the human ability to think. The result bore some similarities to Chinese Confuci

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the human ability to think. The result bore some similarities to Chinese Confucianism, although with greater emphasis on skeptical questioning and abstract speculations about the basic nature of humanity and the universe. Greek interest in rationality carried over an inquiry into the underlying order of physi- cal nature. The Greeks Read the Document: were not outstanding empirical scientists. Socrates' Apology Reported by Plato, c. 390 ?.?.?. on MyHistoryLab.com Relatively few new sci- entific findings ema nated from Athens, or later from Rome, although philosophers such as Aristotle did collect large amounts of biologi- Depicting Greek soldiers his piece dates from 6th-century Athens. cal data. The Greek interest lay in speculations about nature's order, and many non-Westerners believe that this tradition continues to inform what they see as an excessive Western passion for seeking basic rationality in the universe. In practice, the Greek concern translated into a host of theories, some of which were wrong about the motions of the planets and the organi zation of the elemental principles of earth, fire, air, and water, and into a considerable interest in mathematics as a means of rendering nature's patterns comprehensible. Greek and later Hel- The idea of a philosophy separate from the although not necessarily hostile cial religion, t0 theory, w t informed classical Mediterranean political hich made little reference to religious onsiderably emphasized the s, Socrates encouraged his pupils to ntional wisdom, on the grounds n duty was "the improvement s ran afoul of the Athenian overnment, which thought that he was un- nrinciples. It also c owers of human thought. In Athens, born in 469 B.C.E.) of t hat the chief huma of the soul." Socrate geometry was particularly im ermining political loyalty; given the choice of lenistic work in s chose the former. How- art, the Socratic principle of rational inquiry by pressive, featuring among other achievements the basic theorems of Pythagoras. Scientists dur- nans of skeptical questioning became a recur- ing the Hellenistic period made some important world, for many cen- nt strand in classical Greek thinking and in its empirical contributions, especially in studies of Galen were not im anatomy; medical treatises by itage to later societies. Socrates' great pupil Pato accentuated the positive somewhat more proved on , in the Western ting that human reason could turies. The mathematician Euclid produced what was long the world's most widely used compen- proach an understanding of the three perfect ms-the absolutely True, Good, and Beauti- al-which he believed characterized nature hus, a philosophical tradition arose in Greece, dium of geometry. Less fortunately, the Hellenis tic astronomer Ptolemy produced an elaborate theory of the sun's motion around a stationary earth. This new Hellenistic theory contradicted much earlier Middle Eastern astronomy, which had recognized the earth's rotation; nonetheless, ithough in tend n spirit very diverse individual expressions, ed to deemphasize the importance of tuality in favor of a celebration of

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Socrates’ role in Athens was that of a teacher, whose duty was to equip his pupils with the ability to reason beyond conventional wisdom and motivate them to follow the path of improving their souls.

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