Philosophy is the framework of modern law and morality. It is the software that governs our minds. In its practice, we question the nature of our existence and glean timeless wisdom that is passed on through the ages. Classical Athens has been in ruins for millennia, but because of philosophy, Socrates lives forever.

This article will investigate the origin of philosophy and the conditions which surround its unique conception. First, it will cover the cultural preconditions necessary to allow for philosophy to have come into existence. Then, it will focus on how those preconditions manifested in early Europe. Finally, it will expand on how these preconditions allowed for the origin of philosophy in classical Greece and its various consequences.