The Pre-Socratic Philosophers

[@PraetorClaudius]

Thank you Dr. Cecil! You really being the information alive with your active yet focused delivery. It's not easy to come across this kind of information for free. I'm looking forward to listening to more lectures!

[@susanmcdonald6879]

I agree totally, but just be aware of the flippancy of some of his views in trying to make it fun...

[@rentonketes1582]

Thank you, Wes. I just started reading about the pre-Socratic philosophers and this helped.

[@richwillis8794]

What a fantastic lecture! Great humour and delivery

[@MG-ge5xq]

Where is the first one "Origins of the Greek world"? Couldn't find it.

[@ayeq6104]

mr Cecil is so much alive in his approach and communication that even the blackboard we hear from time to time is trying to participate with some sounds - Miletians will say the form of board dosn't allow it to make reason. The phyagorians would perhaps transmigrate the sounds we hear from the blackboard as a subject to study meaning out of whenever its in contact with mr. Cecils movement on it. :) ...a philosophical reasoning in Words with 'humour' if we( the reader and I) have same humor

[@gsch1818]

Hi Cecil, in which lecture do you talk about the Homeric heroes? That lecture seems to precede this one and I will like to listen to your lectures in more of a chronological order

[@pinosantilli8297]

It's important to remember that all is one therefore material and conceptual are one.

[@laynar9477]

Interesting and useful video for those studying Philosophy! Information about the Pre-Socrates starts at 12:45.

[@maxbertini7017]

I wish you had been in my history department

[@susanmcdonald6879]

I agree totally, but just be aware of the flippancy of some of his views in trying to make it fun, which it is great, no doubt, but specialists also have shallow understanding in many areas, and history is a BIG area :)

[@Over-Boy42]

Oh, how I wish we knew more about the Pre-Socratics. Democratis is probably my favorite with Anaxagoras as a close second.

[@benquinney2]

Abstraction and generalization

[@MrSonicmjc]

I can't find the handout on your website? I really love to follow your lecture with the handouts it really helps me understand.

[@caribbeanqueen1389]

Hi.. i'm trying to study philosophy and i came upon your lectures. Very good stuff. Can you put up more on Plato, Aristotle, Homer... and come down to modern thinkers like Adam Smith, Descartes etc... Thanks much.

[@susanmcdonald6879]

not sure this historian/philosopher is into archaic literary (Homer, tragedians) & religious history as contributors to human understanding, education, & psychology, but I believe they are immensely valuable if studied properly!

[@ninjaman302]

dope information, thank you for the great lecture.

[@SteveJones379]

Extremely interesting! Thank you 🤘

[@rezamahan7109]

Thank you

[@yasha12isreal]

could you do neoplatonism

[@brandonmacey964]

Great information thank you for posting these

[@ou-rb2gv]

Did the ancient philosophers meditate? If you look at Plato's idea of enlightenment, in terms of ppl shackled, and then reaching a state of enlightenment; it very much seems like a Buddha's metaphorical summation of enlightenment. There's more than one way to mediate. And if you read the Brahmajalla sutta, it very much seems that philosophising was part of Sakyamuni stepping stone to enlightenment.

[@maryb6074]

Don`t forget Zoroastra as a pre-socratic philosopher.

[@benquinney2]

The luminiferous ether

[@susanmcdonald6879]

love the lectures about the ancients, given like a sort of fireside chat, lol. but being so flippant about the iliad, and the religious beliefs, is to miss a no less important psychology of human nature and a symbolic system of survival & reality in living in an extremely violent ancient world! science & reason are important developments, freedom to think, but also is the rich composition of tragedy & storytelling & nature & human psychology....!

[@counterstriving]

Does anyone know what this first image in the video is?

[@malamati007]

The lyre probably indicates it's Orpheus, whose particular skill (techne) was music.

[@counterstriving]

Thanks for your response. I think you're probably right.

[@counterstriving]

Seneca Thanks for your response. I think you must be right.

[@susanmcdonald6879]

and whose mother was a Muse (music, museum) :)

[@susanmcdonald6879]

but looking at it again, the pouring of wine on the ground, might be Dionysus; but it looks like a woman. (?) Also, Apollo & Hermes were connected with the lyre....

[@Rico-Suave_]

Watched all of it 57:01

[@okey9904]

Why did you just mention that? And then timestamp that specific time?

[@Rico-Suave_]

@@okey9904 I leave a note to myself in case I come across this video again in the future

[@okey9904]

@@Rico-Suave_ lol that’s cool, nice to know

[@okey9904]

@@Rico-Suave_ I’m going to start doing that too

[@Rico-Suave_]

@@okey9904 I have a couple of canned notes I use, on most neutral videos I use, “Great video, thank you very much , note to self(nts) watched ……” if I have time and I’m able to then I add a time stamp after the….

[@fredsonntag4244]

Love your work , clear and concise , wonderful , thank you

[@cosmicwaderer1247]

Wes, hits it outa da park.

[@z0uLess]

I dont find it extraordinary that the thought of an order behind the chaos started to develop. it's instinctual in humans to believe in order where there is none. this is how our brains work.

[@benquinney2]

Relationships

[@mementocatharsis9372]

...I feel dirty being in this comment section. You people don't deserve to be trolled...ya damn self-learning...betterment seeking.. .gah

[@jamessheffield4173]

Chronos eats his children. In other words time eats its children.

[@ninjaman302]

Damn that is deep my bro. I like it.

[@ninjaman302]

@@jamessheffield4173 ty

[@jamessheffield4173]

@@ninjaman302 At the battle of Salmis the Persian king was told in 100 years all of us here will be dead.

[@raycosmic9019]

All things are composed of the gods/archons/elements. Each cycle of Life completes and consumes the previous cycle. "When I do good, I feel good. When I do bad, I feel bad. That is my religion."- Abraham Lincoln - Thales: We are Life at Large, eternally actualizing infinite potential, because only Eternity can fully embrace Infinity. Anaximander: That which is, that is nothing in particular (actual), is by definition everything in general (potential). 0. Potential = Being 1. Actual = Becoming (actualized) Pythagoras: The Rhythm of Life is a movement and a rest. The optimum (Heaven) is always found somewhere between the extremes of too much and too little (hell). Pleasantness is the Rose found at the Heart of the Optimum. Just so. Narrow is the Way and straight the path, and few there are that find it. The abstract (Heaven) called Love can be expressed concretely (Earth) as a smile, hug, etc, thereby uniting Heaven and Earth. Soul: dream it (mind/inspiration), feel it (heart/aspiration), do it (will/volition). God = Life Space = Awareness Time = Experience Energy = Conversion Matter = Behaviour World = Mirror

[@ninjaman302]

Dope! Are any of these statements your original idea? I really like the quotes.Thank you for sharing.

[@pinosantilli8297]

And correct they were that we evolved from fish! Fish have the same basic body design layout that we do. Good job ancients!

[@Iknowknow112]

Is the good professor aware of the ancient Egyptian concept of MA'AT which meant TRUTH ORDER JUSTICE IN BOTH SAID SOCIETY AND THE COSMOS. MA'AT WAS THE CORE PRINCIPLE OF ANCIENT EGYPTIAN PHILOSOPHY. THE GODDESS NEITH (NETER-"NATURE "-OF WEAVING )ALSO represented THE CONCEPT OF DESIGN IN NATURE AND SOCIETY.THE PERSIANS HAD AHURA MAZDA AGAIN A DEITY IF ORDER . THE IDEA Of ORDER IN THE UNIVERSE DOES NOT START WITH GREECE

[@LoudPaintings]

David Bacote I'm sure he is aware of this. But pre Socratics usually focuses on Greek Philosophy. He can only do so much in an hour

[@proksenospapias9327]

You sound extremely butthurt. Why is that.

[@PallahDaOracle]

Go Titans!

[@kabbalisticteddy]

So if you're reading the prompter, I just take that prompter away, okay? I take the prompter away, and then you're not Wes Cecil anymore, okay, you're just a normal person. And you are free to do as you please, kind of. And then we let the next generation figure out another gimmick. Because this gimmick was pretty good. :)

[@feelingoffbalance]

23 min in

[@franceschristine6099]

Anaximander was not the first pre-socratic to doubt the existence of the pantheon of Greek gods. Neither was he the first to see order in the universe. Could you provide evidence that the church allowed a cult of Mary because there already was one? Is there an event you could subscribe to such a decision, or a person? If you are referring to the Council of Ephesus, please look it up. The issue was the nature of Christ, not Mary. The Nestorian heresy it refuted said Jesus was divine after birth, which was completely contrary to the faith. So, yes, the council said Mary is the Mother of God, but that is because of who they said Jesus is, not Mary. Mary was never "worshipped". Ever. She is a human creature of God. The only distinction taught about her was that Jesus freed her from original sin from her conception. She was still created and saved by God, according to the Christian Church. Could you provide evidence otherwise in order to continue the discussion?

[@susanmcdonald6879]

I think you are missing his philosophical-historical point, but I agree he is somewhat shallow & flippant when it comes to religious topics even the complex, sophistication of the pagan Greek systems. I always thought the early church did become a bit "polytheistic with all the saints, even the trinity, etc., and Mary, good enough to be the mother of "God", quite unique if you think about it, and her worship in the middle ages gave women some sort of value & worth outside the normal lives of most women at the time....I don't think religion is a topic of worth to philosophy of science, etc, that this professor is relaying. Its not a matter of debating theological issues, the Greek miracle, was opposed to such discussions in examining the natural world & causation, as well as using reason to build cities & good ways to run them, etc..... the ancient philosophical tradition is not concerned with theological issues as such. the heresies, etc. (although debates of how many angels on the head of a pin might lead to critical thinking about stuff, lol) and Plato was more concerned about freedom to think for one's self, often diametrically opposed to religious "dogma" & authority. but I do agree, even Socrates respected the gods of his time, that this professor is a bit flippant about religion as is the general trend today given the often horrible things the church did in the past & other religions continue to do... not an easy thing to overcome. but as always, the meeting of "mind" & matter, not an easy union historically or now.

[@susanmcdonald6879]

plus the reason most of the early Greek believers & converts whom Paul visited early on (mostly Greek converts), were easily accepting of the christian story because it was so familiar in the pagan traditions of divinities coupling with mortals, with the "ecstasy" & tragedies of Dionysian cults (wine & drama), & semidivine mortals such as Herakles who "resurrect" to divine status (apotheosis, Greek word), and the cult at Elysis, the mother-agricultural goddess Demeter & Persephone story where the afterlife & resurrection in spring were first explored, all these prior traditions are influential on the early christian converts & church beliefs; to deny this, is to be blind. But I believe the importance of any religious system is the base human nature & psychological symbols & ethical relationships that are the important aspect of these very ancient human explorations of the sacred in nature & in life/birth/death that are foundational to being human....

[@sof553]

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collyridianism

[@andrewnowrouz1424]

My two pet peeves are overly jokey teachers and teachers who project their modern values onto the “unenlightened” past. This guy does both, with foul language!

[@mementocatharsis9372]

The study of the spead of ideas does not lie. You know nothing but what you learn. And you only learn what your mind is shown. The spread of ideas is a historical study. The originator of any particular idea is often traceable through study. To say modern values did not exist in Pre-Socratic thinking is beyyond absurd.

[@mementocatharsis9372]

We have developed a deeper degree of empathy. But we are still the same humans we have always been. Set your sights on discovering the eternal truths of the human psyche.

[@shelleyharris2850]

W C

[@Laocoon283]

They had no idea of faith or good and evil lmao. Just straight up telling bold face lies.

[@pennyAustralia1]

All you American know it all's should just listen and maybe you'll learn something, instead of criticizing everything thinking you've got it figured out

[@TheTaoofEternalWar]

Ancient wizards laying the foundations of the modern world.

[@susanmcdonald6879]

oh, and how you love your modern computer, I guess it just popped into existence for you to comment your wisdom & call the greek miracle, wizardry???? what is wrong with our modern world is lack of historical knowledge & understanding for one. hypercritical mania for another, & disrespect for everything but their own opinionated frustrations... okay, so I overreacted to your comment, read too much into it; but I just wondered, what does it contribute to the debate other than calling it wizardry when wizardry was being overcome, what are you contributing to the debate?

[@Itsatz0]

Hinduism is far older than Pythagoras. Pythagoras learned his values from them, when he went to Baghdad he came in contact.

[@ZeNashB]

Source please. Don't get into the habit of typing unverifiable claims on videos about intellectuals.

[@Itsatz0]

Nahush Bhat www.beliefnet.com/columnists/religion101/2012/10/how-old-are-the-religions.html

[@susanmcdonald6879]

yes & no, & lots of "maybe"...the western tradition might fail in some respects to give credit to eastern influences; nevertheless, the Greeks added a whole new realm to an otherwise chaotic "eastern" authoritarian & dogmatic view that had to be overcome in order to find the reason & freedom to advance "knowledge" of nature & physics, BIG difference my friend!.....

[@susanmcdonald6879]

and being "old" doesn't necessarily translate into being transformed into the better...

[@eagle162]

Just No.

[@WillThaKing]

coming here to study for my philosophy test and end up getting ear cancer.

[@susanmcdonald6879]

totally empathetic with you, lol. but it is good stuff if you have a little patience.

[@demoncard1180]

Every time he makes his students laugh, your ears perforate just a little bit more.

[@Poemsapennyeach]

"There's some women in there too'....(after thought.) This is where I leave...at the start. Nothing to be learned from this approach. Terrible audio quality too.

[@susanmcdonald6879]

not sure what you mean, but study more. in this politically correct world, being considered of others is the thing today, and Plato did advocate in the Republic that women be educated equally as men, & to think it took so long just to get the vote, but understanding is a complex thing, & history is terribly hugely immensely complex. what he discusses is important to understanding the history & philosophy of science & technology, the GREEK miracle; a thing that helps women now to be educated with more equal opportunities... don't let your particular critique of history blind you to the other parts... or a particular erroneous comment drive you away from the history, his lectures on ancient philosophy although flippant in some areas, is pretty fun & informative & important stuff to understand.& well worth some patience on your part to listen & learn! :)

[@firstal3799]

Women are not so smart. It's better they work in the kitchen. It's better use of humanity talents on the basis of division of labour.

[@nickshelbourne4426]

@@firstal3799 Are you making a factual statement that you are willing to back up with scientific evidence? Or are you simply making an anecdotal claim?

[@demoncard1180]

Neither, he's showing off his collection of words he doesn't yet know how to use.

[@picaweltschmerz6357]

I like the interpretation of Pythagoras' world-view that everything is "music", or at least vibration.