The Greeks

 My introduction to Socrates, Plato and Aristotle....occurred around the 6th grade, and there was a two paragraph mention of the three old Greek guys, and something about philosophy (remember, this was Alabama in the late 1960s).  There was a test in that six-week period, and I would imagine some question did come up to name the three, but if you asked what they really changed or meant.....nothing in that class established that.

I think there was one additional mention around the 9th grade, and then that was it.  Philosophy, logic and questioning never really came up.  

A couple of years into my Air Force years....I took a course in logic (it was the only course ever....out of fifty-odd courses....that didn't mandate a real test at the conclusion of the class).  On one particular evening, we got into the Socrates and Aristotle chatter, and it was curious to me how you needed logic in your life.

Somewhere around age thirty, I picked up a couple of books one year....on ancient Greek philosophy, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.  I'd refer to that year as a 'year of learning'.  This was all material that I probably should have consumed by age fifteen.  

In today's atmosphere?  If you came to most 18-year old 'kids' in college and mandated a full class of Greek philosophy....they'd launch into a tirade and suggest they don't need wisdom from old Greek dead guys.  

Are we in some darkened area of civilization where even PhD professors are lacking Greek philosophy, and becoming marginalized intellectuals?  I might suggest that.

If you were lacking and wanting a suggest or two on books to start a path toward the Greeks?  I might go and suggest Aristotle's Children (by Richard Rubenstein), and Greek Philosophy: Thales to Socrates.  Both are good starting points.