The Big Three in Greek Philosophy

Without a doubt, philosophy is a noble pursuit and one well worth putting in the time to learn about and discover. That said, for the uninitiated, it can be a bit overwhelming… Fear not! Here’s a quick primer on “The Big Three” in Greek philosophy to get your started on the right path.

Socrates. Credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy, what we know of Socrates comes mostly from the writers and philosophers who came after him, as he actually made no writings himself. Renowned for his contributions to ethics and epistemology, mostly through the writings of Plato, his student, Socrates remains a somewhat enigmatic figure despite his considerable influence on modern philosophy.

Plato. A student of Socrates, Plato founded the Academy of Athens, considered to be the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Unlike his predecessors, or even many of his contemporaries, it is though that all of Plato’s writings survived over time, making him one of the most important figures in Western philosophy, in addition to being thought of as one of the founders of Western religion and spirituality.

Aristotle. A student of Plato (noticing a pattern here?) Aristotle is also thought to be a father of Western philosophy, in part due to his comprehensive combination of the ideas of Socrates and Plato before him. The once tutor of Alexander the great left much to the world in the form of writings on a broad range of topics from the arts to the sciences.

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