense that all three of these theories bear a similarity to the idea of

eternity or ultimate reality.


Parmenides believed that in order to be, something must have already been, or in

existence. This theory might have challenged the views of other Greeks at the time because of

their beliefs in multiple gods that can change or create things if they want. Parmenides stated,

For if it came to be, it is not, not even if it is something going to be. Thus coming-to-be has

been extinguished and perishing cannot be investigated, this theory is also similar to that of

Platos theory of forms (Parmenides of Elea, 61). Plato believed that ideas are eternal, and are

not limited to a physical form. Something (ideas) being eternal, and something that never came

to be, or perished are very similar.

Xenophanes and Parmenides were united in their views that mortal opinion was full of

falsehood, in contrast to divine knowledge. Socrates developed this theme through emphasizing

his own ignorance and seeking endlessly to uncover truth through questioning. This seems to be

the opposite of what Parmenides believed. Parmenides believed that everything that is has and

always will be in existence. Socrates also probably would have never agreed with these views.

This statement implies that Parmenides is rather sure of himself that everything that is, always

has and will be, and would be against Socrates claim that he knows nothing.

Xenophanes thoughts of an ultimate reality could have been his idea of a single god or

monotheism. He clearly believed that gods do not take the form of humans, and that there is

only one, single omnipotent and omnipresent god. He stated, Africans say their gods are snub-

nosed and black, Thracians blue-eyed and red-haired which clearly contradicts the beliefs of

most of Greece and polytheism. Socrates stated, But, so as not to appear at a loss, they mention

those accusations that are available against all philosophers, about things in the sky and things

below the earth, about not believing in the gods and making the worse the stronger

argument clearly taking a defensive stance on the claims. Socrates (despite the claims of those
prosecuting him) never stated that he did not believe in the gods. He even refutes their claims

throughout his Apology. Socrates believed that his prosecutors claims were stereotypical claims

used against philosophers, and that they did not apply to him. Socrates likely also believed in

morality and goodness. Socrates stated, That, men of Athens, is the truth for you. I have

hidden or disguised nothing. I know well enough hat this very conduct makes me unpopular, and

this is proof that what I say is true, that such is the slander against me, and that such are its

causes (Apology, 28) almost implying that the slander his accusers make against him should be

against their own sense of morality or goodness. He says that he is telling the truth, that he has

not hidden anything from them and that the claims against him are slanderous and false. It

seemed to me while reading his Apology that he was almost trying to shame his prosecutors for

claiming such obvious lies. This further proves Platos beliefs that democracy (a government in

which uneducated people have a say) is a bad form of government. The fact that Socrates is in

court because of false claims and is actually put to death due to those claims even further proves

Platos point that a democracy can be ineffective and corrupt.

Like Socrates, Plato believed in morality or goodness. Socrates showed Plato first-hand

what happens when people get detached from morality and wisdom. Socrates of course showed

Plato this by dying at the hands of such people. Plato spent a good portion of his life teaching

his students and introducing discipline into their character (Soccio, 130,131). Plato ended up

coming up with a solution for ultimate reality that contradicted that of Parmenides (monism).

Plato suggested that perhaps the world consists of two realities (dualism), one that constantly

changes, and another that is forever changeless. Plato believed that a world based on the concept

of a monism would be a realm of opinion, not knowledge (Soccio, 132). This idea is
essentially Platos theory of forms. If his dualism would consist of a world based on knowledge,

then his theory of forms would make sense in that world.


Works Cited

Euthyphro

Parmenides of Elea

Soccio, Douglas J. Archetypes of Wisdom An Introduction to Philosophy. 9th ed. N.p.:

Wadsworth Pub, 2015. Print.

The Apology

Xenophanes

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