James Halteman and Edd Noell
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199763702
- eISBN:
- 9780199932252
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199763702.003.0002
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Financial Economics
After considering why modern economists pay little attention to ancient thinkers, the chapter explores the views of Aristotle with particular attention to his views on the moral life. Aristotle’s ...
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After considering why modern economists pay little attention to ancient thinkers, the chapter explores the views of Aristotle with particular attention to his views on the moral life. Aristotle’s view of happiness focuses on what is really good for people rather than what is desired at any given time. Morality for Aristotle was not religious. His views on social organization, exchange and pricing, money and interest, and all other economic matters focused on justice and true happiness. Hesiod’s portrayal of the common person is then contrasted with Aristotle’s idealized vision. The chapter also describes the contribution of the Hebrews and some of the biblical teaching on economic relationships as well as the Stoic philosophy that caught the attention of Adam Smith many centuries later. The vignette at the end of the chapter is titled “Aristotle and the Purpose of Life.”Less
After considering why modern economists pay little attention to ancient thinkers, the chapter explores the views of Aristotle with particular attention to his views on the moral life. Aristotle’s view of happiness focuses on what is really good for people rather than what is desired at any given time. Morality for Aristotle was not religious. His views on social organization, exchange and pricing, money and interest, and all other economic matters focused on justice and true happiness. Hesiod’s portrayal of the common person is then contrasted with Aristotle’s idealized vision. The chapter also describes the contribution of the Hebrews and some of the biblical teaching on economic relationships as well as the Stoic philosophy that caught the attention of Adam Smith many centuries later. The vignette at the end of the chapter is titled “Aristotle and the Purpose of Life.”
Katja Maria Vogt
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195320091
- eISBN:
- 9780199869657
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195320091.001.0001
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Ancient Philosophy
The book is a comprehensive study of early Stoic political philosophy. It considers the conceptions of the cosmic city and the common law as central to the Stoics' theory, and discusses how these ...
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The book is a comprehensive study of early Stoic political philosophy. It considers the conceptions of the cosmic city and the common law as central to the Stoics' theory, and discusses how these conceptions are integral to Stoic thought on reason, wisdom, and life in agreement with nature. Accordingly, the book devotes detailed attention to central areas of Stoic philosophy, such as the theory of affiliation (oikeiôsis), appropriate and perfect action, epistemology, and theology. The book discusses competing interpretations of Stoic cosmopolitanism, arguing that the ideal city of the early Stoics is the cosmos and thus is already in existence. All human beings live in the cosmic city, but only the wise and the gods are its citizens. The book devotes equal attention to the interpretation of the Stoics' conception of law. To live by the law, it is argued, is to live by nature, in a way which relies on understanding what is of value to human beings, rather than on following a set of rules. Against the view that early Stoic thought about these issues is best described as exploring an ideal for individual agents, the book argues that the Stoics are offering a theory which, while deeply connected with the core concerns of Stoic ethics, can be considered a genuine contribution to political philosophy.Less
The book is a comprehensive study of early Stoic political philosophy. It considers the conceptions of the cosmic city and the common law as central to the Stoics' theory, and discusses how these conceptions are integral to Stoic thought on reason, wisdom, and life in agreement with nature. Accordingly, the book devotes detailed attention to central areas of Stoic philosophy, such as the theory of affiliation (oikeiôsis), appropriate and perfect action, epistemology, and theology. The book discusses competing interpretations of Stoic cosmopolitanism, arguing that the ideal city of the early Stoics is the cosmos and thus is already in existence. All human beings live in the cosmic city, but only the wise and the gods are its citizens. The book devotes equal attention to the interpretation of the Stoics' conception of law. To live by the law, it is argued, is to live by nature, in a way which relies on understanding what is of value to human beings, rather than on following a set of rules. Against the view that early Stoic thought about these issues is best described as exploring an ideal for individual agents, the book argues that the Stoics are offering a theory which, while deeply connected with the core concerns of Stoic ethics, can be considered a genuine contribution to political philosophy.
Theodore Scaltsas and Andrew S. Mason (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199233076
- eISBN:
- 9780191716416
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199233076.001.0001
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Ancient Philosophy
The Stoic philosopher Epictetus has been one of the most influential of ancient thinkers, both in antiquity itself and in modern times. This book includes ten chapters which discuss Epictetus' ...
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The Stoic philosopher Epictetus has been one of the most influential of ancient thinkers, both in antiquity itself and in modern times. This book includes ten chapters which discuss Epictetus' thought on a wide range of subjects, including ethics, logic, theology, and psychology. They explore his relations to his predecessors (including his two philosophical heroes, Socrates and Diogenes the Cynic, as well as the earlier Stoic tradition) and examine his influence on later thinkers. Topics which receive special attention include Epictetus' conception of philosophical education; his view of God, and of the philosopher's divine vocation; his distinctive conception of proairesis (will or rational decision), which is one of the most innovative features of his philosophy; and his theory of the different roles an individual can perform in life, and the different perspectives which they involve.Less
The Stoic philosopher Epictetus has been one of the most influential of ancient thinkers, both in antiquity itself and in modern times. This book includes ten chapters which discuss Epictetus' thought on a wide range of subjects, including ethics, logic, theology, and psychology. They explore his relations to his predecessors (including his two philosophical heroes, Socrates and Diogenes the Cynic, as well as the earlier Stoic tradition) and examine his influence on later thinkers. Topics which receive special attention include Epictetus' conception of philosophical education; his view of God, and of the philosopher's divine vocation; his distinctive conception of proairesis (will or rational decision), which is one of the most innovative features of his philosophy; and his theory of the different roles an individual can perform in life, and the different perspectives which they involve.
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- August 2004
- ISBN:
- 9780199245789
- eISBN:
- 9780191601453
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199245789.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Early Christian Studies
De officiis, by Ambrose of Milan (c. 339–397), is one of the most important texts of Latin Patristic literature, and a major work of early Christian ethics. Modelled on the De officiis ...
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De officiis, by Ambrose of Milan (c. 339–397), is one of the most important texts of Latin Patristic literature, and a major work of early Christian ethics. Modelled on the De officiis of Cicero, it synthesizes Stoic assumptions on virtue and expediency with biblical patterns of humility, charity, and self–denial to present Ambrose's vision of conduct appropriate for representatives of the church of Milan in the late 380s. Ambrose aspires to demonstrate that Christian values not only match but also exceed the moral standards advocated by Cicero. His purpose is not to build bridges between Cicero and Christ, but to replace Cicero's work with a new Christian account of duties, designed to show the social triumph of the gospel in the world of the Roman Empire. This edition consists of Ambrose's Latin text and a new English translation, the first since the nineteenth century. The Introduction considers in detail such matters as the composition of the work, its intended purpose, and its combination of biblical teaching and Ciceronian Stoicism. The Commentary (Volume 2 of the set) concentrates on the structure of the work, its copious citations of Scripture and Cicero, and its historical and social context.Less
De officiis, by Ambrose of Milan (c. 339–397), is one of the most important texts of Latin Patristic literature, and a major work of early Christian ethics. Modelled on the De officiis of Cicero, it synthesizes Stoic assumptions on virtue and expediency with biblical patterns of humility, charity, and self–denial to present Ambrose's vision of conduct appropriate for representatives of the church of Milan in the late 380s. Ambrose aspires to demonstrate that Christian values not only match but also exceed the moral standards advocated by Cicero. His purpose is not to build bridges between Cicero and Christ, but to replace Cicero's work with a new Christian account of duties, designed to show the social triumph of the gospel in the world of the Roman Empire. This edition consists of Ambrose's Latin text and a new English translation, the first since the nineteenth century. The Introduction considers in detail such matters as the composition of the work, its intended purpose, and its combination of biblical teaching and Ciceronian Stoicism. The Commentary (Volume 2 of the set) concentrates on the structure of the work, its copious citations of Scripture and Cicero, and its historical and social context.
Gregory A. Staley
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- February 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195387438
- eISBN:
- 9780199866809
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195387438.001.0001
- Subject:
- Literature, Criticism/Theory
As both a literary genre and a view of life, tragedy has from the very beginning spurred a dialogue between poetry and philosophy. Plato wanted to ban tragedians from his ideal community because he ...
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As both a literary genre and a view of life, tragedy has from the very beginning spurred a dialogue between poetry and philosophy. Plato wanted to ban tragedians from his ideal community because he believed that they dabbled in the philosopher’s business but had no “idea” what they were doing. Aristotle set out to answer Plato’s objections by arguing that fiction offers a faithful image of the truth and promotes emotional health through the mechanism of catharsis. This book argues that Aristotle’s definition of tragedy actually had its greatest impact not on Greek tragedy itself but on the later history of the idea of tragedy, beginning with the tragedies of the Roman poet and Stoic philosopher Seneca (4 bc–ad 65), whose Latin plays were known and read in the Renaissance for centuries before the now more famous Greek tragedies were rediscovered. When Sir Philip Sidney (1554–1586) composed An Apology for Poetry, he borrowed from Seneca the word idea to designate what we would now label as a “theory” of tragedy. Through Sidney, Seneca’s plays came to exemplify an idea of tragedy that was at its core Aristotelian. Senecan tragedy enacts Aristotle’s conception of the genre as a vivid image of the truth and treats tragedy as a natural venue in which to explore the human soul.Less
As both a literary genre and a view of life, tragedy has from the very beginning spurred a dialogue between poetry and philosophy. Plato wanted to ban tragedians from his ideal community because he believed that they dabbled in the philosopher’s business but had no “idea” what they were doing. Aristotle set out to answer Plato’s objections by arguing that fiction offers a faithful image of the truth and promotes emotional health through the mechanism of catharsis. This book argues that Aristotle’s definition of tragedy actually had its greatest impact not on Greek tragedy itself but on the later history of the idea of tragedy, beginning with the tragedies of the Roman poet and Stoic philosopher Seneca (4 bc–ad 65), whose Latin plays were known and read in the Renaissance for centuries before the now more famous Greek tragedies were rediscovered. When Sir Philip Sidney (1554–1586) composed An Apology for Poetry, he borrowed from Seneca the word idea to designate what we would now label as a “theory” of tragedy. Through Sidney, Seneca’s plays came to exemplify an idea of tragedy that was at its core Aristotelian. Senecan tragedy enacts Aristotle’s conception of the genre as a vivid image of the truth and treats tragedy as a natural venue in which to explore the human soul.
David Ulansey
- Published in print:
- 1991
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195067880
- eISBN:
- 9780199853328
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195067880.001.0001
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion in the Ancient World
This book argues that the Roman cult of Mithras did not originate in Persia, as previously thought. Instead, the author suggests that the cult was triggered by the reaction of a group of Tarsian ...
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This book argues that the Roman cult of Mithras did not originate in Persia, as previously thought. Instead, the author suggests that the cult was triggered by the reaction of a group of Tarsian intellectuals to the discovery in 128 BCE of the Precession of the Spheres. To these fatalistic Stoics the only possible explanation for this phenomenon was the existence of a divinity powerful enough to shift the heavens, and this was to become the revelation at the heart of the Mithraic mysteries. This information was then married to the astrology of the zodiac and to the symbolism of popular Tarsian myths surrounding Perseus to create the fabric of the religion. This study is a carefully researched description of an ancient cult, which has long fascinated scholars by virtue of the lack of written evidence concerning it and the paradoxical wealth of artefacts and iconography uncovered by archaeologists.Less
This book argues that the Roman cult of Mithras did not originate in Persia, as previously thought. Instead, the author suggests that the cult was triggered by the reaction of a group of Tarsian intellectuals to the discovery in 128 BCE of the Precession of the Spheres. To these fatalistic Stoics the only possible explanation for this phenomenon was the existence of a divinity powerful enough to shift the heavens, and this was to become the revelation at the heart of the Mithraic mysteries. This information was then married to the astrology of the zodiac and to the symbolism of popular Tarsian myths surrounding Perseus to create the fabric of the religion. This study is a carefully researched description of an ancient cult, which has long fascinated scholars by virtue of the lack of written evidence concerning it and the paradoxical wealth of artefacts and iconography uncovered by archaeologists.
Jaap Mansfeld
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199644384
- eISBN:
- 9780191743344
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199644384.003.0009
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Ancient Philosophy
Michael Frede's posthumously published Sather Lectures discuss the origin and scope of the concept of a free will in antiquity, from the Stoics to Augustine via, among others, Alexander of ...
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Michael Frede's posthumously published Sather Lectures discuss the origin and scope of the concept of a free will in antiquity, from the Stoics to Augustine via, among others, Alexander of Aphrodisias and Plotinus. Here Frede disagrees that a notion of the will as a factor or distinct event in the mind appears only with Augustine. This chapter analyses the Sather Lectures chapter by chapter. The theme of free will is tricky because the concept has become problematic in contemporary philosophy, and so may well have outlived its usefulness, this chapter states. Frede's aim, however, is not philosophical but historical.Less
Michael Frede's posthumously published Sather Lectures discuss the origin and scope of the concept of a free will in antiquity, from the Stoics to Augustine via, among others, Alexander of Aphrodisias and Plotinus. Here Frede disagrees that a notion of the will as a factor or distinct event in the mind appears only with Augustine. This chapter analyses the Sather Lectures chapter by chapter. The theme of free will is tricky because the concept has become problematic in contemporary philosophy, and so may well have outlived its usefulness, this chapter states. Frede's aim, however, is not philosophical but historical.
R. E. Jennings
- Published in print:
- 1995
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195075243
- eISBN:
- 9780199852970
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195075243.001.0001
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Philosophy of Language
This book presents a study of the English word or, and the logical operators variously proposed to present its meaning. Although there are indisputably disjunctive uses of or in English, it is a ...
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This book presents a study of the English word or, and the logical operators variously proposed to present its meaning. Although there are indisputably disjunctive uses of or in English, it is a mistake to suppose that logical disjunction represents its core meaning. Or is descended from the Anglo-Saxon word meaning second, a form which survives in such expressions as ‘every other day’. Its disjunctive uses arise through metalinguistic applications of an intermediate adverbial meaning which is conjunctive rather than disjunctive in character. These conjunctive uses have puzzled philosophers and logicians, and have been discussed extensively under such headings as ‘free choice permission’. This study examines the textbook myths that have clouded our understanding of how or and other ‘logical’ vocabulary comes to have something approaching its logical meaning in natural languages. It considers the various historical conceptions of disjunction and its place in logic from the Stoics to the present day.Less
This book presents a study of the English word or, and the logical operators variously proposed to present its meaning. Although there are indisputably disjunctive uses of or in English, it is a mistake to suppose that logical disjunction represents its core meaning. Or is descended from the Anglo-Saxon word meaning second, a form which survives in such expressions as ‘every other day’. Its disjunctive uses arise through metalinguistic applications of an intermediate adverbial meaning which is conjunctive rather than disjunctive in character. These conjunctive uses have puzzled philosophers and logicians, and have been discussed extensively under such headings as ‘free choice permission’. This study examines the textbook myths that have clouded our understanding of how or and other ‘logical’ vocabulary comes to have something approaching its logical meaning in natural languages. It considers the various historical conceptions of disjunction and its place in logic from the Stoics to the present day.
J. C. B. Gosling and C. C. W. Taylor
- Published in print:
- 1982
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198246664
- eISBN:
- 9780191681035
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198246664.001.0001
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Ancient Philosophy, Moral Philosophy
This book aims to provide a critical and analytical history of ancient Greek theories of the nature of pleasure and of its value and role in human life, from the earliest times down to the period of ...
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This book aims to provide a critical and analytical history of ancient Greek theories of the nature of pleasure and of its value and role in human life, from the earliest times down to the period of Epicurus and the early Stoics. While there have been many valuable studies of particular aspects of the topic, and several surveys of the treatment of pleasure by individual ancient writers (notably the monographs of Tenkku and Voigthinder on Plato, and Lieberg and Rieken on Aristotle), this is the first attempt at a comprehensive review of the contribution of the ancient Greeks to the theoretical understanding of pleasure. In view both of the central position which the major thinkers of the period accorded to the topic and of the inter-connectedness of many of their theories, the authors believe that the lack of such a study was a lacuna in the literature which they should attempt to fill.Less
This book aims to provide a critical and analytical history of ancient Greek theories of the nature of pleasure and of its value and role in human life, from the earliest times down to the period of Epicurus and the early Stoics. While there have been many valuable studies of particular aspects of the topic, and several surveys of the treatment of pleasure by individual ancient writers (notably the monographs of Tenkku and Voigthinder on Plato, and Lieberg and Rieken on Aristotle), this is the first attempt at a comprehensive review of the contribution of the ancient Greeks to the theoretical understanding of pleasure. In view both of the central position which the major thinkers of the period accorded to the topic and of the inter-connectedness of many of their theories, the authors believe that the lack of such a study was a lacuna in the literature which they should attempt to fill.
A. A. Long
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- January 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199279128
- eISBN:
- 9780191706769
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199279128.001.0001
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Ancient Philosophy
This book presents eighteen essays on the philosophers and schools of the Hellenistic and Roman periods: Epicureans, Stoics, and Sceptics. The discussion ranges over four centuries of innovative and ...
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This book presents eighteen essays on the philosophers and schools of the Hellenistic and Roman periods: Epicureans, Stoics, and Sceptics. The discussion ranges over four centuries of innovative and challenging thought in ethics and politics, psychology, epistemology, and cosmology. The focus is on the distinctive contributions and methodologies of individual thinkers, notably Epicurus, Zeno, Pyrrho, Arcesilaus, Lucretius, Cicero, Seneca, and Epictetus. Placing their philosophy in its cultural context, and considering it in relation to the earlier ideas of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, the author invites readers to imagine themselves choosing between Stoicism and Epicureanism as philosophies of life. All but one of these pieces has been previously published in periodicals or conference volumes, but the author has revised and updated everything, and has also added postscripts to many of the essays.Less
This book presents eighteen essays on the philosophers and schools of the Hellenistic and Roman periods: Epicureans, Stoics, and Sceptics. The discussion ranges over four centuries of innovative and challenging thought in ethics and politics, psychology, epistemology, and cosmology. The focus is on the distinctive contributions and methodologies of individual thinkers, notably Epicurus, Zeno, Pyrrho, Arcesilaus, Lucretius, Cicero, Seneca, and Epictetus. Placing their philosophy in its cultural context, and considering it in relation to the earlier ideas of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, the author invites readers to imagine themselves choosing between Stoicism and Epicureanism as philosophies of life. All but one of these pieces has been previously published in periodicals or conference volumes, but the author has revised and updated everything, and has also added postscripts to many of the essays.
Michael J. White
- Published in print:
- 1992
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198239529
- eISBN:
- 9780191679940
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198239529.003.0013
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Ancient Philosophy, Philosophy of Science
This chapter begins with a quotation taken from the introductory essay to the mathematical summa edited by Aleksandrov, Kolmogorov, and Lavrent'ev. The opposition between the continuous and the ...
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This chapter begins with a quotation taken from the introductory essay to the mathematical summa edited by Aleksandrov, Kolmogorov, and Lavrent'ev. The opposition between the continuous and the discrete described by Aleksandrov has been the principal theme of this book, and has given the book its title. Aristotle maintains this opposition in a sharp, rigid way. Meanwhile, ancient quantum theorists undermined the opposition in the most radical way by eliminating the continuous in favour of the discrete. On the other hand, Stoic physical thought emphasizes continuity in the physical world at the expense of discreteness. At a mathematical level, means for overcoming this opposition were not available until the latter part of the nineteenth century.Less
This chapter begins with a quotation taken from the introductory essay to the mathematical summa edited by Aleksandrov, Kolmogorov, and Lavrent'ev. The opposition between the continuous and the discrete described by Aleksandrov has been the principal theme of this book, and has given the book its title. Aristotle maintains this opposition in a sharp, rigid way. Meanwhile, ancient quantum theorists undermined the opposition in the most radical way by eliminating the continuous in favour of the discrete. On the other hand, Stoic physical thought emphasizes continuity in the physical world at the expense of discreteness. At a mathematical level, means for overcoming this opposition were not available until the latter part of the nineteenth century.
Michael J. White
- Published in print:
- 1992
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198239529
- eISBN:
- 9780191679940
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198239529.003.0009
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Ancient Philosophy, Philosophy of Science
Part II investigates two Hellenistic models of spatial magnitude, time, and motion — models that can be seen as conceptual alternatives to the Aristotelian model considered in some detail in Part I. ...
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Part II investigates two Hellenistic models of spatial magnitude, time, and motion — models that can be seen as conceptual alternatives to the Aristotelian model considered in some detail in Part I. One such model is the atomistic or quantum model, associated not only with Epicurean atomists but also with the dialectical philosopher Diodorus Cronus. The other alternative model is Stoic in provenance and involves the elimination of geometrical boundaries and other limit entities from the physical world.Less
Part II investigates two Hellenistic models of spatial magnitude, time, and motion — models that can be seen as conceptual alternatives to the Aristotelian model considered in some detail in Part I. One such model is the atomistic or quantum model, associated not only with Epicurean atomists but also with the dialectical philosopher Diodorus Cronus. The other alternative model is Stoic in provenance and involves the elimination of geometrical boundaries and other limit entities from the physical world.
George E. Karamanolis
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780199264568
- eISBN:
- 9780191603990
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199264562.003.0002
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Ancient Philosophy
This chapter begins with a discussion of Antiochus’ debate with Philo of Larissa. It then analyses Antiochus’ thesis on the philosophies of Plato, Aristotle, and the Stoics. According to Antiochus, ...
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This chapter begins with a discussion of Antiochus’ debate with Philo of Larissa. It then analyses Antiochus’ thesis on the philosophies of Plato, Aristotle, and the Stoics. According to Antiochus, the most essential part of philosophy, particularly Plato’s philosophy, is ethics, and his most crucial doctrine is about how to achieve a good life. Antiochus shares the Stoic view that virtue requires secure knowledge; without such knowledge, no ethical system can exist. He is convinced that Plato has coherent and systematic ethics, which he reconstructs from that of Aristotle and Polemo. Antiochus is neither an eclectic nor a syncretist, as has often been claimed. Antiochus did not muddle various doctrines from Plato and Platonists, Aristotle, and the Stoics. Rather, he had a certain conception of Plato’s philosophy which he tried to reconstruct as faithfully as he could through the testimonies of the early Academics, Aristotle, and the Stoics, according to the degree to which they were indebted to Plato.Less
This chapter begins with a discussion of Antiochus’ debate with Philo of Larissa. It then analyses Antiochus’ thesis on the philosophies of Plato, Aristotle, and the Stoics. According to Antiochus, the most essential part of philosophy, particularly Plato’s philosophy, is ethics, and his most crucial doctrine is about how to achieve a good life. Antiochus shares the Stoic view that virtue requires secure knowledge; without such knowledge, no ethical system can exist. He is convinced that Plato has coherent and systematic ethics, which he reconstructs from that of Aristotle and Polemo. Antiochus is neither an eclectic nor a syncretist, as has often been claimed. Antiochus did not muddle various doctrines from Plato and Platonists, Aristotle, and the Stoics. Rather, he had a certain conception of Plato’s philosophy which he tried to reconstruct as faithfully as he could through the testimonies of the early Academics, Aristotle, and the Stoics, according to the degree to which they were indebted to Plato.
George E. Karamanolis
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780199264568
- eISBN:
- 9780191603990
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199264562.003.0007
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Ancient Philosophy
This chapter examines the instances in which Plotinus compares Peripatetic and Platonic views, and attempts to sketch a preliminary answer to the question of how Plotinus saw the relationship between ...
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This chapter examines the instances in which Plotinus compares Peripatetic and Platonic views, and attempts to sketch a preliminary answer to the question of how Plotinus saw the relationship between Platonic and Aristotelian philosophies. It is argued that Plotinus’ attitude to Aristotle’s doctrines is complex and differs from case to case. In general, Plotinus is cautious in accepting Aristotelian views and when he does so, he subjects them to critical judgment. This cautiousness results from his belief that Aristotle’s metaphysics is considerably different from that of Plato and results in serious problems and inconsistencies, which Plotinus sets out to show, often targeting Alexander’s interpretation of Aristotle. Despite this, Plotinus does not show hostility to Aristotle; quite the opposite, he sometimes refrains from criticizing him. Several different uses of Aristotle by Plotinus are identified.Less
This chapter examines the instances in which Plotinus compares Peripatetic and Platonic views, and attempts to sketch a preliminary answer to the question of how Plotinus saw the relationship between Platonic and Aristotelian philosophies. It is argued that Plotinus’ attitude to Aristotle’s doctrines is complex and differs from case to case. In general, Plotinus is cautious in accepting Aristotelian views and when he does so, he subjects them to critical judgment. This cautiousness results from his belief that Aristotle’s metaphysics is considerably different from that of Plato and results in serious problems and inconsistencies, which Plotinus sets out to show, often targeting Alexander’s interpretation of Aristotle. Despite this, Plotinus does not show hostility to Aristotle; quite the opposite, he sometimes refrains from criticizing him. Several different uses of Aristotle by Plotinus are identified.
A. A. Long
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- January 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199279128
- eISBN:
- 9780191706769
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199279128.003.0001
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Ancient Philosophy
The peculiarity of Hellenistic ethics is explored to understand its special significance. The issue is approached as a question concerning the intellectual history of Hellenistic philosophy in its ...
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The peculiarity of Hellenistic ethics is explored to understand its special significance. The issue is approached as a question concerning the intellectual history of Hellenistic philosophy in its formative years. A comprehensive answer would have to include subsequent developments of the Hellenistic schools, their reception at Rome, and their entry into the Renaissance. The focus of this chapter is the investigation of what it was about the ethical projects of the innovative Hellenistic philosophers that prepared the way for this curious legacy.Less
The peculiarity of Hellenistic ethics is explored to understand its special significance. The issue is approached as a question concerning the intellectual history of Hellenistic philosophy in its formative years. A comprehensive answer would have to include subsequent developments of the Hellenistic schools, their reception at Rome, and their entry into the Renaissance. The focus of this chapter is the investigation of what it was about the ethical projects of the innovative Hellenistic philosophers that prepared the way for this curious legacy.
A. A. Long
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- January 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199279128
- eISBN:
- 9780191706769
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199279128.003.0002
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Ancient Philosophy
This chapter focuses on the idea of philosophy as the art of life, studying the foundations and implications of this idea, with a view to asking whether some version of it can still be useful to ...
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This chapter focuses on the idea of philosophy as the art of life, studying the foundations and implications of this idea, with a view to asking whether some version of it can still be useful to ethics. The embryo of this idea can be traced back to Socrates and the sophists, but its full and explicit development only began with the founding fathers of Stoicism in the third century bc. The idea is also implicit in Epicureanism; and it became widespread in later antiquity when it was contested by Sceptics. The discussion will incorporate the Epicureans as well as the Stoics, because both schools — in spite of their obvious divergences and rivalry — share many similarities in their basic assumptions and in what they promise their adherents. That common ground provides an understanding of the ancient appeal of both systems, while their divergences show that an art of life was taken to involve a totally consistent self-orientation, mediated by one's choice of system.Less
This chapter focuses on the idea of philosophy as the art of life, studying the foundations and implications of this idea, with a view to asking whether some version of it can still be useful to ethics. The embryo of this idea can be traced back to Socrates and the sophists, but its full and explicit development only began with the founding fathers of Stoicism in the third century bc. The idea is also implicit in Epicureanism; and it became widespread in later antiquity when it was contested by Sceptics. The discussion will incorporate the Epicureans as well as the Stoics, because both schools — in spite of their obvious divergences and rivalry — share many similarities in their basic assumptions and in what they promise their adherents. That common ground provides an understanding of the ancient appeal of both systems, while their divergences show that an art of life was taken to involve a totally consistent self-orientation, mediated by one's choice of system.
A. A. Long
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- January 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199279128
- eISBN:
- 9780191706769
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199279128.003.0003
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Ancient Philosophy
The purpose in this chapter is not to cast doubt on Aristotle's dogmatic credentials, but rather focuses on a series of questions that seem to have gone largely unasked. How far is Aristotle aware of ...
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The purpose in this chapter is not to cast doubt on Aristotle's dogmatic credentials, but rather focuses on a series of questions that seem to have gone largely unasked. How far is Aristotle aware of the sceptical challenge to knowledge, and how far does he attempt to answer it? How does he assess earlier Greek thinkers who have been regarded as forerunners of the official sceptics? How much, if at all, did his own work influence and anticipate the debates between sceptics and dogmatists that are charted in Cicero'sAcademicaand the writings of Sextus? It is argued that these questions are profitable lines of enquiry, and that Aristotle deserves more than the occasional footnote in histories of ancient scepticism.Less
The purpose in this chapter is not to cast doubt on Aristotle's dogmatic credentials, but rather focuses on a series of questions that seem to have gone largely unasked. How far is Aristotle aware of the sceptical challenge to knowledge, and how far does he attempt to answer it? How does he assess earlier Greek thinkers who have been regarded as forerunners of the official sceptics? How much, if at all, did his own work influence and anticipate the debates between sceptics and dogmatists that are charted in Cicero'sAcademicaand the writings of Sextus? It is argued that these questions are profitable lines of enquiry, and that Aristotle deserves more than the occasional footnote in histories of ancient scepticism.
A. A. Long
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- January 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199279128
- eISBN:
- 9780191706769
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199279128.003.0005
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Ancient Philosophy
No philosopher in the early Hellenistic period is more intriguing than Arcesilaus of Pitane, and few are of comparable historical significance. Arcesilaus in effect was the founder of Greek ...
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No philosopher in the early Hellenistic period is more intriguing than Arcesilaus of Pitane, and few are of comparable historical significance. Arcesilaus in effect was the founder of Greek scepticism as a methodology for demonstrating that every claim to knowledge or theoretical belief could be met with a counter-argument of equal strength. By his rejoinders to Stoic theses, Arcesilaus ensured that Stoic philosophers must be constantly on the alert against sceptical challenges. Arcesilaus' formative years and relation to Stoics, and his dialectical methods and Socratic persona are discussed.Less
No philosopher in the early Hellenistic period is more intriguing than Arcesilaus of Pitane, and few are of comparable historical significance. Arcesilaus in effect was the founder of Greek scepticism as a methodology for demonstrating that every claim to knowledge or theoretical belief could be met with a counter-argument of equal strength. By his rejoinders to Stoic theses, Arcesilaus ensured that Stoic philosophers must be constantly on the alert against sceptical challenges. Arcesilaus' formative years and relation to Stoics, and his dialectical methods and Socratic persona are discussed.
A. A. Long
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- January 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199279128
- eISBN:
- 9780191706769
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199279128.003.0006
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Ancient Philosophy
The philosophical sceptic attacks, in the doctrines of his rivals, not or not primarily the traditional features of the gods that the doctrinaire schools retain, but the rational innovations — the ...
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The philosophical sceptic attacks, in the doctrines of his rivals, not or not primarily the traditional features of the gods that the doctrinaire schools retain, but the rational innovations — the attempt to justify theological doctrines by appeal to experience, conceptual analysis, and argument. Sextus Empiricus characterizes the sceptic as one who may be in a safer position than other philosophers: he abides by local traditions in saying that gods exist and in worshipping them. Even the official sceptics make no profession of seeking to undermine religious beliefs outside a specific dialectical context. Their object is not to induce atheism, but to show that, for every argument concluding to the existence of gods, an argument of equal strength can be advanced on the opposite side. The sceptic intends to leave himself and his audience in a position whereby they neither affirm nor deny the existence of gods.Less
The philosophical sceptic attacks, in the doctrines of his rivals, not or not primarily the traditional features of the gods that the doctrinaire schools retain, but the rational innovations — the attempt to justify theological doctrines by appeal to experience, conceptual analysis, and argument. Sextus Empiricus characterizes the sceptic as one who may be in a safer position than other philosophers: he abides by local traditions in saying that gods exist and in worshipping them. Even the official sceptics make no profession of seeking to undermine religious beliefs outside a specific dialectical context. Their object is not to induce atheism, but to show that, for every argument concluding to the existence of gods, an argument of equal strength can be advanced on the opposite side. The sceptic intends to leave himself and his audience in a position whereby they neither affirm nor deny the existence of gods.
A. A. Long
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- January 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199279128
- eISBN:
- 9780191706769
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199279128.003.0007
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Ancient Philosophy
Arguments for and against the main principles of astrology have a continuous history from the second century bc up to the time of Augustine. This chapter focuses on three stages of a complex debate, ...
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Arguments for and against the main principles of astrology have a continuous history from the second century bc up to the time of Augustine. This chapter focuses on three stages of a complex debate, which began with Stoics and Academics and continued into Neoplatonism and Christianity. Following some historical preliminaries, ‘the controversy according to Cicero’, which establishes the chief foundations of later argument, is analyzed. Ptolemy's defences of astrology, and his success in meeting sceptical criticism as represented by Cicero, Favorinus, and Sextus Empiricus are considered, glancing for comparison at Manilius. Some later developments are sketched: the positive arguments of Firmicus Maternus, the qualified criticisms of Plotinus, and the attacks of Augustine.Less
Arguments for and against the main principles of astrology have a continuous history from the second century bc up to the time of Augustine. This chapter focuses on three stages of a complex debate, which began with Stoics and Academics and continued into Neoplatonism and Christianity. Following some historical preliminaries, ‘the controversy according to Cicero’, which establishes the chief foundations of later argument, is analyzed. Ptolemy's defences of astrology, and his success in meeting sceptical criticism as represented by Cicero, Favorinus, and Sextus Empiricus are considered, glancing for comparison at Manilius. Some later developments are sketched: the positive arguments of Firmicus Maternus, the qualified criticisms of Plotinus, and the attacks of Augustine.
