Marapao, Vladimir L.

11-STEM B
1. Synthesize the views about the world and the context of the
ancient Greek philosophers.
The roots of Athenian democracy can be traced back at least to the 7th century B.C. when citizens were permitted to
attend meetings of the ekklesia, or assembly. However, the government at the time was predominantly aristocratic. The
first major shift toward democracy occurred in 594 B.C. when an Athenian named Solon was called upon to help mitigate
social and economic discord that was threatening to tear Athens apart. As part of his reforms, Solon cancelled all debts,
gave citizens the right to appeal the decision of a magistrate to the assembly of their fellow citizens, and made it illegal for
an Athenian citizen to be sold into slavery to pay off a debt.Solon’s reforms were significant not because they were
completely democratic, but because they were democratizing. By making debt slavery illegal for Athenians, Solon
implied that to be an Athenian citizen was inherently valuable. Athenian citizens were thus fundamentally equal.
Furthermore, Solon’s elimination of the aristocratic political hierarchy and his creation of a wealth-based system resulted
in social mobility. While Solon did not institute a democracy, nor necessarily intend to since most of his reforms only
applied to wealthy citizens, his laws paved the way for future democratic institutions. The political situation that resulted
from the laws of Solon was not quite democratic, but it was a step in the right direction.
Ninety years and a couple of tyrants later, Cleisthenes arrived on the scene and instituted some major changes, including
the reorganization of Athens into the previously mentioned tribes. The Athenian government consisted of three major
institutions: the ekklesia, the boule, and the dikasteria. The ekklesia, open to all citizens and regularly numbering at least
6,000, was the assembly of citizens that met to make decisions about proposed laws, military operations, foreign policy,
etc. The ekklesia operated by a simple majority and was the ultimate authoritative body in Athens. The boule was the
council of 500 that determined the agenda for the ekklesia. Only topics approved by the boule could be voted upon by the
ekklesia. The boule was representative and democratic—its 500 members consisted of 50 members chosen by lot from
each of the ten tribes. Finally, the most democratic of Athenian institutions was the dikasteria, or the popular law courts,
where isonomia was put into practice. Here, ordinary citizens served as jurors and were randomly assigned to different
courts. There were no judges, no lawyers, and no police officers—just Athenian citizens pleading their cases in front of
their peers. Juries, which were made up of several hundred citizens and voted by a simple majority, held all the power.
Jurors were even paid a modest wage to ensure that poorer Athenians could participate.

2. Does the context or life's situation affects our views and ideas
about the world? How, why and in what way does it affects us?
The influence of Aristotle’s work can be seen in various areas of modern thought. The thinker formulated the concept of
true knowledge acquisition. In that regard, he taught that it is only when a thoughtful soul disregards world events that it
acquires true understanding (Adamson 65). He argued that the information received through the senses is usually polluted
and confusing to people. He believed that any form of education has the ultimate goal of attaining a specific human ideal.
Aristotle argued that education is the best way for human beings to achieve their fundamental concerns and develop
themselves wholly (Heinaman 52).These ideas are applied in today’s education system where learning is aimed at
developing character, helping students discover who they are, and unravel the possibilities of human potential. The
philosopher also taught that only education can enable people to become truly human despite the possession of natural
abilities (Adamson 72). Aristotle’s theory of education is widely used in many countries of the world as the foundation for
educational policies and practice.Pythagoras popularized the Pythagorean Theorem, which is still widely used today in the
field of mathematics. Many historians argue that it is the originator of the discipline of mathematics in the West (Rooney
43). It is taught as a foundational concept in mathematics in schools around the world. In addition, the theory has been
utilized by many researchers in the formulation of other hypotheses that aid in understanding and solving various
challenges in the modern world. Aristotle founded a school in 385 B.C.E, which heralded the creation of institutions of
higher learning.