Donald Robertson

It was also very controversial because they challenged traditional superstitions. So people would think that thunder and lightning was caused by Zeus and the natural philosopher said, we reckon it's caused by clouds rubbing together or something like that. You know, earthquakes are just a natural phenomenon and things. And that had a surprisingly big impact on society.

Just as an aside, there's a famous anecdote about how Pericles, the most influential, most powerful Athenian statesman at this time, was about to set sail with his fleet on a military campaign. And there was an eclipse and his crew were cowering in fear and they refused to do it.

Just as an aside, there's a famous anecdote about how Pericles, the most influential, most powerful Athenian statesman at this time, was about to set sail with his fleet on a military campaign. And there was an eclipse and his crew were cowering in fear and they refused to do it.

Just as an aside, there's a famous anecdote about how Pericles, the most influential, most powerful Athenian statesman at this time, was about to set sail with his fleet on a military campaign. And there was an eclipse and his crew were cowering in fear and they refused to do it.

It's very often the Greeks would abandon, particularly the Spartans were known for this, by the way, they would abandon battles because they were concerned about bad omens and so on. And Pericles supposedly explained the natural philosophy that he'd been taught by Anaxagoras.

It's very often the Greeks would abandon, particularly the Spartans were known for this, by the way, they would abandon battles because they were concerned about bad omens and so on. And Pericles supposedly explained the natural philosophy that he'd been taught by Anaxagoras.

It's very often the Greeks would abandon, particularly the Spartans were known for this, by the way, they would abandon battles because they were concerned about bad omens and so on. And Pericles supposedly explained the natural philosophy that he'd been taught by Anaxagoras.

And he said, look, this is just something passing in front of the sun as if I put my cloak in front of your eyes, but it's further away and much bigger. And he convinced, by giving this down-to-earth naturalistic explanation, he managed to convince his troops to set sail. And so it changed the outcome of battles. Basically, that's how dramatic it was.

And he said, look, this is just something passing in front of the sun as if I put my cloak in front of your eyes, but it's further away and much bigger. And he convinced, by giving this down-to-earth naturalistic explanation, he managed to convince his troops to set sail. And so it changed the outcome of battles. Basically, that's how dramatic it was.

And he said, look, this is just something passing in front of the sun as if I put my cloak in front of your eyes, but it's further away and much bigger. And he convinced, by giving this down-to-earth naturalistic explanation, he managed to convince his troops to set sail. And so it changed the outcome of battles. Basically, that's how dramatic it was.

But at the same time, it also upset a lot of people. And so Anaxagoras was also placed on trial for impiety long before Socrates. So there was Anaxagoras, and Socrates thought, this philosophy, though it doesn't teach wisdom, He said Anaxagoras didn't really understand anything about the nature of justice and injustice. So when he was placed on trial, supposedly he was a broken man as a result.

But at the same time, it also upset a lot of people. And so Anaxagoras was also placed on trial for impiety long before Socrates. So there was Anaxagoras, and Socrates thought, this philosophy, though it doesn't teach wisdom, He said Anaxagoras didn't really understand anything about the nature of justice and injustice. So when he was placed on trial, supposedly he was a broken man as a result.

But at the same time, it also upset a lot of people. And so Anaxagoras was also placed on trial for impiety long before Socrates. So there was Anaxagoras, and Socrates thought, this philosophy, though it doesn't teach wisdom, He said Anaxagoras didn't really understand anything about the nature of justice and injustice. So when he was placed on trial, supposedly he was a broken man as a result.

And we can contrast how Anaxagoras dealt badly with being exiled and then subsequently sentenced to death.

And we can contrast how Anaxagoras dealt badly with being exiled and then subsequently sentenced to death.

And we can contrast how Anaxagoras dealt badly with being exiled and then subsequently sentenced to death.

for impiety and how socrates famously exhibited courage uh in court and stood by his principles because he'd prepared himself to understand justice and injustice from a much more profound philosophical perspective um so there's annex agris and many other natural philosophers that socrates had studied and then a bit later we get these guys called the sophists

for impiety and how socrates famously exhibited courage uh in court and stood by his principles because he'd prepared himself to understand justice and injustice from a much more profound philosophical perspective um so there's annex agris and many other natural philosophers that socrates had studied and then a bit later we get these guys called the sophists

for impiety and how socrates famously exhibited courage uh in court and stood by his principles because he'd prepared himself to understand justice and injustice from a much more profound philosophical perspective um so there's annex agris and many other natural philosophers that socrates had studied and then a bit later we get these guys called the sophists

And their name implies that they claim to be wise. They claim to have expertise. And the Sophists taught young men oratory and rhetoric. They were kind of like self-improvement gurus in a sense, but they also taught people how to become successful politicians and confident public speakers. And they... where the first one was Protagoras, who Socrates knew personally and questioned.