Culture of free thinking? Socrates, the most iconic free thinker of all time was forced to commit suicide by the greeks. So much for a culture of free thinking.
> They also sentenced some of their free thinkers to death for not worshipping the gods but that’s a separate issue.
It isn't. It directly contradicts and refutes your assertion.
See my last sentence.
> It directly contradicts and refutes your assertion.
Maybe Greek society was not a homogeneous mass, and some parts of it nurtured free thinking while others reacted against it?
So then your assertion was incorrect: 'they started a culture of free thinking that grew into philosophy, logic, and scientific inquiry.' They didn't start anything? Some of them did? What are you even saying then?
It's idiot's logic to claim that greeks nurtured free thinkers while admitting they killed free thinkers.
Instead of digging yourself a bigger hole, just admit you were wrong.