On the basis of Joseph Vincenzo lectures on YouTube on pre-Socratic philosophy and Plato and the assigned texts of the Pre-Socratic fragments, provide three short essay answers (each being from two to two and a half pages double spaced) to the following questions. Substantiate your key points with textual evidence along with your interpretation of the text.
How did ancient western philosophy begin?
What similarities and differences do you find among the teachings of Anaximander, Heraclitus and Parmenides?
How did Plato creatively assimilate pre-Socratic philosophy?