1. Art (Pathenon, sculptures of Phidias, etc., source of inspiration for Roman and all sorts of sub. art)
The Greeks excelled in sculpture. Their works are impressive for their handling of human anatomy, and details like hair and clothing.
Also impressive: Greek architecture. The buildings on the Athenian acropolis are a great example. The Greeks figured out things like making a column bulge in just the right way so that it that it would *appear* more symetrical. The Greeks did a fine job creating buildings that would blend with the natural environment and take advantage of that environment. Greek theaters.
2. Sports (Olympic games)
The Greeks also are important for the contribution to sports. We compete in "gymnasiums" and "stadiums" today--names that both come from Greek. There are lots of other echoes of the Greeks in our sports tradition of today. Some of our track and field events (e.g., the javelin and the discus) come out of Greek tradition.
Herodotus' history of the Persian wars is impressive for all sorts of reasons. First of all, it is impressive because it moves beyond the mere chronicling of events (something that had been done before) and attempts to explain why certain events happen and what those events means: what lesssons we can learn from history. Herodotus talks about the various forces that affect human lives, noting the forces we can change and those we cannot.
And particular this is so when one looks at Herodotus' central theme: freedom. A central theme of Herodotus' book is the value of living in a free society (even though it means sacrifice) rather than living under despotism no matter how well-organized and prosperous a society run by a despot might seem. Herodotus book is one of the sources of the Western
4 . Political science
Not only do the Greeks give us our first history, they give us also our first political science, the systematic study of human government. When one studies political science today, one constantly uses Greek terms (monarchy, democracy, etc.). Why? Because the Greeks were the first to study the various forms of human government and to identify the strengths and weakness of each.
Not only do the Greeks give us our first political science, they give us some of our finest political science.
Aristotle also made important contributions to political science. His "Politics" examines the constitutions of many different Greek city-states Aristotle classifies the various kinds of governments he finds and looks at the strengths and weaknesses of each.
Aristotle's Politics and Plato's Republic are still much read in political science/political philosophy classes today, another good example of the lasting influence of the Greeks.
5. Poetry
In poetery too, the Greek had a lasting influence. When we analyze poetry today, we use Greek words (iamb, dactyl, trochee, etc.). Why? Because the Greeks were the first to systematically analyze poetry. Here too Aristotle is a key figure. His "Poetics" is as influential in literary criticism as his "Politics" is in political science.
Not only did the Greeks give us better tools for anayzing poetry, they give us some of our finest poets. Among the greatest and most influential of epic poems are the two great poems of Homer, the Iliad and the Odyssey. The Odyssey is still much read in high school and college classes today, and the Homeric heroes are still portrayed in our movies. But Homer not only told exciting stories, he dealt with universal human themes.
6. Mathematics
Math is another area in which the Greeks made important contributions. You are all familiar with the Pythagorean theorum, and the Greek reverence for numbers that starts with Pythagoras is certainly an important contribution of the Greeks.
Even more important, the Greek geometer, Euclid. Euclid's Elements was the main geometry textbook of the west for hundreds of years, and it remained the basis for all good geometry texts right up through the 1970's. What Euclid did was to take five fundamental axioms. From these axioms, he devises a series of more an more complex proofs.
7. Science
The Greeks also made important contributions to the sciences. Biology, Physics, Physiology, Zoology: all Greek names, because the Greeks were the first to systematically explore these areas. Thales, the first Greek philosopher, also is the father of physics, asking a fundamental question: what are all things made of? The Greeks explored the question, coming up with promising answers. Ultimately, Greeks like Aristotle believed that the world was made up of four fundamental elements. Other Greeks added the idea that these elements in their turn were made up of invisible, indivisable particles they called atoms.
I did not type this...I copied and pasted...
The Greeks excelled in sculpture. Their works are impressive for their handling of human anatomy, and details like hair and clothing.
Also impressive: Greek architecture. The buildings on the Athenian acropolis are a great example. The Greeks figured out things like making a column bulge in just the right way so that it that it would *appear* more symetrical. The Greeks did a fine job creating buildings that would blend with the natural environment and take advantage of that environment. Greek theaters.
2. Sports (Olympic games)
The Greeks also are important for the contribution to sports. We compete in "gymnasiums" and "stadiums" today--names that both come from Greek. There are lots of other echoes of the Greeks in our sports tradition of today. Some of our track and field events (e.g., the javelin and the discus) come out of Greek tradition.
Herodotus' history of the Persian wars is impressive for all sorts of reasons. First of all, it is impressive because it moves beyond the mere chronicling of events (something that had been done before) and attempts to explain why certain events happen and what those events means: what lesssons we can learn from history. Herodotus talks about the various forces that affect human lives, noting the forces we can change and those we cannot.
And particular this is so when one looks at Herodotus' central theme: freedom. A central theme of Herodotus' book is the value of living in a free society (even though it means sacrifice) rather than living under despotism no matter how well-organized and prosperous a society run by a despot might seem. Herodotus book is one of the sources of the Western
4 . Political science
Not only do the Greeks give us our first history, they give us also our first political science, the systematic study of human government. When one studies political science today, one constantly uses Greek terms (monarchy, democracy, etc.). Why? Because the Greeks were the first to study the various forms of human government and to identify the strengths and weakness of each.
Not only do the Greeks give us our first political science, they give us some of our finest political science.
Aristotle also made important contributions to political science. His "Politics" examines the constitutions of many different Greek city-states Aristotle classifies the various kinds of governments he finds and looks at the strengths and weaknesses of each.
Aristotle's Politics and Plato's Republic are still much read in political science/political philosophy classes today, another good example of the lasting influence of the Greeks.
5. Poetry
In poetery too, the Greek had a lasting influence. When we analyze poetry today, we use Greek words (iamb, dactyl, trochee, etc.). Why? Because the Greeks were the first to systematically analyze poetry. Here too Aristotle is a key figure. His "Poetics" is as influential in literary criticism as his "Politics" is in political science.
Not only did the Greeks give us better tools for anayzing poetry, they give us some of our finest poets. Among the greatest and most influential of epic poems are the two great poems of Homer, the Iliad and the Odyssey. The Odyssey is still much read in high school and college classes today, and the Homeric heroes are still portrayed in our movies. But Homer not only told exciting stories, he dealt with universal human themes.
6. Mathematics
Math is another area in which the Greeks made important contributions. You are all familiar with the Pythagorean theorum, and the Greek reverence for numbers that starts with Pythagoras is certainly an important contribution of the Greeks.
Even more important, the Greek geometer, Euclid. Euclid's Elements was the main geometry textbook of the west for hundreds of years, and it remained the basis for all good geometry texts right up through the 1970's. What Euclid did was to take five fundamental axioms. From these axioms, he devises a series of more an more complex proofs.
7. Science
The Greeks also made important contributions to the sciences. Biology, Physics, Physiology, Zoology: all Greek names, because the Greeks were the first to systematically explore these areas. Thales, the first Greek philosopher, also is the father of physics, asking a fundamental question: what are all things made of? The Greeks explored the question, coming up with promising answers. Ultimately, Greeks like Aristotle believed that the world was made up of four fundamental elements. Other Greeks added the idea that these elements in their turn were made up of invisible, indivisable particles they called atoms.
I did not type this...I copied and pasted...
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