Phil 1 -Philosophy 4 You

Pythagoras

Pythagoras of Samos, "Pythagoras the Samian", 570-c. 495 BC, was an Ionian Greek philosopher and founder of the religious movement called Pythagoreanism.

He is best known for the Pythagorean theorem, which bears his name. Known as "the father of numbers", Pythagoras made influential contributions to philosophy and religious teaching in the late 6th century BC.

He was the first man to call himself a philosopher, or lover of wisdom, and Pythagorean ideas exercised a marked influence on Plato.

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School of Athens

The School of Athens, or Scuola di Atene in Italian, is one of the most famous paintings by the Italian Renaissance artist Raphael. Commentators have suggested that nearly every great Greek philosopher can be found within the painting, but determining which are depicted is difficult, since Raphael made no designations outside possible likenesses, and no contemporary documents explain the painting.

With deliberate amiability he said, ‘Danby, how can you work along with people like Cathcart and Korn? Doesn’t it turn your stomach?’

Major Danby seemed surprised by Yossarian’s question. ‘I do it to help my country,’ he replied, as though the answer should have been obvious. ‘Colonel Cathcart and Colonel Korn are my superiors, and obeying their orders is the only contribution I can make to the war effort. I work along with them because it’s my duty. And also,’ he added in a much lower voice, dropping his eyes, ’because I am not a very aggressive person.’

‘Your country doesn’t need your help any more,’ Yossarian reasoned without antagonism. ’So all you’re doing is helping them.’

‘I try not to think of that,’ Major Danby admitted frankly. ’But I try to concentrate on only the big result and to forget that they are succeeding ,too. I try to pretend that they are not significant.’

‘That’s my trouble, you know,’ Yossarian mused sympathetically, folding his arms. ’Between me and every ideal I always find Scheisskopfs, Packems, Korns and Cathcarts. And that sort of changes the ideal.’

‘You must try not to think of them,’ Major Danby advised affirmatively. ’And you must never let them change your values. Ideals are good, but people are sometimes not so good. You must try to look up at the big picture.’

Yossarian rejected the advice with a sceptical shake of his head. ’When I look up, I see people cashing in. I don’t see heaven or saints or angels. I see people cashing in on every decent impulse and every human tragedy.’

‘Buy you must try not to think of that,’ Major Danby insisted. ’And you must try not to let it upset you.’

‘Oh, it doesn’t really upset me. What does upset me, though, is that they think I’m a sucker. They think that they’re smart, and that the rest of us are dumb. And, you know Danby, the thought occurs to me right now, for the first time, that maybe they’re right.’

‘But you must try not to think of that too,’ argued Major Danby. ’you must think only of the welfare of your country and the dignity of man.’

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