Thucydides vs Plato Thucydides and Plato had contrasting ways in their approach on the good life. Thucydides displays empirical thinking in his studies of human nature and behavior during the Peloponnesian War and Plato displays normative thinking in his books and dialogs in particular "The Republic" Plato views a good life on the ideals that a person has reached happiness. When a person is in a state where they have no desires because they have all love in their life. He believed this
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Thucydides has a very realist perception of looking at human nature. He believed that men are only cruel and only concerned with their self-interest. The pursuit of self-interest and greed are the true driving forces behind why decisions are made. The greed that lies within man`s heart is why he relies solely on self-interest because he thinks more about what he is getting from something then how that decision if affecting others. Unless‚ he is directly affected though the impact of the others. Thucydides
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Compare and contrast Thucydides’ and Socrates’ analyses of the fate of Athenian democracy in war‚ of why the Athenians went to war‚ and of how and why they failed. The Peloponnesian War was the turning point in Athenian hegemony in Ancient Greece. It was fought in 431 B.C. between the Delian League‚ led by Athens‚ and the Peloponnesian League led by Sparta. According to Thucydides‚ Athens’ imposing hegemonic status and its overwhelming quest for more power made the Peloponnesian War and Athens’s
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Peloponnesian War was considered by the ancient Greek historian Thucydides‚ to be the greatest disturbance that had ever affected the Greeks. Thucydides was a fifth century BC Athenian historian‚ political philosopher and general. He is considered by many to be the “Father of scientific history” due to his strict guidelines when it came to gathering evidence and analyzing cause and effect without giving reference to the gods. Thucydides is known for his work History of the Peloponnesian War that gives
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In Thucydides’ On Justice‚ Power‚ and Human Nature‚ Alcibiades proves himself to be a persuasive orator. He capitalizes on his mastery of Athenian rhetoric by using his oration skills to sway the Athenian masses in favor of embarking on the Sicilian expedition. Additionally‚ he utilizes his skills to persuade the Spartans to accept and trust him even though he had just betrayed Athens. Alcibiades is able to manipulate both the Athenians and Spartans; two different cultures with opposing stances on
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Thucydides‚ a known historian during the time‚ described and analyzed the motives of the infamous Peloponnesian War. The war was between two powerful city-states: Athens and Sparta. The conflict arose due to excessive power. The Athenians were optimistic that they were the driving force that led Greece and all of its city-states. Specifically‚ the historian focuses on the funeral oration presented by Pericles. Pericles‚ ironically‚ doesn’t display sorrow but displays comfort and proud of what each
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Thucydide rightfully finds fault with Athen’s inability to represent facts and it’s tendency to act based on disillusioned ideology on an overarching political scale. He does not make claims of political corruption or voter fraud like scandals of the modern day do. He doesn’t view the notion of voting as flawed within itself; he does however attribute problems to the mindsets of Athenian citizens as well as on the athenian statesmen. From reading I would describe Athenian politics at this time as
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which he explains what he believes the nature of Athens to be. In the following years‚ Thucydides gives a report of the Plague of 430‚ regarding the state of Athens. With a significant comprehension of both accounts‚ we can generate a accurate depiction of the condition of Athens. In order to produce this understanding‚ I will first delve into the rhetoric of Pericles speech‚ then turn my attention to Thucydides account of of the plague that ravished Attica. As the first year of the war
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of necessity that I have given in the introduction‚ I have tried to incorporate the different sections in Thucydides History to justify my arguments of what is a war of necessity and in what circumstances would it be necessary for states to go to war with each other. By incorporating different sections into my arguments‚ I try to ensure that I have a more well-rounded understanding of Thucydides viewpoints and not take any of his viewpoints out of context. With the above in mind‚ I have put forth two
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In Thucydides’‚ The History of The Peloponnesian War‚ there are many themes that are illustrated throughout various passages. One major theme can be found in book 2‚ chapter 53‚ where Thucydides describes the situation in Athens after it had been stricken with plague during the Peloponnesian War. Thucydides uses his account of the plague to suggest that war is a violent teacher. Among other passages in his work he also suggests that in war‚ no matter how wealthy and prepared the participants may
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