The Origin of Philosophy - Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person

Summary

In this edition of Filo Notes' daily whiteboard, the origin of Western philosophy is explored, highlighting the role of wonder as the starting point for philosophical inquiry. Socrates and Aristotle are cited as emphasizing the importance of wonder leading to the pursuit of knowledge. Thales of Miletus is recognized as the first philosopher in the Western world, with his writings marking the beginning of recorded philosophical thought. The video promises further exploration of Western philosophy's development in upcoming editions.

Takeaways

• 🎓 The video discusses the origins of philosophy, focusing on Western philosophy and its beginning with a sense of wonder.
• 🤔 Socrates and Plato emphasize that philosophy begins with a feeling of wonder, which includes curiosity and admiration.
• 🧐 Aristotle adds that philosophy starts with wonder due to perplexity, leading to a quest for understanding the unknown.
• 🌍 The script mentions that the origin of philosophy is not limited to Western thought, acknowledging Eastern and Asian philosophies for future discussion.
• 📚 Western philosophy is believed to have started in Miletus, Ionia, with Thales being recognized as the first philosopher in the Western world.
• 🏛 Ionia was a center of scholarship in ancient Greece, and its decline led to the intellectual life moving to Croton in southern Italy.
• 📜 Thales is considered the first philosopher due to being the first to put his philosophy into writing, distinguishing Greek philosophy from other cultures.
• 📚 The script suggests that while we cannot pinpoint the exact first person to philosophize, Thales is recognized for his written contributions.
• 🌐 It acknowledges the influence of Egyptian, Babylonian, Indian, and Chinese cultures on early Greek philosophers.
• 📈 The video promises to cover the development of Western philosophy from pre-Socratic to modern periods in future editions.
• 📝 The video concludes by inviting viewers to subscribe for updates on the daily whiteboard series and to visit the website for a full transcript.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the 'daily whiteboard' series discussed in the script?

The main topic of the 'daily whiteboard' series is the introduction of the philosophy of the human person, with a focus on the origin and development of Western philosophy.

Why does the script mention that philosophy begins in wonder according to Socrates and Aristotle?

The script mentions that philosophy begins in wonder because it is the feeling of being perplexed and curious about the world that prompts individuals to seek clarity and understanding, which is the essence of philosophical inquiry.

What does the script suggest about the nature of philosophic wonder?

The script suggests that philosophic wonder is not merely about being amazed by the world's mysteriousness but actively seeking to understand and make sense of it.

Why is Thales considered the first philosopher in the Western world according to the script?

Thales is considered the first philosopher in the Western world because he was the first to put his philosophy into writing, distinguishing his work from the pre-philosophical rumblings of other cultures.

What is the significance of Miletus in the origin of Western philosophy as discussed in the script?

Miletus is significant because it is the place where Thales, the first philosopher in the Western world, was from. It was also the first center of scholarship in ancient Greece and a hub of intellectual life.

What historical event is mentioned in the script that impacted the intellectual life of Greece?

The script mentions the conquest of Ionia by the Persians in 546 BCE as a historical event that impacted the intellectual life of Greece, leading to a shift in the center of learning to Croton in southern Italy.

Who is Pythagoras and what is his connection to the script's discussion on philosophy?

Pythagoras is a significant figure in the history of philosophy, known for founding the Pythagorean Brotherhood in Croton after emigrating from Samos. His work is part of the early developments in Western philosophy discussed in the script.

How does the script address the possibility of pre-philosophical thought in other cultures?

The script acknowledges that there were great thinkers and pre-philosophical rumblings in Egyptian, Babylonian, Indian, and Chinese cultures, and that early Greek philosophers may have been influenced by these.

What is the script's stance on the absolute origin of philosophy?

The script suggests that it is not possible to absolutely determine the first person who wondered or philosophized, indicating that the origin of philosophy is complex and multifaceted.

What can viewers expect in the future editions of the 'daily whiteboard' series as hinted in the script?

Viewers can expect future editions of the 'daily whiteboard' series to discuss the development of Western philosophy from the pre-Socratic period to the modern era.

Outlines

00:00

📚 The Origin of Philosophy and its Beginnings

This paragraph introduces the theme of the video, which is the origin of philosophy, specifically Western philosophy. It acknowledges the omission of Eastern philosophy from this edition but promises to cover it in future episodes. The script discusses the idea that philosophy begins with a sense of wonder, as reported by Plato about Socrates and further developed by Aristotle. It explains that this wonder is not mere curiosity but a deep perplexity that seeks clarity, as exemplified by the ancient Greek philosophers' quest to understand the world's origin and nature. The paragraph suggests that Western philosophy might have originated in Miletus, with Thales being considered the first philosopher, due to the city's prominence and the movement of intellectual life to other regions like Croton in southern Italy.

05:02

🌏 The Development of Western Philosophy and its Cultural Context

The second paragraph delves into the development of Western philosophy, emphasizing its distinction from other cultures' pre-philosophical thoughts by its reasoned arguments for the world's origin. It highlights the unique feature of ancient Greek philosophy—writing down philosophical ideas, which is attributed to Thales and subsequent philosophers. The paragraph also touches upon the influence of Egyptian and Babylonian cultures on early Greek philosophers and acknowledges the difficulty in pinpointing the very first philosopher. It concludes by reiterating the starting point of Western philosophy in Miletus or Ionia and provides information on where to find a full transcript of the video, inviting viewers to subscribe for updates on future editions.

Keywords

💡Philosophy

Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. In the context of the video, it is the pursuit of understanding the world and life's mysteries, beginning with a sense of wonder. The script discusses the origins of philosophy, particularly Western philosophy, and how it began with the ancient Greek philosophers' quest to make sense of the world.

💡Wonder

In the script, 'wonder' is described as the beginning of philosophy, a feeling of being amazed and perplexed that leads to a desire to understand the world. It is not mere curiosity but a deeper sense of perplexity that propels one into philosophical inquiry, as illustrated by the ancient Greek philosophers' initial engagement with philosophical questions.

💡Socrates

Socrates is an ancient Greek philosopher known for his contribution to the field of ethics and his Socratic method of questioning. The script references Socrates as Plato reports, indicating that he believed wonder to be the starting point of philosophy, setting the stage for further philosophical exploration.

💡Aristotle

Aristotle, a student of Plato and a prominent figure in Western philosophy, is mentioned in the script as he built upon the idea that philosophy begins in wonder. He emphasized that it was this sense of wonder that led people to start philosophizing, which is central to the video's discussion on the origins of philosophy.

💡Pre-Socratic Philosophers

The Pre-Socratic philosophers were early Greek thinkers who lived before the time of Socrates. The script refers to them as those who were perplexed about the origin and nature of the world, which led them to philosophy in search of clarity and understanding, highlighting their role in the development of philosophical thought.

💡Perplexity

Perplexity, as discussed in the script, is the state of being puzzled or bewildered, which is a driving force behind philosophical inquiry. It is the feeling of being lost in thought that leads to the pursuit of knowledge and understanding, a key aspect of the philosophical journey.

💡Thales

Thales of Miletus is considered one of the first philosophers in Western history. The script mentions him as an example of a philosopher who began to write down his philosophical ideas, distinguishing ancient Greek philosophy from earlier cultural rumblings and marking the beginning of recorded philosophical thought.

💡Miletus

Miletus is an ancient Greek city-state in Ionia, now part of modern-day Turkey. The script identifies it as the place where Western philosophy is said to have originated, with Thales being from Miletus and contributing to the early development of philosophical thought.

💡Ionia

Ionia, as mentioned in the script, was a region in ancient Greece known for its intellectual and cultural contributions. It was the birthplace of Thales and the first center of scholarship in ancient Greece, playing a significant role in the early stages of Western philosophy.

💡Croton

Croton is an ancient Greek city-state in southern Italy, significant for the script as the location where Pythagoras founded the Pythagorean Brotherhood after the decline of Ionia. It represents the movement of intellectual life in ancient Greece and the spread of philosophical ideas.

💡Pythagoras

Pythagoras was an ancient Greek philosopher and the founder of the Pythagorean Brotherhood. The script refers to him as having emigrated to Croton, where he continued the philosophical tradition, indicating the spread and development of philosophical thought beyond its origins in Ionia.

Highlights

Introduction of the philosophy of the human person in the second edition of the daily whiteboard.

Exclusion of Eastern or Asian philosophy from this edition, with plans to discuss it in future editions.

Socrates and Plato's view that wonder is the beginning of philosophy.

Aristotle's assertion that philosophy begins with a sense of wonder, particularly in response to pre-Socratic philosophers.

The concept of philosophic wonder as a feeling of perplexity, not just curiosity or admiration.

Ancient Greek philosophers' perplexity about the origin and nature of the world leading them to philosophy.

Philosophy as a pursuit to escape ignorance and seek clarity on perplexing issues.

The idea that philosophic wonder seeks to understand and make sense of the world's mysteries.

The origin of Western philosophy being attributed to Thales of Miletus, the first philosopher in the Western world.

Miletus as a center of scholarship in ancient Greece during the time of Thales.

The intellectual shift of Greek philosophy to Croton in southern Italy after the decline of Ionia.

Pythagoras' emigration to Croton and the founding of the Pythagorean Brotherhood.

The difficulty in pinpointing the exact origin of philosophy and the first philosopher due to pre-philosophical rumblings in various cultures.

Thales being recognized as the first philosopher in recorded history for putting his philosophy into writing.

The unique feature of ancient Greek philosophy that includes reasoned arguments for the origin and development of the world.

The acknowledgment of the influence of Egyptian and Babylonian thoughts on early Greek philosophers.

The upcoming discussion of the development of Western philosophy from pre-Socratic to the modern period in future editions.

Invitation to subscribe for updates on daily whiteboard editions and access to the full transcript on filo notes com.

Transcripts

hello Fiona its friends welcome back for

another edition of our daily whiteboard

this is our second edition about the

introduction of the philosophy of the

human person and for more editions of

our daily whiteboard here at filo notes

simply click here and subscribe in

today's edition I will discuss very

briefly the origin of philosophy

particularly Western philosophy for some

reason I will not include here the

discussion on the origin and development

of Eastern or Asian philosophy this will

be discussed in our other editions

according to Socrates as Plato reports

wonder is the only beginning of

philosophy then later Aristotle in

response to his predecessors especially

the Union philosophers said that it is

owing to their wonder that men both now

begin and at first begun to philosophize

this is precisely the context and basis

of the now famous claim that philosophy

begins in wonder but what kind of wonder

is this for sure wonder includes the

feeling of surprise

coupled with admiration that is when one

is being curious or being in all but

this is not enough wonder as the

beginning of philosophy is precisely

philosophic wonder that is the feeling

of being perplexed for example the

ancient Greek philosophers were

perplexed about the origin and nature of

the world

as Aristotle writes four men were first

led to study philosophy as indeed they

are today by wonder now he who is

perplexed and wanders believes himself

to be ignorant they took to philosophy

to escape ignorant in this sense

philosophic wander seeks clarity by

trying to understand the perplexities or

vagueness or confusion that shrouded the

enquiring mind

in other words philosophic wander seeks

answers to or at least make sense of the

mysterious world thus when one begins to

make sense of the questions regarding

for example the origin of the world or

the meaning and purpose of life one

begins to philosophize thus in

philosophic wonder one is not merely

amazed by the mysteriousness of the

world or of life but seeks to understand

this mystery in a word one thinks given

this brief discussion on the origin of

philosophy and the conceptual level it

is therefore reasonable to suppose that

Western philosophy originated in

militants because Thiel is the acclaimed

the first philosopher in the Western

world was from Miletus mellitus during

the time of Thales was the richest and

the most powerful of all the Union

cities and was the first center of

scholarship in ancient Greece Ionia was

a Greek city-state on the coast of Asia

mean or now called

Turkey

it is worth noting that with a decline

of Ionia which began with its conquest

by the persons in 546 BCE the

intellectual life of Greece moved to

Croton in southern Italy in 530 BCE

Croton was a splendid and powerful

city-state of Greece to where Pythagoras

emigrated from Samos and founded the

Pythagorean Brotherhood

now if philosophy begins in wonder how

do we exactly know that tellus was the

first philosopher that he was the first

one to wonder that is the first one to

attempt to make sense of the

mysteriousness of the world in fact we

cannot deny the occurrence of other pre

philosophical rumblings in Egyptian and

Babylonian cultures as well as in India

and in China and for sure there were

great thinkers that existed in each of

these cultures and there are evidence

that some of the earliest Greek

philosophers had come in contact with at

least some of the products of Egyptian

and Babylonian thoughts and of course we

cannot absolutely determine the first

person who wondered or philosophized

well to address this question it is

commonly believed that felis was the

first philosopher because he was the

first at least in recorded history to

put his philosophy into writing in fact

we find in Thais and many philosophers

after him some reasoned arguments for

the origin and development of the world

indeed this is a unique feature of

ancient Greek philosophy that

distinguishes it from the pre

philosophical rumblings of other

cultures and so to reiterate Western

philosophy begins in wonder and that the

origin of philosophy in terms of place

is said to be in millet or Ionia alright

that's it for today and for a full

transcript of this video kindly visit

our website at filo notes com now in the

succeeding editions I will discuss the

development of Western philosophy from

the pre-socratic to the modern period

and to keep you updated of our daily

whiteboard editions here at filo notes

simply click here and subscribe until

then thanks take care