work

In Greek philosophy, the world refers to the totality of shared reality that all things inhabit, and is composed of both the physical environment and the social, cultural, and political structures we create in our minds. Thinking alongside the German philosopher Martin Heidegger, Hannah Arendt explored how the world is not just a physical place, but a human-made space that can be both stable and permanent, and disordered and destructive. The world, therefore, is built through thinking, working, and acting, and it is a place or space where individuals come together to engage in politics, art, and philosophy. Like all things, it is sustained by devotion. In the world is where meaning and human relationship can unfold most fully to shape a collective reality that transcends individual experience. The world is where we shape and are shaped by common human existence.

Ancient Greek philosophers primarily lived and taught in Greek city-states. Many of the most prominent figures were based in Athens where they engaged with citizens in the Agora. The Agora was a central public space in ancient Greek city-states. It served as a marketplace where goods were traded, but it was also a social and political hub. The Agora was where citizens gathered to discuss matters of politics, philosophy, and community life. It was also the setting for intellectual debates and public speeches. The Agora embodied the democratic ideals of ancient Athens, where free citizens could exchange ideas, influence decisions, and shape public life.

In Ancient Greece, workers could be considered free in the sense that they were not slaves, but their freedom was limited in important ways. Free workers were typically artisans, farmers, or merchants who owned their labor and could make their own decisions within certain constraints. However, their freedom was often seen as inferior to that of philosophers and the ruling elite, as they were bound to necessities of survival through tasks that involved the use of their bodies and its implied labor.

In Ancient Greek philosophy, work is the activity through which humans build a stable and enduring world. It is what produces artifacts and structures capable of outlasting their makers by contributing to a shared world. While labor is bound to cycles of survival, work is that which produces lasting, tangible results like buildings, tools, institutions, and other artifacts that form the material foundations of human society. In turn, workers shape the world in which people live and interact by crafting stable environments that support public life, political action, and intellectual engagement. Work is central to the formation of the world because it constructs things and spaces for people to encounter each other.