How have Ancient Greek Philosophers Influenced Patterns of Thinking and Exploration in the Dominant Systems of Organization in Canada and the USA?

The first Philosophers

600 BCE

The first Greek Philosophers created their ideas in the Greek cities of Iona. The Philosophy that comes from this time is mainly categorized as "Pre-Socrates". All of the foundational concepts these Philosophers have been extremely developed over time. They are used day-to-day in Western society, through our understanding of math, science, logic, ethics, rhetorics, aesthetics, etc.

Socrates

470 BCE

Socrates' ideas formed between 470-399 BC. He developed what we call today "The Socrates Method". His method was to interrogate people and ask questions that are hard to answer. He would challenge their answers until they agreed on a better answer to the question. Socrates openly admitted he was an arrogant man (which was uncommon at the time) and essentially forced people to think critically. He was put to death for "charges of impiety and corruption of the youth" in his home city of Athens.

Plato

428 BCE

Plato, the student of Socrates, also developed key ideas in today's society from 428-348 BC. One of these ideas was that he believed in a spherical Earth, believing it was the center of the universe (we now know that it is not). He also developed the theory of vision following three streams of light. Lastly, he had many philosophical beliefs about the "Good" and the sun having correlations. His theories are used today in Western Society in math/science and morals.

Aristotle

384 BCE

Aristotle, who was a student of Plato, was the last of the "Big Three" Philosophers and is considered the first "genuine" scientist. He developed his ideas between 384-322 BC. He was the author of a philosophical and scientific system which became the framework for future philosophers. Aristotelian thinking is still prominent in Western society, despite there being different philosophies developed after him. He also invented formal logic, the study of the structure and validity of arguments.

The Roman Empire

8

Byzantine, which is also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, preserved Ancient Greek Philosophy from BC. They continued to study Greek philosophical traditions, especially throughout the 8th-15th Century (AD or CE).

The Fourth Crusade

1202

The Fourth Crusade was originally an effort by Pope Innocent III to retake Jerusalem from Muslim Overlords. However, the target ended up becoming Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire (aka the Greatest Christain city in the world). The Western Society was directly involved, participating to (originally) retake Jerusalem, and eventually weaken the Byzantine Empire.

Western World Discovering Greek Philosophy

1500

The Byzantine Empire was severely weakened by the Fourth Crusade and eventually collapsed in the 15th Century. Throughout the fall, contact between scholars and the Western world heightened. They worked to translate the texts from Arabic to Latin and finished near the end of the 14th Century.

The Age of Enlightenment

1685

The Age of Enlightenment (the Renaissance) was A European intellectual movement beginning in the late 1600s and ending in the 18th century. Some of the topics that were philosophized were God, reason, nature, and humanity. Ancient Greek Philosophy was a huge factor in this Englightenment, and the European people pulled a lot of foundational thinking from Greek Philosophy. As European countries moved to North America, they brought this knowledge, and we continue to use it today.

Foundation of America

1776

The United States of America was founded in 1776, and all of the Ancient Greek Philosophy about Math, Science, and the way of life came to America along with the Europeans. The foundations that Ancient Greek Philosophy created are used every day in American culture.

The Foundation of Canada

1867

Canada was founded in 1867, which officially brought the culture of Ancient Greek Philosophy over to the Western world.

Socrates Method in Canada and the USA

1900

In the early 1900s, the Socrates Method became popular in Western education systems as the emphasis on critical thinking was implemented. John Dewey (1859-1952), an American philosopher, recognized the value of the Socrates Method and was one of the main reasons it became widespread in American education.

Western Society Today

2025

Ancient Greek Philosophy shaped the foundations of Western culture by helping us understand the world around us, math, physics, ethics, politics, and related topics. Philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle have influenced daily life in the Western world, and much of our culture comes from their discoveries and texts. For example, the Socrates Method is used daily in critical thinking in the dominant systems of Canada and the USA.