Essay on Ancient Greeks Inventions: The Impact on Modern Day Society
There have been many societies that have played a substantial role in today's modern world, what are these societies and what are the roles they played? For many years, Historians have considered Ancient Greece to be one of the most influential societies that has contributed to today's modern world. The society of Ancient Greece has inspired the modern world in many ways, the three main ways being; Democracy, philosophy, the invention of the odometer, and the alarm clock.These inventions have been used for many years, the earliest dating back to the 4th or 5th century BCE.
The discovery of democracy in ancient Greece is a well known achievement that the world recognizes till this day. Democracy was established in the 5th to 4th century BCE in Athens. Under the system of democracy, all male citizens had equal political rights, along with freedom of speech, and the opportunity to participate in the political arena. Furthermore, they not only had the opportunity to participate in the political arena, but they directly controlled all parts of the government system. According to the backstory of democracy in ancient Greece, Pew Research states, “About half of the countries are democratic, 57%” In order to understand this evidence, the reader must first understand that fifty-seven percent of all the countries in the world is one hundred and eleven.
That means that one hundred and eleven countries followed in the footsteps of ancient Greece. Therefore, ancient Greece has influenced this world greatly by introducing us to democracy and it's many ways. If ancient Greece were so influential, the government would have to be an unimpeachable democracy. An article on “Democracy and Economic Growth” stated, “ Democracy is associated with higher human capital accumulation, lower inflation, lower political instability, and higher economic freedom.” In conclusion, Ancient Greece introduced us to the world of democracy and a higher power.
Another way that Ancient Greece had inspired the modern world is through the concept of philosophy. Philosophy is a notion on the fundamental nature of knowledge, existence, and reality. Philosophy arose in the 6th century BCE, and is still in place till this day. In fact, the ancient Philosopher, Pericles, once said, ¨What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.¨ In order to understand this piece of evidence, the reader must first understand that ancient Philosophers knew that what they were contributing into this world, would leave behind a mark in history.
The Philosopher, Pericles, was a genuine influencer in Athens. Hence, his nobility, prestige, and wealth allowed him to proceed to any education of his choice, then leading him to philosophy. He was recognized as the first Athenian politician to recognize the importance of philosophy as a practical discipline that could guide one’s thoughts and actions. In contribution of his advancement of Athens, the ancient General,Thucydides, granted him the title of “The first citizen of Athens”. Which was an immense and hero-worthy title for Pericles.
There were many other philosophers besides Pericles, one of the alternative philosophers was named Plato. He spoke these words of wisdom, “The first and greatest victory is to conquer yourself. To be conquered by yourself is of all things most shameful and vile.” Before one’s self truly understands this evidence, one must first understand that Plato is a well known philosopher and is a great influence to many around the world. This quote he mentioned describes how oneself is able to take control of its actions and words, but one is shameful to know that they would do terrible things, and one cannot help it. This all relates to my claim because it shows the importance of philosophy and philosophers and the roles they played in ancient society. Additionally, the way ancient philosophers play a substantial role in past times, influenced the ways many philosophers contribute and help this world today.
