Science and Myth in Early Greece

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Science and Myth in Early Greece
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Lets start with myth

• Reflect on myths studied
• Discuss What might we learn from these myths?
  What did the Greeks learn? Is there truth in
  myth? How do we know what is true? To what
  authority do we appeal to establish truth?

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• Mythic Imagination
• Myth Defined
• Types of Myth
• (Campbell)
• - Pure Myth
• - Heroic Myths
• - Folktales/Fairy Tales

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• Contemporary relevance of Myth as authority for
  truth-claims

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Pre-Socratic Philosophy (aka SCIENCE)

• Three major groups
• -Ionian Thinkers
• -Italian School
• -Atomists
• Common focus
• What is the fundamental substance of the
  universe?

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Ionian Thinkers (610 -544 BC)

• Thales
• Anaximander
• Heraclitus

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Italian School(532 - 470 BC)

• Pythagoras
• Parmenides

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Atomists (460 - 370 BC)

• Leucippus and Democritus

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Concluding thoughts for students

• Science and myth
• False dichotomy?
• Appeal to different authorit(ies)
• (reason / imagination)
• Often intertwined
• (for students to discuss)

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Assignment

• In small groups (or could be used as a writing
  assignment), select one of these contemporary
  issues
• Global warming
• Terrorism
• Stem Cell Research
• Now, discuss the origins and possible solutions
  from a mythic point-of-view and from a scientific
  point-of-view. With myth, be creative and
  imaginative. With science, be as exact as you
  can. Be prepared to share your groups thoughts
  with the rest of the class.