Unit I
IN THIS LESSON
The Milesians reject myth and seek to give a rational explanation of the cosmos.
Topics discussed:
The Milesian Worldview
The philosophy of Thales, Anaximander, and Anaximenes
Ethical reflections on Anaximander's thought
The Milesian revolt against Persian control
For lesson transcripts, go to zencastr.com/The-Luxury-of-Virtue.
Focus Questions
The Milesian philosophers each sought to explain the world through an explanation based on rationality, thus marking a departure from the mythos-based explanations of their time. And although their theories are different, they each posited an arkhé. What is an arkhé?
Provide a brief summary of each of the Milesians theories.
In what way(s) did each of the Milesian’s explanation, or logos, act as a stepping stone towards the next theory?
In what way(s) does a rationally-based explanation of the world differ from a mythos-based explanation?
Cultivating the virtues necessary for eudaemonia (or flourishing) requires having accurate beliefs about the world. Focusing on Anaximander, how do the Milesian philosophers model good belief-forming practices?
Think of examples in your life where bad belief-forming practices have led to false beliefs that did not actually provide an explanation for what you sought to understand.
Further Reading
Robin Waterfield, The First Philosophers: The Presocratics and the Sophists.
Roderick Beaton, The Greeks: A Global History.
Carlo Rovelli, Anaximander: And the Birth of Science.