Greek Philosophy — Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and Hypatia of Alexandria

THREE PROMISES recite (MG-8 Living-Descendant + MG-9 Humanity-FIRST + MG-10 Resilience-FIRST); turn-and-talk on yesterday's exit-ticket or I-STILL-WONDER

• Display Three Promises posters
• Lead recite intentionally
• I-STILL-WONDER chart quick scan

Classical and Hellenistic Greek philosophy is foundational to Western intellectual tradition AND developed in dialogue with Egyptian + Mesopotamian + Persian + other intellectual traditions — refusing the 'sudden Greek miracle' narrative. SOCRATES (c. 470-399 BCE) — wrote nothing himself; known through Plato + Xenophon + Aristophanes. Developed the SOCRATIC METHOD — question-and-answer dialogue revealing ignorance and producing insight. Tried and executed by Athens 399 BCE on charges of impiety and corrupting youth. PLATO (c. 428-348 BCE) — Socrates's student, founded the Academy. Wrote dialogues — Apology + Republic + Symposium + Phaedo. Theory of FORMS — perfect abstract realities behind imperfect material things. The Republic articulated an ideal city ruled by philosopher-kings. ARISTOTLE (384-322 BCE) — Plato's student, founded the Lyceum, tutored Alexander the Great. Wrote on logic + ethics + politics + biology + physics + poetics. Established categories of being and the syllogism. WOMEN PHILOSOPHERS in the record — refusing the male-only default: ASPASIA of Miletus (c. 470-400 BCE, Pericles's partner, intellectual whose teaching is referenced in Plato's Menexenus); DIOTIMA of Mantinea (Plato's Symposium presents her as Socrates's teacher on love); HYPATIA of Alexandria (c. 350-415 CE) — mathematician + philosopher + leader of the Neoplatonic school at Alexandria; the FIRST woman mathematician whose work is substantially recorded. Hypatia taught geometry + astronomy + Neoplatonism + edited Diophantus's Arithmetica. She was murdered by a Christian mob in 415 CE — her death is often marked as a symbolic end of classical Alexandria's intellectual culture. PYTHAGORAS + EUCLID + HIPPOCRATES + ARCHIMEDES + ERATOSTHENES — Greek mathematicians and scientists (Euclid's Elements c. 300 BCE; Hippocratic Oath; Archimedes c. 287-212 BCE Syracuse). Many drew on EGYPTIAN + MESOPOTAMIAN mathematical traditions. Greek philosophy was NOT a sudden European miracle — it was Mediterranean intellectual development.

• G6-G8 classroom discussions often use Socratic seminar — a direct descendant.

  model Question-and-answer dialogue method developed by Socrates. The teacher asks questions that lead the student to recognize their own assumptions and ignorance and to reason toward insight. Still used in law schools and modern teaching.

  prompt What is the Socratic method?
• Refuses the male-only default in 'Greek philosophy.'

  model Hypatia of Alexandria (c. 350-415 CE) — mathematician, philosopher, leader of Neoplatonic school. Killed by Christian mob 415 CE. The first woman mathematician whose work is substantially recorded.

  prompt Name one woman philosopher in the ancient Greek record.

• Who taught whom: Socrates → ? → ?
• Apply MG-7 5th move LIVING DESCENDANTS to Greek philosophy — who are stewards today?
• Name one woman philosopher in the ancient record.

Apply MG-7 to Plato Apology of Socrates selected passage (Socrates: 'The unexamined life is not worth living for a human being') — Grube/Cooper translation. Particular attention to 5th move LIVING DESCENDANTS (modern Greek philosophers; modern academic philosophy as continuous tradition) and 6th move TRANSLATION (Grube's translation choices).

M-6-F-CUL-16-A Illustration

Illustration of Hypatia of Alexandria (c. 350-415 CE) teaching in the Mouseion (the Library complex). Dignified portrait of Hypatia in classical robes at a lecture stand explaining a geometric proof to a mixed student group; in background the columned Library of Alexandria with shelves of scrolls visible. Caption: 'Hypatia of Alexandria (c. 350-415 CE) — mathematician, philosopher, leader of Neoplatonic school. Edited Diophantus Arithmetica and Apollonius Conics. Murdered by a Christian mob 415 CE. First woman mathematician whose work is substantially preserved.' Style: dignified historical illustration, Penn-Museum-educator aesthetic.

• Read selected Apology passages and identify 1 example of Socratic method

  scaffold Excerpt with sentence frames
• Add 1 woman philosopher (Aspasia / Diotima / Hypatia) to a class 'Voices of Antiquity' anchor chart

  scaffold Sentence frame for biographical paragraph

M-6-F-CUL-16-B Chart

Handout: top half teaching genealogy chart with Socrates (c. 470-399 BCE) → Plato (c. 428-348 BCE, Academy 387 BCE) → Aristotle (384-322 BCE, Lyceum 335 BCE) → Alexander the Great (tutored by Aristotle 343-340 BCE) with key contributions and major writings under each name; bottom half selected Apology passage in English (Grube/Cooper translation) with Plato Apology 38a 'The unexamined life is not worth living for a human being.' MG-7 Source Card application prompts. Style: scholarly-handout, layout balanced.

MG-7 Interactive Physical / non-image

Ancient-World 6-Question Source Card — 8.5x11 laminated tool with 6 questions: (1) WHO made this source and WHEN? (sourcing); (2) WHAT was happening in this civilization at the time? (contextualization); (3) DOES this source agree or disagree with other sources from the same civilization or other civilizations? (corroboration); (4) WHAT does this source actually SAY (close reading); (5) WHO are the LIVING DESCENDANTS of this civilization today, and what do they say about this source? (NMAI-inspired 5th move); (6) WHO TRANSLATED this source from its ancient language? WHOSE INTERPRETATION are we reading? WHAT IS LIKELY MISSING from the source-record entirely (silences)? (World History Association-inspired 6th move). Scaffolded short-form for Lessons 3-7; full form for Lessons 11-21. Style: educator-tool, durable laminated card.

• What is the Socratic method?
• Name one woman philosopher in ancient Greek-Mediterranean tradition.

• Preview Lesson 17 (Roman Republic founding + governance)

• Find one image of the Roman Colosseum (built 70-80 CE) — preview for Lesson 19. Write 3 sentences.