Abstract

This study identifies two parallel progressions in ancient and classical Greek philosophy and literature: the gradual, self-conscious awareness of the range of human powers of mind as they relate to the human capacity for intentional, ethical self-determination; and, the expanding universe of discourse relevant to articulating these newly discovered powers, both anterior and posterior to human acts. Further, it is maintained that each of these aspects of human experience stood in relation to the other as mutual impetus for additional development. ;The study traces earlier expressions of human self-reflectiveness and modes of decision-making back through Homeric epic. The evidence from the primary sources of the texts strongly indicates that there had been little or no change in either perspective or means of expression with regard to the concept of human self-determination from Homeric epic narration through Aeschylean dramatic composition. But a significantly different point of view and means of its expression is evidenced by Euripidean drama, which is theorized to have been an enabling predecessor for the Platonic dialogue. That literary-philosophical form is examined for its primarily exhibitive character and recognition of the potential of human self-determination and ethical decision-making. ;The functioning of Plato's fabulated Socrates in all three modes of judgment described by Buchler is explored. Further, the concurrence of the assertive and active ethical judgments of Plato's Socrates is a phenomenon for which we assign him the descriptive identification "Lebensphilosoph," or "philosopher-doer." Plato's accomplishment, in turn, is distinguished from his predecessors' and contemporaries' by the descriptive term poietes, or "philosopher-maker." ;Finally, the study offers a retrospective on Euripides, Plato, and Plato's Socrates by way of an examination of Nietzsche's ambiguous criticisms. This query yields new insight into an alternative way of reconsidering Nietzsche's critical perspective, which has been a major force in intellectual history for moulding modern thought about the Greeks in general and about their philosophy and art in particular