How Did Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle Influence the Development of the Western Civilization?

How did Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle influence the development of Western Civilization?

SOCRATES 469-399 B.C.E.

     In ancient Greek culture there was a man who was very well known as an influential thinker, his name was Socrates.  During his time he was considered a very smart, but very eccentric man.  He coined many new philosophies all the while looking and acting very different from the usual thinkers of his time.  He always wore cheap clothing, was usually barefoot, and never worried much about his appearance. This was not a common characteristic of philosophers of his time.  He never taught for money, but he made his teaching known just by inserting his opinion in mere conversation.  I find that very impressive that a man can become one of the most well known teachers of philosophy and he did not even charge for his teachings.  Socrates was most greatly known for his teachings on ethics.  He believed that if each individual focused on being morally right they would be happy.  He also believed there was no need for material possessions and they did not determine ones happiness.  I do not agree with every aspect of his teachings, but I do agree that people do not need material possessions to be happy.  I have often noticed some of the happiest people have very little and some of the unhappiest people have more than they know what to do with.  Of course this is not true in every case, but this is a general conclusion I have come to realize.  For Socrates all was centered on moral and ethical teachings.  Those who copied his teaching style were called Sophists and the way in which they presented their believes was known as the Socratic method.  Many knew him; some respected his philosophies while others were greatly offended by his teachings.  Tragically in 399 Socrates was convicted of not believing in the gods he was supposed to which resulted in his execution.

PLATO c. 429-348 B.C.E.

     Plato was one of Socrates greatest students and after Socrates was executed it was very hard on Plato.  He had such a difficult time dealing with it; he left his family and changed his occupation.  Plato became a philosopher and is now known as the most famous philosopher of the Western Civilization.  Plato developed a school dedicated to teaching philosophy, mathematics, and theoretical astronomy.  I was very impressed to learn the school set up by Plato remained for nine hundred years.  If you think about how many people one can influence in nine hundred years it is easy to see why Plato was so influential in the Western Civilization.  I also found it very respectable that Plato allowed men and women to study in his academy during a time where women were not thought of as equal to men.  I believe this shows how wise and truly above his times this great philosopher was.  He wrote a book containing his idea for “utopia” as well as created a few philosophical theories.  One very influential one was his theory of dualism.  Dualism is a believe “that humans posses immortal souls distinct from their bodies.”  I find it very interesting that he believed in the theory yet he lived in the times of Greek gods where Christianity was not a common religion.  Not to say his theory is based on Christianity, but his theory is very similar to the basic statement of most Christians.  Like Socrates Plato trained a very bright student who became very famous and well known in the Western Civilization, his name was Aristotle.    

ARISTOTLE 384-322 B.C.E. 

     Aristotle was known for not only becoming a well-known teacher and philosopher, but he was also a scientist.  Aristotle followed Plato’s footsteps by opening his very own school in Athens during the year 335 B.C.E.  He taught “biology, medicine, anatomy, psychology, meteorology, physics, chemistry, mathematics, music, metaphysics, rhetoric, political science, ethics, and literary criticism.”  He was also known for all of his writings and new philosophies all of these made him one of the most influential philosopher and scientist of the Western Civilization.  It is amazing to read the stories of Socrates and then of Plato and see how after each one influenced the other they each became wiser and more willing to share that wisdom with others.  Socrates started philosophy and spent his whole life teaching others, one of his students, Plato, spent his life doing the very same thing, and one of his students, Plato, again did the very same thing the result could be nothing other than greatness.  These men not only influenced each other and made each other better, but they influenced the Western Civilization and aided in making it a stronger, more educated place as well as instilling the want to learn in their students.  Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle were great, influential men of their time and even of today, but none of them would have been as great without the other.    

    Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle