From Ancient Philosophy to Modern Philosophy: What Went Wrong?

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He also dared an answer to the most puzzling question for the Greeks: What did the Earth rest on and why does not fall? He said that the Earth did not rest on anything and did not fall because he was at the center of a spherical universe, equidistant from all its points. It is an astounding achievement for that time to hint some sort of spherical form in the Universe or on the Earth (he thought that the earth is a cylinder like a drum). Also through observation of the fossilized shells in inland territories he was able to support his theory, not too distinct from the theory of evolution, that the first living creatures were fishlike from whom all land-animals and humans evolved. To be able to reach to that conclusion at that moment in history is, again, outstanding.

He certainly dared to know, and worked tirelessly to search for the truth without considering his limitations to reach it. His faith in reason and thirst for knowledge took him to an exciting journey of discovery from whom all of us have benefited from and was rewarded by being considered “one of the greatest minds that ever lived”[5]

On the other hand, the results of the efforts of modern philosophy to search certainty has led them away of the big questions such as “what is the being? “What is the origin of the world?” and focus their attention on linguistic problems, like “what is the meaning of meaning?”

Whilst not diminishing the benefits of such an approach on a vital branch of philosophy such as epistemology, perhaps a more balanced approach where the big questions are not completely forgotten would allow to keep alive the inheritance received from the ancient philosophers and we would be benefit from their approach to knowledge.

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References

- Aristotle, Methaphysics, Book I, Part 2, Translated by W.D. Ross, URL= http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/metaphysics.1.i.html [last accessed 24/11/2015]

- Copleston, Frederick, S.J., A History of Philosophy: Volume I Greece & Rome Part I, Image Books, 9th printing, New York, February 1962.

- Couprie, Dirk L., on “Anaximander” at the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, A Peer-Reviewed Academic Resource”, The Netherlands, URL= http://www.iep.utm.edu/anaximan/ [last accesed on the 12/12/2015]

- Freeman, Katheleen, The Pre-Socratic Philosophers, A companion to Diels, Fragmente der Vorsukratiker, Cambridge, Ma. : Harvard University Press, 1966

- Johannus Paulus II, Encyclical letter, “Fides et Ratio”, Vatican City, Rome, 14th of September 1998, http://w2.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_14091998_fides-et-ratio.html [last accessed 10/12/2015)

WORK BEHIND THE ESSAY:

17th October: Thinking about the topic of the essay: 1h 30

20th October: 1h 30’ reading

23rd October: 2 h reading

27th October: 1 h reading

30th October: Thinking about the topic of the essay: 1 h

11th November: 2 h reading

17th November: 2 h reading

23rd November: Start drafting the essay (2 h 30 minutes)

25th November: Drafting the essay (2 h)

27th November: Reading what I had written so far (1h 30)

4th December: Drafting essay (2h 30)

5th December: Drafting/ checking what I had written so far/ redraft (2h 30)

11th December: Checking final draft/ Make some amendments (2 h)

14th December: Final check and printing (30’)

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