Philosophical Views Are Still Relevant Today Essays - Philaidae

Philosophical Views Are Still Relevant Today Ancient Greek Philosophical Views Are Still Relevant Today As a strategy to defeat the invading Persians during the Persian War, the poleis (Greek city-states) of Greece united in order to form one large military force. Following the war, Greece decided to adhere to this idea of unity and form the Delian League in order to protect Greece from Persian domination. However, many of the poleis begin to resent the fact that the polis of Athens held a roll at the top of the League. This tension leads to a war between Athens and Sparta, known as the Peloponnesian War. As a result, writers such as Thucydides, Plato, and Aristotle developed their own views on the effects of the war. Evidence presented shows that the philosophers views are still relevant to todays world. Thucydides discusses his method of recording and understanding history. Thucydides admits that it is hard for him and those who reported to him to recollect the exact words from the speeches made before or after war. Because of this, he has to be able to select words that are proper for the occasion so he can adequately express what the speaker is trying to say, while endeavoring to convey the general meaning of what is actually said. He describes nothing unless he either saw it himself or learned from others, to whom he claims to have made the most careful and particular inquiries. Thucydides explains that the task of history is a laborious one, mainly because eyewitnesses of the same occurrences give different accounts. This could be because the witnesses each remembered the incident differently, or because the witnesses have an interest in one side of the issue or the other. Thucydides states that his history should be an everlasting possession, not a prize composition to be heard and forgotten. The present world should take heed to Thucydidess views about the war and cherish his and the publics history. To learn from historys mistakes, we must be open to understanding our society today. In todays world evidence is shown that societies are not in very good conditions, morally. Even in the Hellenistic world moral is down and changes occur among mens attitudes; this is one of the effects of war. Thucydides explains that after the Peloponnesian War begins, the entire Hellenic world is in commotion. When the troubles started in the cities, those who followed the movement carried the revolutionary spirit further and further, and attempted to outdo the reports of all those that had preceded them. Because of this, they started to change the meanings of words as they saw fit. For example, Thucydides states, reckless daring is held to be loyal courage. Prudent delay is the excuse of a coward. Moderation is the disguise of unmanly weakness. To know everything is to do nothing. Frantic energy is the true quality of a man. A conspirator who wants to be safe is a recreant in disguise. The lover of violence is always trusted, and his opponent suspected. He who succeeds in a plot is deemed knowing, but a still greater master in craft is he who detects one. According to Johnson, those who do wrong to others are applauded, and so is he who encourages doing evil to someone who does not susp ect. Revenge is dearer than self-preservation (qtd. Johnson 122). These changes happen even today in American culture. Americans are taught to try to get to the top as soon as possible, however underhanded or deceitful they may have to be to get there. Perhaps Americans are not aware that they put this pressure to live out your dreams on their children. Some children are pushed so hard by their parents to succeed in school, sports, or even talents until the children eventually snap under all the pressure of their parents and society. Children are made to fulfill their parents dreams. Sometimes this pressure is derived from the greed of money, or the need to be successful, or the need to have revenge. The source of all this evil is the love of power originating in avarice and ambition. The party spirit was endangered because of this, as men were constantly contesting against