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Another disciple of Socrates, Antisthenes, founded Cynicism, a philosophy which, not surprisingly, focuses on the negative aspects of life.  The cynics believed the cares and pleasures of the natural world were negligible, and rejected materialism.  Only the pursuit of virtue could bring happiness.  They believed no divine force existed, and that only through extreme self-discipline could virtue and simplicity be attained and happiness found.  Diogenes was the most famous Cynic.   

Another disciple of Socrates, Antisthenes, founded Cynicism, a philosophy which, not surprisingly, focuses on the negative aspects of life.  The cynics believed the cares and pleasures of the natural world were negligible, and rejected materialism.  Only the pursuit of virtue could bring happiness.  They believed no divine force existed, and that only through extreme self-discipline could virtue and simplicity be attained and happiness found.  Diogenes was the most famous Cynic.   

Ancient Greece produced two great historians, Herodotus (hi-rah-duh-tus) (484-425 B.C.) and Thucydides (thew-ci-dah-deez) (d. 401 B.C.), who emphasized the importance of history.  Herodotus’ History described the Persian Wars.  Because he was the first to collect historical materials systematically, check their accuracy and present them in a logical manner with a vivid narrative, Herodutus is considered the “Father of History.”  Thucydides wrote The History of the Peloponnesian War, which was the first full work of historical analysis.  Thucydides blamed Athens’ loss on its failed expedition to Sicily, which wasted resources and hurt morale.  He declared Athens’ loss to be deserved because of this mistake.  A third historian was Xenephos (427-355 B.C.), a disciple of Socrates.  Although incomparable to Thucydides and Herodotus, Xenephos was the primary historian of the last days of Greece’s freedom and picked up from where Thucydides left off (411 B.C.) in his detailed account, Hellenica.

Ancient Greece produced two great historians, Herodotus (hi-rah-duh-tus) (484-425 B.C.) and Thucydides (thew-ci-dah-deez) (d. 401 B.C.), who emphasized the importance of history.  Herodotus’ History described the Persian Wars.  Because he was the first to collect historical materials systematically, check their accuracy and present them in a logical manner with a vivid narrative, Herodutus is considered the “Father of History.”  Thucydides wrote The History of the Peloponnesian War, which was the first full work of historical analysis.  Thucydides blamed Athens’ loss on its failed expedition to Sicily, which wasted resources and hurt morale.  He declared Athens’ loss to be deserved because of this mistake.  A third historian was Xenephon (427-355 B.C.), a disciple of Socrates.  Although incomparable to Thucydides and Herodotus, Xenephon was the primary historian of the last days of Greece’s freedom and picked up from where Thucydides left off (411 B.C.) in his detailed account, Hellenica.

The father of medicine was Hippocrates (460–377 B.C.).  He issued the “Hippocratic Oath” that has been required of medical students around the world as a condition of graduation.  It originally stated in part:  “I will follow that system of regimen which, according to my ability and judgment, I consider for the benefit of my patients, and abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous.  I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel; and in like manner I will not give to a woman a pessary to produce abortion.”  People who profit from abortion today refuse to obey the Oath.

The father of medicine was Hippocrates (460–377 B.C.).  He issued the “Hippocratic Oath” that has been required of medical students around the world as a condition of graduation.  It originally stated in part:  “I will follow that system of regimen which, according to my ability and judgment, I consider for the benefit of my patients, and abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous.  I will give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel; and in like manner I will not give to a woman a pessary to produce abortion.”  People who profit from abortion today refuse to obey the Oath.