Showing posts with label Western Philosophers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Western Philosophers. Show all posts
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Lucian
Lucian of Samosata (c. A.D. 125 – after A.D. 180) was an Assyrian rhetorician and satirist who wrote in the Greek language. He is noted for his witty and scoffing nature.
Musonius Rufus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaius_Musonius_Rufus
http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/richard_carrier/musonius.html
Gaius Musonius Rufus was a Roman Stoic philosopher of the 1st century AD. He taught philosophy in Rome during the reign of Nero, as consequence of which he was sent into exile in 65 AD, only returning to Rome under Galba. He was allowed to stay in Rome when Vespasian banished all the other philosophers from the city in 71 AD, although he was eventually banished anyway, only returning after Vespasian's death. A collection of extracts of his lectures still survive. He is the teacher of Epictetus.
Philosophy, which he wanted everyone to cultivate, is not a mere matter of words, of instruction, or of the school; but everyone by their own reflection and practice may pursue for themselves. He considers it becoming in a philosopher to wear the philosopher's robe, to allow the hair to grow, and to retire from society. His philosophy consists entirely of the rules for the conduct of life; all knowledge ought to be serviceable to action.
21 of his discourses (Cora Lutz edition):
http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/richard_carrier/musonius.html
Gaius Musonius Rufus was a Roman Stoic philosopher of the 1st century AD. He taught philosophy in Rome during the reign of Nero, as consequence of which he was sent into exile in 65 AD, only returning to Rome under Galba. He was allowed to stay in Rome when Vespasian banished all the other philosophers from the city in 71 AD, although he was eventually banished anyway, only returning after Vespasian's death. A collection of extracts of his lectures still survive. He is the teacher of Epictetus.
Philosophy, which he wanted everyone to cultivate, is not a mere matter of words, of instruction, or of the school; but everyone by their own reflection and practice may pursue for themselves. He considers it becoming in a philosopher to wear the philosopher's robe, to allow the hair to grow, and to retire from society. His philosophy consists entirely of the rules for the conduct of life; all knowledge ought to be serviceable to action.
21 of his discourses (Cora Lutz edition):
- That There is No Need of Giving Many Proofs for One Problem
- That Man is Born with an Inclination Toward Virtue
- That Women Too Should Study Philosophy
- Should Daughters Receive the Same Education as Sons?
- Which is more Effective, Theory or Practice?
- On Training
- That One Should Disdain Hardships
- That Kings Also Should Study Philosophy
- That Exile is not an Evil
- Will the Philosopher Prosecute Anyone for Personal Injury?
- What means of Livelihood is Appropriate for a Philosopher?
- On Sexual Indulgence
- What is the Chief End of Marriage
- Is Marriage a Handicap for the Pursuit of Philosophy?
- Should Every Child that is Born be Raised?
- Must One Obey One's Parents under all Circumstances?
- What is the Best Viaticum for Old Age?
- On Food
- On Clothing and Shelter
- On Furnishings
- On Cutting the Hair
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Descartes
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rene_Descartes
Rene Descartes (3/31/1596-2/11/1650, aged 53) was a French philosopher, mathematician, physicist, and writer who spent most of his adult life in the Dutch Republic. He has been dubbed the "Father of Modern Philosophy", and much of subsequent Western philosophy is a response to his writings, which continue to be studied closely to this day. In particular, his Meditations on First Philosophy continues to be a standard text at most university philosophy departments.
Descartes was a major figure in 17th-century continental rationalism, later advocated by Baruch Spinoza and Gottfried Leibniz, and opposed by the empiricist school of thought consisting of Hobbes, Locke, Berkeley, and Hume.
His most famous statement is "Cogito ergo sum" (French: Je pense, donc je suis; English: I think, therefore I am), found both in Discourse on the Method and Principles of Philosophy.
Descartes concludes that he can be certain that he exists because he thinks. But in what form? He perceives his body through the use of the senses; however, these have previously been proven unreliable. So Descartes concludes that the only indubitable knowledge is that he is a thinking thing. Thinking is his essence as it is the only thing about him that cannot be doubted. Descartes defines "thought" (cogitatio) as "what happens in me such that I am immediately conscious of it, insofar as I am conscious of it". Thinking is thus every activity of a person of which he is immediately conscious.
Rene Descartes (3/31/1596-2/11/1650, aged 53) was a French philosopher, mathematician, physicist, and writer who spent most of his adult life in the Dutch Republic. He has been dubbed the "Father of Modern Philosophy", and much of subsequent Western philosophy is a response to his writings, which continue to be studied closely to this day. In particular, his Meditations on First Philosophy continues to be a standard text at most university philosophy departments.
Descartes was a major figure in 17th-century continental rationalism, later advocated by Baruch Spinoza and Gottfried Leibniz, and opposed by the empiricist school of thought consisting of Hobbes, Locke, Berkeley, and Hume.
His most famous statement is "Cogito ergo sum" (French: Je pense, donc je suis; English: I think, therefore I am), found both in Discourse on the Method and Principles of Philosophy.
Descartes concludes that he can be certain that he exists because he thinks. But in what form? He perceives his body through the use of the senses; however, these have previously been proven unreliable. So Descartes concludes that the only indubitable knowledge is that he is a thinking thing. Thinking is his essence as it is the only thing about him that cannot be doubted. Descartes defines "thought" (cogitatio) as "what happens in me such that I am immediately conscious of it, insofar as I am conscious of it". Thinking is thus every activity of a person of which he is immediately conscious.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Plato
It has always been correct to praise Plato, but not to understand him. This is the common fate of great men.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Friedrich Schiller
Friedrich Schiller (1759-1805) was a German poet, philosopher, historian, and playwright.
His famous saying: A human being is wholly human only when he plays.
Schiller's central concern was with being "wholly human," with freedom and autonomy, and he considered art is this context.
His famous saying: A human being is wholly human only when he plays.
Schiller's central concern was with being "wholly human," with freedom and autonomy, and he considered art is this context.
George Berkeley: An Empiricist
George Berkeley (1685-1753) has basically one point to make: Physical objects are nothing but ideas in the mind. In fact, there are no objects beyond our ideas.
An idea is just a mental entity. There is a mind. There is an external object. Sensation translates real properties of object into ideas in the mind.
An idea is just a mental entity. There is a mind. There is an external object. Sensation translates real properties of object into ideas in the mind.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Ancient Philosophers
Classical Greek philosophers
- Socrates (469-399 BC)
- Euclid of Megara (450-380 BC)
- Antisthenes (445-360 BC)
- Aristippus (435-356 BC)
- Plato (428-347 BC)
- Speusippus (407-339 BC)
- Diogenes of Sinope (400-325 BC)
- Xenocrates (396-314 BC)
- Aristotle (384-322 BC)
- Stilpo (380-300 BC)
- Theophrastus (370-288 BC)
Hellenistic philosophy
- Pyrrho (365-275 BC)
- Epicurus (341-270 BC)
- Metrodorus of Lampsacus (the younger) (331–278 BC)
- Zeno of Citium (333-263 BC)
- Cleanthes (331-232 BC)
- Timon (320-230 BC)
- Arcesilaus (316-232 BC)
- Menippus (3rd century BC)
- Archimedes (c. 287-212 BC)
- Chrysippus (280-207 BC)
- Carneades (214-129 BC)
- Clitomachus (187-109 BC)
- Metrodorus of Stratonicea (late 2nd century BC)
- Philo of Larissa (160-80 BC)
- Posidonius (135-51 BC)
- Antiochus of Ascalon (130-68 BC)
- Aenesidemus (1st century BC)
- Philo of Alexandria (30 BC - 45 AD)
- Agrippa (1st century AD)
Hellenistic schools of thought
Philosophers during Roman times
- Cicero (106-43 BC)
- Lucretius (94-55 BC)
- Seneca (4 BC - 65 AD)
- Musonius Rufus (30 AD - 100 AD)
- Plutarch (45-120 AD)
- Epictetus (55-135 AD)
- Marcus Aurelius (121-180 AD)
- Clement of Alexandria (150-215 AD)
- Alcinous_(philosopher) (2nd century AD)
- Sextus Empiricus (3rd century AD)
- Alexander of Aphrodisias (3rd century AD)
- Ammonius Saccas (3rd century AD)
- Plotinus (205-270 AD)
- Porphyry (232-304 AD)
- Iamblichus (242-327 AD)
- Themistius (317-388 AD)
- Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD)
- Proclus (411-485 AD)
- Philoponus of Alexandria (490-570 AD)
- Damascius (462-540 AD)
- Boethius (472-524 AD)
- Simplicius of Cilicia (490-560 AD)
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Michel Foucault
Michel Foucault (10/15/1926-6/25/1984), a preeminent philosopher of France in the 70s and 80s, taught at the College de France from 1970 (age 43) until his death. The title of his chair was "The History of Systems of Thought."
Major works: The Order of Things, Madness and Civilization, The History of Sexuality, Discipline and Punish, and The Hermeneutics of the Subject.
Major works: The Order of Things, Madness and Civilization, The History of Sexuality, Discipline and Punish, and The Hermeneutics of the Subject.
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