The Nature of Values in Greek Thought: Between Relativism and Objectivity: A comparative Analytical Study

Abstract

The question of values was at the  heart of heated debate in ancient Greek thought, especially between the Sophists and Plato, The Sophists, adopted a naturalistic view of values, believing that values are relative and dependent on the individual human, This perspective led to moral, epistemological, and other forms of relativism, asserting that there is on absolute truth or value, They emphasized that laws and social customs are merely human agreements subject to change, and that self-interest is the primary driver of actions In stark contrast, Plato defended an idealistic view of values, believing in the existence of an independent realm of Forms or Ideas, where higher values such as justice, goodness, and beauty exist as absolute and immutable, this research, employing a historical, analytical, and comparative methodology, aims to study this profound intellectual conflict over the nature of values, The study concludes that values are both subjective and objective simultaneously, influenced by internal individual considerations and external factors such as culture customs, and beliefs specific to each society.