Ancient Greece: Philosophy and Mythology
The Pre-Socratics were a group of early Greek philosophers who lived from the 6th to the 5th century BCE. They are known as the 'Pre-Socratics' because they lived before Socrates, who is often considered to be the first major philosopher in the Western tradition. The Pre-Socratics were interested in understanding the natural world and the universe, and they used reason and observation to develop their philosophical ideas.
One of the most important Pre-Socratic philosophers was Thales of Miletus. Thales believed that the fundamental substance of the universe was water, and that everything in the world could be explained in terms of water.
Another significant Pre-Socratic was Pythagoras, who is known for developing the Pythagorean theorem in mathematics. Pythagoras also believed in the idea of the transmigration of souls, which is the idea that the soul is immortal and can move from one body to another after death.
The Pre-Socratics were also interested in metaphysics, which is the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature of reality. Parmenides, for example, believed that reality was unchanging and eternal, and that the world of appearances was an illusion. Heraclitus, on the other hand, believed that reality was constantly changing and that everything was in a state of flux.
The ideas of the Pre-Socratics were influential in the development of Western philosophy, and their emphasis on reason and observation helped to lay the foundations for the scientific method.
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