Name ________________________________________________ Date _______________________ Period _______
Philosophy # 5
2 pages!!!
Chain of Philosophers: Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, continued
Plato
Just about everything we know about Socrates was written down by his student Plato. Like his teacher, Plato believed in
the idea of a philosopher-king to lead the polis. He wrote about how to make a perfect society run by a philosopher-king
in his book The Republic.
It has been very hard for historians and philosophers to know where Socrates’ ideas ended and where Plato’s began.
Plato was not only the recorder of Socrates’ ideas, he was a superb write and teacher, too.
Aristotle
Aristotle was Plato’s star student, whose influence is felt from poetry to politics, from the soul to dreams. He made a
tremendous impact on science and edcaton by creating a way to classify things. His scientific method lasted until the
A.C.E. 1600s.
Aristotle taught at an outdoor gymnasium in Athens, after working out with his students. His star student was young
Prince Alexander of Macedonia (Alexander the Great), who later conquered many lands.
Aristotle was Wrong!!
No one is perfect, including Aristotle. The great thinker once wrote a paper called “In Defense of Slavery.” in it, he
expresses the opinion that some people are born to rule, and others are born to be slaves!
This may have bee a comfortable idea for Aristotle, who was a free man. But don’t you think he would have felt
differently if he were a galley slave, chained to the belly ofa ship, or a household slave, at the mercy of his master’s every
command?
1. Who was Aristotle’s teacher? ______________________________________________________________________
2.What did Aristotle make an impact on? ________________________________________________________________
3. Who was Aristotle’s star student?____________________________________________________________________
4. Who did Plato think should lead the polis? _____________________________________________________________
5. Who recorded Socrates’ ideas? ______________________________________________________________________
6. What book did Plato write? _________________________________________________________________________
7. What opinion did Aristotle express in his paper “In Defense of Slavery?” _____________________________________
8. Would Aristotle have thought differently if he had been a slave? Explain your answer. __________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Homework #14
Name ________________________________________________ Date _______________________ Period _______
The Lost City of Atlantis
Plato wrote about a land called Atlantis. Supposedly, this rich city suddenly sank beneath the sea and was lost.
Unfortunately for us, some of Plato’s writings about Atlantis are gone, so people are still wondering if Atlantis ever really
existed! Some scientists believe they may have found this lost place – a small Greek island that was destroyed by a
volcano or an earthquake long ago. What do you think? Did Plato make it all up? Or, does Atlantis still lie somewhere
under the Aegean Sea, waiting to be rediscovered?
P.S. The Atlantic Ocean is named from the legend of Atlantis.
9. What supposedly happened to Atlantis? ______________________________________________________________
10. Do we really know if Atlantis existed?________________________________________________________________
11. Where do some scientists believe it may located? ______________________________________________________
12. What is the Atlantic Ocean named for? ______________________________________________________________
Plato’s Ideal Polis
Using math inspired by Pythagoras, Plato worked out a specific number for the ideal population of a polis!
To find the exact number of people in the perfect polis, Plato multiplied:
1x2x3x4x5x6x7
13. Why do you think Plato set up his polis this way? ________________________________________________
14. Try to solve the math problem – without a calculator! Show your work!
your answer
Homework #14