Final answer:
The ancient Greeks redefined the concept of truth within Western philosophy and science to be something understood through human reason, laying the groundwork for rational inquiry separated from supernatural explanations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ancient Greeks are renowned for establishing the foundations of Western philosophy and science. Such a recognition isn’t attributed to exact scientific conclusions, as much of the early Greek scientific thinking was factually incorrect, but rather for their pioneering spirit of rational inquiry. This methodology proposed that the natural world wasn't shrouded in mysticism but could be understood through human examination and reasoning. Philosophers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle not only contributed to philosophy but laid the groundwork for science by separating the understanding of the natural world from supernatural explanations. Fundamental to this philosophical tradition, the Greeks considered truth something to be sought after through logic and empirical evidence rather than as mere divine revelation or tradition.
In the context of the Western tradition, truth was redefined by the Greeks as something that can be pursued and understood through human reason and evidence-based inquiry. Essential figures in this transformation include pre-Socratics, Socrates himself, and his disciples Plato and Aristotle, all of whom forged the long-lasting legacy of Greek philosophy. This shift in understanding truth through scientific and philosophical means rather than through divine insight is one of the pivotal contributions of ancient Greek culture to the development of modern Western civilization.