Humn 101 Discussion 2: Materialism

The term “materialism” has a very different meaning when presented to a modern day American and to an ancient Grecian. When we hear the word “materialistic” we think of a snobbish person who is obsessed with his or her material possessions and believes that having expensive material things affects his or her perceived social status. For example, girls who would rather spend $200 on a brand name than a comparable $30 off-brand. High school is a notorious hotbed of materialism as popularity is often dictated by what one wears. In short, the modern day use of the term is self-worth determined by what material things an individual possesses. The ancient Grecian term still deals with materials but in a different manner. This sense of the word deals with metaphysical philosophy. This area philosophy deals with the material origins of reality. Materialists in this definition of the term believe that all things that exist are made of matter. If it is not made of matter, then it does not exist. As Babcock put it, the Greeks were “trying to find the basis of reality in material things.” They figured out that earth, wind, water, and fire did not make sense as the building blocks of material reality and, by rational thinking alone, came up with the thought that the physical world was composed of atomos, or as we know them, atoms. So, while empty-minded modern day fashionistas are infatuated with material possessions and money, ancient Greek philosophers were attempting to rationalize the physical reality of those material things.