Greek Philosophy: Ethics, Forms, and Foundations

Quick Summary: The intellectual explosion of the 5th and 4th centuries BCE in Greece shaped Western thought forever. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle laid the foundations of ethics, politics, and literary criticism.

1. Socrates: The Ethics of Self-Examination

Hailed as the Father of Western Philosophy, Socrates shifted the focus of inquiry from the cosmos (science) to human conduct (ethics).

Core Question: "How should humans live?"
The Socratic Method: Dialogic questioning to expose contradictions in thought. He famously believed, "The unexamined life is not worth living."
Legacy: He left no writings; his philosophy is preserved entirely through the dialogues of his student, Plato.

2. Plato: The Idealist

Plato founded the Academy in Athens, the West's first institution of higher learning. His philosophy centers on the contrast between the material world and the world of ideas.

The Theory of Forms

Plato argued that the physical world is merely a shadow of a higher, eternal reality called the "Forms" or "Ideas."

The Allegory of the Cave

In The Republic, Plato uses this famous allegory to illustrate the philosopher's journey from ignorance (shadows on a wall) to truth (the sun outside). He argued that Philosopher-kings, who possess this truth, should rule society.

3. Aristotle: The Systematizer

A student of Plato and tutor to Alexander the Great, Aristotle took a more practical approach. He studied logic, ethics, science, and politics, systematizing human knowledge.

The Poetics: The First Dramatic Treatise

🎯 UGC NET Point: "The Poetics" is the earliest surviving work of dramatic theory and is a frequent topic in the exam.

Aristotle defended poetry against Plato's attacks, establishing key concepts still used in literary criticism:

Mimesis: Defined art as "imitation" of life, which is a natural human instinct.
Catharsis: The function of tragedy is the purging or cleansing of emotions, specifically pity and fear.
Six Elements of Tragedy: Plot (Mythos), Character, Thought, Diction, Melody, and Spectacle.
Hamartia: The "tragic flaw" or error in judgment that leads to the hero's downfall.

4. Classical Criticism: Foundations of Literary Thought

Classical criticism originated in ancient Greece and Rome, setting the standards for Western literary debate.

Key Figures

Horace: In Ars Poetica, he emphasized balance, decorum, and the idea that poetry should both "teach and delight" (Dulce et Utile).
Longinus: Introduced the concept of the Sublime—literature's ability to transcend reason and transport the reader to a state of ecstasy.

📢 NOTE: We have already examined these thinkers and their critical contributions in detail in Chapter 1 of our Literary Criticism and Theory Unlocked Section. Please refer to that chapter for a deep dive into their impact on literary theory.