Notes on Arete

         Today we took notes on some of the Greek's ideas and Socrates. One Greek idea/place is the agora which is a gathering place, market place, or a center for athletics, arts, and spirituality where anyone could express their opinion. Another Greek thing is polis, which is the root of politics and is the name for a city state. Socrates was a stones-man who fought in the Peloponnesian War, and his experience changed the world. Socrates is known for the Socratic Method which is asking questions to determine someone's beliefs. The Socratic Method also led to the development of the scientific method. One important date is 508 BC because that was the first time anyone had risen up against their rulers in order to govern themselves. This event created the first Democracy, and the Greeks were the first people to govern themselves. Athens was a popular city where people shared their knowledge on many important topics. Some of these ideas were contrary to traditional teachings, like the sun being a chariot instead of a star.