Ancient Greeks made several contributions to Western civilization including philosophy, sciences, and the idea of entertainment. The Greek philosophers Socrates and Aristotle made inspirations to Western civilization. Some of the things he inspired were medicines, mathematics, and arts and architecture. As a result of Socrates audacious ways in asking so many questions, civilizations have also gained the boldness to do such things. Through the Olympic games and Greek dramas, the western world was given the concept of public amusement. Socrates' major role in inspiring modern day was his act in asking many questions. He would stop people in the streets just to ask them things, always countering their responses with other questions, eventually making them look foolish. Socrates once said; “The unexamined life is not worth living.”(Socrates Doc. 1) This quote from him sums up exactly what he believed in; being able to question oneself. He believed that everyone needs to ask questions about themselves to find their own purpose and the truth, whatever it may be. He implied that if one does not ask questions about themselves, and if one does not try to find their own significance in this world, that their life is a waste, and not worth living. With the help of Socrates, and through asking oneself various questions, civilizations have improved many things that help people live today in the modern world. Another Greek philosopher that gave inspiration to the concept of questioning was Aristotle. Aristotle believed that the reason why mankind exists is the most godlike part of human nature. Aristotle expresses this when he said; “Since human reason is the most godlike part of human nature, a life guided by human reason is superior to any other.... For man, this is the life of reason, since the faculty of reason is the distinguishing characteristic of human beings.”(Aristotle, Doc. 2) Aristotle was saying that if one guides there life by what they think their purpose may be, that their life is superior to any others and
has been well spent. He believed that human reason was the most significant factor in a person's life, and that they should be guided by it. In their time as well as today, Aristotle and Socrates are looked upon as genius’s and contributors to the ways of the modern world. Additionally, the effect of science on medicines also majorly influenced the ideas of the Western world. One of the largest influences in medicine was the Hippocratic Oath, created by Hippocrates. The Hippocratic Oath promises that Hippocrates and doctors alike will take care of patients to the best of their ability and judgment, and will never do anything purposely harmful to the people in their care. “I will follow that [treatment] which, according to my ability and judgment, I will consider for the benefit of my patients, and abstain from whatever is [harmful]. I will give no deadly medicine to anyone if asked, nor suggest any such [advice]”(Hippocrates, Hippocratic Oath, Doc. 4) As well as promising patients the best care their doctor is able to provide, the Hippocratic Oath also helps people to trust their doctors. With all the rival city-states and warfare going on in Greece, trust was a key element to obtain with people, especially if ones career involved the medical field. The Hippocratic Oath is still used by doctors today, but it also gave Western citizens the sense to trust their doctors. Along with medical influence, the Greeks gave us influences through mathematics. Euclid, a Greek man, is credited with discovering geometry, “If two straight lines cut one another, the vertical, or opposite angles shall be equal.”(Euclid, Doc. 5) Euclid is obviously referring to geometry and vertical angles here, however, he could also be speaking of symmetry in the world and in people. After crossing two lines, they are still lines, still equal. Just like when people cross paths, no matter what ability’s one or the other may posses, in the end they are still people; symmetrical to each other. These ideas of symmetry and geometry also influenced Western civilization. In addition, Greek arts and architecture inspired some constructional elements that are used today for the framework of some public buildings. One famous Greek building, the Parthenon(Doc 7), is an example of what modern day buildings were influenced by. An element of the Parthenon, the columns, are still being used in public buildings today. Some other ideas Greek artists and architects
gave the Western world were reflected in balance, order, and beauty. They believed that a sense of perfect balance reflected the harmony and order of the universe. This in turn helped Western citizens develop efficient and fair orders of government which then allowed peace and harmony within a community. This government system that the Greeks used was a democracy, which involved the people a lot more in making political decisions. If the Greeks had a king, it would give citizens a reason to fight against the government. The democracy allowed for peace and harmony within the Greek community. On the other hand, entertainment was very important to Greeks, and greatly influenced the ways of the Western world. Dramas as well as the Olympic games were the major elements of entertainment during these times. One Greek drama, 'Antigone' tells of a woman who buries her dead brother against the law, for he had started a rebellion, “Nor do I think your orders were so strong that you, a mortal man, could overrun the gods' unwritten and unfailing laws.”(Antigone, Doc. 6) Although Antigone may have been for entertainment purposes in its time, it taught the Greeks then, and continues to teach people today to stand up for oneself, and what one believes is right and just. Even though it was against the law, Antigone buried her brother because she believed it was the right thing to do. The other element of Greek entertainment was the Olympic games;“Myron's famous marble sculpture, Discus Thrower (Discobolus), represents an Olympic event. Myron created this sculpture around 460-450 B.C.E.”(Doc. 8) This influenced the Western world with the ideas of sports and competition among ones own people. The Olympics are still being held today and are an international event, a large part of not only the Western world, but the entire world itself. Ultimately, many Greek values greatly influenced Western civilization. Such values were philosophy, sciences, and ideas of entertainment. The philosopher Socrates gave us many inspirations to question, and others gave us influences in many sciences including medicines, mathematics, and arts and architecture. The Olympic games and Greek dramas are also still being practiced and recreated today. All these categories were meant to, and did, benefit the people as a whole. As it luckily turned
out, they benefited Western civilization as well.
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