phil- The Presocratic Sophos question with correct answers 2023 passed

phil- The Presocratic Sophos question with correct answers 2023 passedAs early Greek civilization became increasingly refined and sophisticated (c. 500 b.c.e.), a new kind of thinker emerged, known as a sophos, from the Greek word for "wise." These "wise men"(and they were almost exclusively men) asked increasingly sophisticated questions about all sorts of things, but especially about natural processes and the origins and essence of life. Although mythology and religion continued to play important roles in the lives of most people for centuries, these first philosophers were noted for their attempts to use reason and observation to "figure out" for themselves how the world works. In a wonderful book called Philosophy as a Way of Life, French philosopher Pierre Hadot describes how, in the ancient world, a true philosopher was usually viewed as someone out of step with daily life. To be a "philosopher" was to be "different." As you learn more about the ancient sophos, you can decide for yourself whether this "difference" is good or not. - correct answer The sorts of atypical traits Hadot has in mind include a lack of concern with such "normal" things as practicing a trade (having a regular job), pursuing wealth, or desiring fame and power. The sophos was someone who devoted himself to asking questions that other people thought had already been answered (by religion and mythology) or were unanswerable (and thus a waste of time). The sophos lived and spoke in ways that were interpreted as showing disregard for conventional values and that set him apart from "regular folks" living "normal" lives. It is hardly surprising, then, that one of the earliest popular images of philosophers is the stereotype of a shabby, unkempt, "absent-minded," starry-eyed dreamer and an asker of silly questions. Socrates (Chapter 4), perhaps the most-recognized example of the ancient Western sophos, was even called "unclassifiable" (atopos) because he was a "philo-sopher" in the archetypal sense: a person in love with wisdom. In Plato's Symposium, Diotima, an ancient woman philosopher whom Socrates referred to as one of his teachers, says that wisdom is not a human state at all, but a "divine" level of perfection and knowledge. If these ancient commentators are correct, the sophos is always a "stranger to the world." From Sophos to Philosopher In his earliest incarnations, the Western sophos was predominantly a sage, or "wise man," in the general or generic sense. He was not a professional thinker. That is, he did not charge people fees (tuition) to study with him or to accompany him. His relationships with his students were personal, complex, and long-lasting. In many cases his pupils were more like disciples than like paying students. We cannot help but wonder what philosophy may have lost by overlooking the contributions of women philosophers for so long. Dea/G. Nimatallah/De Agostini Picture Library/Getty Images