Greek Popular Religion in Greek Philosophy

Jon D. Mikalson examines how Socrates Plato Aristotle and other Greek philosophers described interpreted criticized and utilized the components and concepts of the religion of the people of their time - practices such as sacrifice prayer dedications and divination. The chief concepts involved are those of piety and impiety and after a thorough analysis of the philosophical texts Mikalson offers a refined definition of Greek piety dividing it into its two constituent elements of `proper respect'' for the gods and `religious correctness''. He concludes with a demonstration of the benevolence of the gods in the philosophical tradition linking it to the expectation of that benevolence evinced by popular religion.