How did regular Greeks make sense of natural occurrences before scientific reasoning emerged?

Answer 1

Before scientific reasoning emerged, regular Greeks often explained natural occurrences through mythological explanations. They believed that gods and goddesses controlled the natural world, and that certain events such as earthquakes, storms, and illnesses were caused by their actions or influences.

For example, Greeks believed that Zeus, the king of the gods, controlled thunder and lightning, and that storms were a result of his anger or displeasure. They also believed that Poseidon, the god of the sea, caused earthquakes and tidal waves when he was unhappy.

Overall, the Greeks viewed natural occurrences as manifestations of the divine and believed that they were the result of the gods' will or actions. It wasn't until the emergence of scientific reasoning and the development of disciplines such as physics, biology, and astronomy that natural occurrences were understood through empirical observation and experimentation.