Genius of the Ancient World

Updated Thursday 14th May 2020

All three philosophers lived between the 6^th and 5^th centuries BCE, during a period of unprecedented and intense intellectual development.

They were trailblazers whose radical ideas signalled a key change in human consciousness. They embodied the shift from a reliance on the supernatural, as the sole way to explain humankind’s place in the cosmos, to one where rational argument and logical reasoning offered new, exciting possibilities.

Their game-changing ideas came about in response to huge changes in society: growing urbanisation, advances in technology, flourishing trade and large-scale wars.

In a rapidly changing world, they were the first people to apply reason to crucial existential and socio-political questions, which are still as urgent and relevant today as they were then:

Do material things make us happy?
What is justice?
How do we live a good life?

Drawing on archaeology and expert opinion, Bettany follows in the footsteps of these great figures, in her quest to unpack their philosophy in the context of their age.

She reveals how, even though their ideas came about two and a half thousand years ago, their thinking still shapes, and continues to provide solutions to, our own lives.

For more information, you can go to the BBC programme page.

About the programme

Read more about the episodes in this series.

Buddha

In his twenties, the Buddha abandoned his family, and homeland, in the foothills of the Himalayas, to embark on an ambitious philosophical quest: to find a solution to human suffering. On the Indian plains, he experienced the challenging ideas, and extreme methods, of wandering ‘truth seekers’.

But it was only when he found his own middle way, that he finally attained enlightenment – nirvana: a state of being where all delusion, desire and suffering were extinguished. The Buddha’s philosophy would inspire a diverse belief system, which spread across the Far East and beyond, shaping the lives of hundreds of millions to this day.

Socrates

Bettany Hughes with Socrates Copyright: BBC Socrates was born in Athens during a creative yet extremely tumultuous period of Greek history.

Athens had given birth to democracy, and had become a hotbed of new philosophical ideas. Socrates would become, arguably, the city's most vocal and charismatic thinker. He set about scrutinizing and working through the key moral issues of his day. His technique, a systematic form of question and answer known as ‘the Socratic method’, was delivered with such dazzling irony that he became a celebrity in his day.

Yet, by challenging tradition and convention, he also made enemies. Eventually, he was put on trial, found guilty, and sentenced to drink deadly hemlock.

Confucius

Bettany Hughes with Confucius Copyright: BBC Confucius is considered the first Chinese thinker to take a systematic, philosophical approach to the social, political and moral challenges of his world.

Born in a chaotic, violent age, he believed that harmony could be restored through the example of the sage rulers of history.

A great innovator, he commandeered the rituals and traditions of the past, to form a compelling philosophical vision.

A pioneer in education, he attracted a loyal band of students and tried to instil his principles of moral excellence and self-cultivation in China’s rulers.

He died without seeing his goal achieved. But eventually, his philosophy became the bedrock of Chinese culture.

Drawing on archaeology and expert opinion, Bettany investigates this inspiring figure.

Meet the Philosophers

Discover more about each of the philosophers

The Buddha

Photo Dharma under CC-BY-SA licence under Creative-Commons license
The Buddha – Ancient Teachings for the Modern World

Dr Helen Waterhouse explains how the Buddha’s teachings have stayed relevant over time and place.
Read now ❯The Buddha – Ancient Teachings for the Modern World

Copyright: The BBC
Buddhism's four Noble Truths

This animation explores the Buddha's Four Noble Truths.
Watch now ❯Buddhism's four Noble Truths

The Dates of the Buddha

How accurately can we put a date on the life of the Buddha, and why is it so hard to pinpoint when he lived?
Read now ❯The Dates of the Buddha

Socrates

Socrates - Teacher, Paragon or Chatterbox?

Dr Carolyn Price discusses the legacy of Socrates, the father of moral philosophy.
Read now ❯Socrates - Teacher, Paragon or Chatterbox?

The Life of Socrates

Who was Socrates? Find out what we know about his life.
Read now ❯The Life of Socrates

The Death of Socrates

Why was Socrates killed? Learn the reasons for his death.
Read now ❯The Death of Socrates

Confucius

Copyright: Professor Roel Sterckx
Confucius - Old Ideas for a Modern China?

Professor Roel Sterckx explores how the philosophy of Confucius still influences modern China.
Read now ❯Confucius - Old Ideas for a Modern China?

Copyright: BBC
Confucian Ancestor Worship

This short animation, narrated by Aidan Turner, looks at Confucian ideals surrounding family and worshipping ancestors.
Watch now ❯Confucian Ancestor Worship

Copyright free: MorgueFile
12 famous Confucius quotes on education and learning

What's your favourite Confucius quote on education and learning? Look at these examples and let us know what you think by voting in our poll.
Take part now ❯12 famous Confucius quotes on education and learning

Learn with the OU

Take a look at the related qualifications, modules and free courses we offer at The Open University.

Qualifications

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MA in Philosophy

Studying this MA in Philosophy will hone your ability to think clearly and logically, and develop your writing, research and analytical skills. You'll study texts from different periods and philosophical perspectives, including works by Plato, Friedrich Nietzsche, Michel Foucault and Hannah Arendt; and you'll investigate contemporary debates on environmental aesthetics, consciousness, global justice, emotion, and morality in politics. Finally, you'll undertake a substantial piece of independent research, writing a dissertation on a topic of your choice.

Learn more ❯MA in Philosophy

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BA (Honours) Religion, Philosophy and Ethics

In this qualification you'll explore human systems of thought and practice, both 'secular' and 'religious', in ways which allow you to engage with wide-ranging and often controversial issues affecting different cultures and societies. You'll investigate current questions and themes in these disciplines from both historical and contemporary perspectives. This includes the ethics of war, political justice, multiculturalism, religious nationalisms, the 'sanctity of life' and pilgrimage. In engaging with the core disciplines of religious studies and philosophy, you'll develop critical skills and expertise in a range of key approaches and methodologies.

Learn more ❯BA (Honours) Religion, Philosophy and Ethics

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BA (Honours) Arts and Humanities (Philosophy)

You will need a computer with internet access to study for this qualification. For most OU qualifications a Microsoft Windows (new since 2007), Apple Mac (OS X 10.6 or later) or Linux computer should be adequate. However, some qualifications require more specific IT equipment, in which case you will need additional software to use an Apple Mac or Linux computer. A detailed technical specification for your modules will be made available when you register. Please note, technical specifications do change over time to match computer developments and the way we teach.

Learn more ❯BA (Honours) Arts and Humanities (Philosophy)

Modules

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Key questions in philosophy

This broad-ranging module investigates five different topics in philosophy: truth in fiction, the justice of war, reason and action, life and death, knowledge and reason. Each topic is approached through a set of key questions that are significant, accessible and engaging. Why do people seek out art that makes them cry? Can a war be fought justly? Can organisations be held responsible for what they do? What might it mean to say that life is sacred? Is science rational? The study materials will enable you to examine these questions in some depth while leaving space for independent study and reflection.

Learn more ❯Key questions in philosophy

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Exploring philosophy

This introduction to philosophy considers fundamental questions from six core areas: the self; philosophy of religion; ethics; knowledge and science; the mind; and political philosophy. Examples of these questions are What makes me 'Me'? Does God exist? Why should I act morally? Can I trust science? How can I, a physical being, have thoughts and emotions? Should I obey laws I disagree with? Philosophers ? both past and present ? have offered radically diverging answers to these and the other questions asked in this module. Guided engagement with this philosophical tradition will provide the platform for you to tackle the big questions of philosophy for yourself.

Learn more ❯Exploring philosophy

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MA Philosophy part 1

The module will introduce you to graduate-level philosophy through the study of four varied and interesting areas: the beauty of nature; a classic text in Ancient Philosophy ? Plato's ; the nature of consciousness; and issues surrounding global justice. Your tutor will guide you through issues such as conducting independent research, and you will have ample opportunity to liaise with fellow-students online. There is also a comprehensive tutorial strategy that involves both tutors and module team authors. The module encourages independent thought and independent study using the huge range of online books and articles available via the OU Library. You can use this module to extend your studies in the subject, or to change to philosophy from another discipline.

Learn more ❯MA Philosophy part 1

Free Courses

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Introducing philosophy

Ever wondered what it would be like to study philosophy? This free course, Introducing philosophy, will introduce you to the teaching methods employed and the types of activities and assignments you would be asked to undertake should you wish to study philosophy and the human situation.

Learn more ❯Introducing philosophy

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Philosophy: The nature of persons

What is a person? This free course, Philosophy: The nature of persons, examines this philosophical question concerning the nature of personhood. You will examine whether a 'person' is the same as a 'human being', and look at whether it is our free will that in the end defines us as a 'person'.

Learn more ❯Philosophy: The nature of persons

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Language and thought: Introducing representation

How does what you say come to mean something? Does what you say inherently represent what you, the speaker, think it means, whatever that might be, or does what you say carry its own meaning, separate from your intentions in saying it? This free course, Language and thought: Introducing representation, introduces you to the key questions about how meaning is conveyed in language.

Learn more ❯Language and thought: Introducing representation

Meet the OU expert

Meet the OU academic consultant on the series.

Copyright: Dr Carolyn Price Dr Carolyn Price, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, FASS

Carolyn Price was a Senior Lecturer in the Philosophy Department of the Arts Faculty at The Open University for almost twenty years. Though she has now retired, she continues to be an honorary associate of the Department.

Carolyn joined the Open University in 2000 after eight years teaching at Oxford. Her first degree was in Classics and she has always had a love of ancient philosophy: while working at The Open University she wrote module material on Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus and Seneca. Her research interests are in contemporary philosophy of mind. She's particularly interested in questions about meaning, rationality and emotion, and the connections between them. Her most recent published paper is on regret, exploring some of the different ways in which regret can be experienced. She develops a fuller of account of emotion in her book 'Emotion ', recently published by Polity Press.

Find out more about Dr Carolyn Price in her academic profile

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Publication details

Originally published: Friday, 22nd March 2019
Last updated on: Thursday, 14th May 2020

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Body text - Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0: The Open University
Image 'Publicity image of Bettany Gaya' - Copyright: BBC
Image 'The Buddha' - Photo Dharma under CC-BY-SA licence under Creative-Commons license
Image 'Image of buddha ' - Copyright: The BBC
Image 'Statue of Confucius' - Copyright: Professor Roel Sterckx
Image 'Confucian ancestor worship animation cover for 'A History of Ideas' ' - Copyright: BBC
Image 'Chinese painting of a tree with a Confucius quote saying: "When I walk along with two others, from at least one I will be able to learn"' - Copyright free: MorgueFile
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Image 'Choose your own philosophy adventure launch image' - The Open University under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 license
Image 'Introducing philosophy' - Copyright: Used with permission
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Image 'Language and thought: Introducing representation' - Copyright: Used with permission
Image 'Photo of Dr Carolyn Price' - Copyright: Dr Carolyn Price
Image 'Publicity image of Bettany Gaya next to a Greek statue head' - Copyright: BBC
Image 'Bettany Hughes with Buddhists' - Copyright: BBC
Image 'Bettany Hughes with Socrates' - Copyright: BBC
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