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Philosophy: The Power of Ideas
Philosophy: The Power of Ideas, 5/e
Brooke Moore
Kenneth Bruder

The Pre-Socratics

Key Objectives

Upon completing this chapter you should be able to:

1.

Give a brief description of metaphysics and epistemology.

2.

Distinguish the philosophical from the occult sense of metaphysics.

3.

Explain how the term "metaphysics" arose.

4.

Provide several examples of metaphysical questions.

5.

State the metaphysical question that got philosophy started.

6.

Describe in broad terms the basic picture of reality given by the following pre-Socratics:
  • The Milesians (Thales, Anaximenes, Anaximander)
  • Pythagoras
  • Heraclitus and Parmenidies

7.

Empedocles and Anaxagoras

8.

The Atomists (Leucippus and Democritus)