Essay Questions

What is the naturalist philosophy?

One of the philosophical movements mentioned in the book is the naturalist one. The naturalist philosophy is presented as being the most rudimentary philosophy movement and the main idea in the naturalist philosophy is the idea that ‘’only natural laws and forces operate in the world’’. The philosophy movement started in India and it was quickly taken by Greek philosophers as well. The naturalist philosophers mentioned in the book are Thales, a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher and the one who is regarded by the majority as being the first philosopher in ancient Greece. He is also the first one to suggest that mythology appeared because humankind needed to explain various natural accruing events in nature and that there is a logical and scientific way through which those phenomenon can be explained.

Who was Plato?

Plato is among the most famous Greek philosopher who lived in Athens, Greece. He was one of Socrates’ followers and he is the one who wrote about Socrates and about his ideas. Plato is the author of various ‘’dialogues’’ between Socrates and various characters and thus it is because of him that Socrates’ ideas remained in history. Plato is also known for his theory of the world of ideas, a place where the soul goes after a person dies. While in the world of ideas, the soul learns before returning to a new body. The things the soul learns in the land of ideas can be remembered through meditation and another process through which a philosopher guides a person and the result is that the person in questions remembers the things he has learned in the land of ideas. He also believed the soul to be immortal and is the author of the Republic.

What is the legend of Oedipus?

At one point, Alberto mentions the legend of Oedipus in one of his letters. Oedipus was the son of the King and Queen of Thebes and it was prophesied that the son will one day kill his father. To prevent this from happening, the King ordered the child to be taken to a forest and let there to die. The child however was found by a shepherd and raised by his family. When Oedipus grew, he was adopted by the king of Corinth but then he eventually found that he was not their biological son and that he was destined to kill his father and marry his mother. Oedipus decided that he will not do that and he planned to return home when he meet his birth-father at a crossroad. Not knowing who he was, Oedipus killed him. On the road, he encountered the Sphinx who told him that if he could solve his riddle, then he will be free to marry the King’s wife. Oedipus answered the riddle and then he married his own mother. For years, Oedipus was unaware of the fact that he killed his father and when he found, he blinded himself on purpose.