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Skepticism and Pluralism Ways of Living a Life Of
SKEPTICISM AND PLURALISM WAYS OF LIVING A LIFE OF AWARENESS AS RECOMMENDED BY THE ZHUANGZI #±r A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE DIVISION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI'I IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN PHILOSOPHY AUGUST 2004 By John Trowbridge Dissertation Committee: Roger T. Ames, Chairperson Tamara Albertini Chung-ying Cheng James E. Tiles David R. McCraw © Copyright 2004 by John Trowbridge iii Dedicated to my wife, Jill iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS In completing this research, I would like to express my appreciation first and foremost to my wife, Jill, and our three children, James, Holly, and Henry for their support during this process. I would also like to express my gratitude to my entire dissertation committee for their insight and understanding ofthe topics at hand. Studying under Roger Ames has been a transformative experience. In particular, his commitment to taking the Chinese tradition on its own terms and avoiding the tendency among Western interpreters to overwrite traditional Chinese thought with the preoccupations ofWestern philosophy has enabled me to broaden my conception ofphilosophy itself. Roger's seminars on Confucianism and Daoism, and especially a seminar on writing a philosophical translation ofthe Zhongyong r:pJm (Achieving Equilibrium in the Everyday), have greatly influenced my own initial attempts to translate and interpret the seminal philosophical texts ofancient China. Tamara Albertini's expertise in ancient Greek philosophy was indispensable to this project, and a seminar I audited with her, comparing early Greek and ancient Chinese philosophy, was part ofthe inspiration for my choice ofresearch topic. I particularly valued the opportunity to study Daoism and the Yijing ~*~ with Chung-ying Cheng g\Gr:p~ and benefited greatly from his theory ofonto-cosmology as a means of understanding classical Chinese philosophy. -
The Conversion of Skepticism in Augustine's Against the Academics the Conversion of Skepticism in Augustine"S Against the Academics
THE CONVERSION OF SKEPTICISM IN AUGUSTINE'S AGAINST THE ACADEMICS THE CONVERSION OF SKEPTICISM IN AUGUSTINE"S AGAINST THE ACADEMICS BY BERNARD NEWMAN WILLS, B.A., M.A. A THESIS Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor ofPhilosophy McMaster University C Copyright by Bernard Newman Wills DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (2003) McMaster University (Religious Studies) Hamilton, Ontario TITLE: The Conversion of Skepticism in Augustine's Against the Academics AUTHOR: Bernard Newman Wills, B.A., M.A. SUPERVISOR: Dr. P. Travis Kroeker NUMBER OF PAGES: v, 322 ABSTRACT This thesis examines Augustine's relation to Academic Skepticism through a detailed commentary on the dialogue Against the Academics. In it is demonstrated the significance of epistemological themes for Augustine and their inseparability from practical and religious concerns. It is also shown how these issues unfold within the logic ofAugustine's trinitarianism, which informs the argument even ofhis earliest works. This, in turn, demonstrates the depth of the young Augustine's engagement with Christian categories in works often thought to be determined wholly, or almost wholly, by the logic of Plotinian Neo-Platonism. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my supervisor Dr. Travis Kroeker for his advice and considerable patience: my readers Dr. Peter Widdicome and Dr. Zdravko Planinc: Dr. David Peddle for several useful suggestions and general encouragement: Dr. Dennis House for teaching me the art of reading dialogues: Mr. Danny Howlett for his editorial assistance: Grad Students and Colleagues at Memorial University of Newfoundland and, in a category all their own, my longsuffering wife Jean and three boisterous children Kristin, Jeremy and Thomas. -
Hegel's Critique of Ancient Skepticism
Georgia State University ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University Philosophy Theses Department of Philosophy Summer 8-1-2012 Hegel's Critique of Ancient Skepticism John Wood Georgia State University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/philosophy_theses Recommended Citation Wood, John, "Hegel's Critique of Ancient Skepticism." Thesis, Georgia State University, 2012. https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/philosophy_theses/113 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Philosophy at ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Philosophy Theses by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. HEGEL’S CRITIQUE OF ANCIENT SKEPTICISM by JAY WOOD Under the Direction of Dr. Sebastian Rand ABSTRACT Recent work on the philosophy of G.W.F. Hegel has emphasized his interest in skeptical concerns. These contemporary scholars argue that, despite common opinions to the contrary, Hegel actually had a very keen interest in skepticism, one that informed and motivated much of his overall project. While I welcome this recent literature, I argue here that contemporary scholars have overemphasized the importance of skepticism for Hegel. By looking closely at Hegel’s arguments against skepticism in the Phenomenology of Spirit, I argue that Hegel’s anti-skeptical arguments are in fact major failures. Hegel’s failure is at odds with the emphasis that contemporary literature places on Hegel’s interests in skepticism. For a philosopher who was supposedly centrally concerned with skeptical issues, Hegel sure does not act like it. I conclude that the tension here is the result of contemporary scholars’ overemphasis of the role that skepticism plays in Hegel’s project. -
The Pythagoreans in the Light and Shadows of Recent Research
The Pythagoreans in the light and shadows of recent research PAPER PRESENTED AT THE DONNERIAN SYMPOSIUM ON MYSTICISM, SEPTEMBER 7th 1968 By HOLGER THESLEFF It has been said' that "Pythagoras casts a long shadow in the history of Greek thought". Indeed, the shadow both widens and deepens spectacularly in course of time. He has not only been considered—on disputable grounds, as we shall see as the first European mystic. No other personality of the Greco–Roman world (except Christ, and perhaps Alexander the Great) has been credited with such powers and all-round capacities. Since early Impe- rial times he has been represented as a man of divine origin, a saint, a sage, a prophet, and a great magician; a sportsman and an ascetic; a poet and prose- writer; a Dorian nationalist (though an Ionian by birth); an eminent mathe- matician, musician, astronomer, logician, rhetorician, and physician; a world-wide traveller; a founder of a religious sect, an ethical brotherhood, and a political community; a great metaphysician and teacher whose views of the universe, human society and the human soul deeply influenced not only Plato and Aristotle, but Herakleitos, Parmenides, Demokritos and, in short, all prominent thinkers; a preacher of universal tolerance, and—a good hus- band and father. There can be seen occasional signs of a revival of Pythagoreanism at least from the ist century A. D. onwards,2 and some authors of the Imperial age 1 Philip (below), p. 3. 2 If Pseudo-Pythagorica are left out of account, the activity of the Sextii in Rome during the reign of Augustus is the first manifest sign. -
Meet the Philosophers of Ancient Greece
Meet the Philosophers of Ancient Greece Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Ancient Greek Philosophy but didn’t Know Who to Ask Edited by Patricia F. O’Grady MEET THE PHILOSOPHERS OF ANCIENT GREECE Dedicated to the memory of Panagiotis, a humble man, who found pleasure when reading about the philosophers of Ancient Greece Meet the Philosophers of Ancient Greece Everything you always wanted to know about Ancient Greek philosophy but didn’t know who to ask Edited by PATRICIA F. O’GRADY Flinders University of South Australia © Patricia F. O’Grady 2005 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher. Patricia F. O’Grady has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identi.ed as the editor of this work. Published by Ashgate Publishing Limited Ashgate Publishing Company Wey Court East Suite 420 Union Road 101 Cherry Street Farnham Burlington Surrey, GU9 7PT VT 05401-4405 England USA Ashgate website: http://www.ashgate.com British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Meet the philosophers of ancient Greece: everything you always wanted to know about ancient Greek philosophy but didn’t know who to ask 1. Philosophy, Ancient 2. Philosophers – Greece 3. Greece – Intellectual life – To 146 B.C. I. O’Grady, Patricia F. 180 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Meet the philosophers of ancient Greece: everything you always wanted to know about ancient Greek philosophy but didn’t know who to ask / Patricia F. -
Skepticism Chart Revised
ANCIENT SKEPTICISM: INQUIRY WITHOUT BELIEF (c) 2017 Academic Skepticism and Pyrrhonian Skepticism www.prshockley.org Third Century BC - Second Century AD Dr. Paul R. Shockley Following Alexander the Great’s death in 323 BC and Aristotle’s death a year later, four post-Aristotelian traditions of thought arose in Athens: (1) Epicureanism (307 BC), (2) Stoicism (c. 300 BC), (3), Skepticism (1st Century BC), & Neo-Platonism (5th century BC). Greek word, “skeptis” means “investigation” and “skeptikos” means “inquirer.” They radicalized the Socratic Dictum: “All I know is that I know nothing.” Pre-Socratic 2 Types of Ancient Academic Skepticism: Pyrrhonian Skepticism: Various Types Roots: Skepticism: Knowledge is Impossible Knowledge is Unknown of Skepticism: Xenophanes I. Academic Skepticism: Arose by certain heirs of Plato’s Origins to Pyrrho of Elis: (1) Total Skepticism: Academy who challenged the (c. 570-480 BC): Key figures: Nothing can known; suspend judgments in all dogmatic claims of Platonism and (1) Skepticism as a particular way “Even if truth were stated, (1) Arcesilaus Stoicism. They claimed: “all things of life; keep all questions open. matters whether the possibility of knowledge and it could not be known.” (ca. 316-242 BC) are inapprehensible.” opinion. (2 Suspend Judgment on Heraclitus (2) Carneades In other words, nothing can be known all Issues; (ca 213-129 BC) or grasped. Why? Sensory (c. 535-475 BC): (3) Why? Human happiness, our (2) Modified Skepticism: impressions do not actually enable While not doubting some things are knowable, MS Since everything is in flux, II. Pyrrhonian Skepticism: you to know anything. They can end or goal, is found in quietude or Key figures: tranquility (ataraxia). -
Greco-Roman Religions & Philosophies
Greco-Roman Religions & Philosophies The New Testament World – Week 3 Adult Education Greco-Roman Religions Temple – in Greek and Roman was the home of the deity, not a place of worship. Greeks worship with their heads uncovered, Romans were always covered (seeing omens). Dominant tone in the NT is Greco-Roman influence Greek gods & Roman gods – became the same with different names Acts 19 – Diana of the Ephesians Each city/region had a patron god and cult Two categories of Hellenistic religion: (Each had old religion that developed) State religion o Official (polis) o Polytheistic o Had patron god, temples, feasts, priests o Statues of the deity were found throughout the city o Existed for the good of the state, not the individual o Everyone was eligible to perform ritual (not professional priest) o No systematic theology (geographic theology) o The Here and Now – not the afterlife (legal systems) o Mythology focused on the intervention of the gods (Acts 14:11-18) Mystery religion o Personal o Belonged by choice, not birth o Requires initiation o Tendency toward monotheism (or supreme god) o No geographical area, race or tribe o Available to those who swear to keep the mysteries a secret o Included communication with the god(dess) o Deals with the afterlife for the faithful, connected to the underworld o Judaism and Christianity are a mixture of both Combined civil and religious (ethical) law Local Mysteries - Early mysteries were rites to assure fertility, safety, or the like. Panamara o Southwest Asia Minor o Promised only terrestrial benefits. Mother of Gods Cabirir at Samothrace o Non-Hellenistic o Numbers varied o General protective; mostly of seamen. -
Download Date | 6/9/19 10:06 AM Pseudo-Pythagorean Literature 73
Philologus 2019; 163(1): 72–94 Leonid Zhmud* What is Pythagorean in the Pseudo-Pythagorean Literature? https://doi.org/10.1515/phil-2018-0003 Abstract: This paper discusses continuity between ancient Pythagoreanism and the pseudo-Pythagorean writings, which began to appear after the end of the Pythagorean school ca. 350 BC. Relying on a combination of temporal, formal and substantial criteria, I divide Pseudopythagorica into three categories: 1) early Hellenistic writings (late fourth – late second centuries BC) ascribed to Pytha- goras and his family members; 2) philosophical treatises written mostly, yet not exclusively, in pseudo-Doric from the turn of the first century BC under the names of real or fictional Pythagoreans; 3) writings attributed to Pythagoras and his relatives that continued to appear in the late Hellenistic and Imperial periods. I will argue that all three categories of pseudepigrapha contain astonishingly little that is authentically Pythagorean. Keywords: Pythagoreanism, pseudo-Pythagorean writings, Platonism, Aristote- lianism Forgery has been widespread in time and place and varied in its goals and methods, and it can easily be confused with superficially similar activities. A. Grafton Note: An earlier version of this article was presented at the colloquium “Pseudopythagorica: stratégies du faire croire dans la philosophie antique” (Paris, 28 May 2015). I would like to thank Constantinos Macris (CNRS) for his kind invitation. The final version was written during my fellowship at the IAS of Durham University and presented at the B Club, Cambridge, in Mai 2016. I am grateful to Gábor Betegh for inviting me to give a talk and to the audience for the vivid discussion. -
Pythagorean Teachings Across the Centuries
Pythagorean Teachings across the Centuries Angela Tripodi, adapted and expanded by the Rosicrucian Research Library Staff and Friends he school of Pythagoras has been defined by Vincenzo Capparelli and by several Tother authors, as the “Greatest school of Wisdom of the West.” It has had profound influence across time and has contributed to providing the coordination needed to combine the search for mystical truth with a clear methodology of wisdom. Even if the inheritance of the Pythagorean tradition cannot be fully grasped, due to its initiatory character, The last-remaining column of the temple dedicated to Hera which required a severe selection process and Lacinia in Crotona, Italy. Photo by Sandro Baldi. involved the obligation of absolute silence of teachings until the very last degrees. The from its Neophyte members, it is still possible few initiates able to enter the last doorway to relive the outlines of the sacred knowledge obeyed the sacred promise of absolute silence. in the teachings. Several sources need to be This norm of silence was the secret of the consulted in order to retrace the spread of school and is mentioned in several sources. this inspired wisdom whose light reached It also implies that all especially profound far from its original source. According to information and teachings were hidden, the information transmitted by Porphyry, not only from outsiders, but also from the Iamblichus, and in part by Diogenes Laertius, participants of the lower degrees. when the school at Crotona1 was destroyed, As is well known, the school had its many essential concepts were lost forever. -
12. Heraclitus' Ethics
12. Heraclitus’ Ethics David Sider Investigations into Heraclitus’ ethics are scarce on the ground. It is not that, apart from some that have been been overlooked because they are universally considered spurious, his several comments that touch upon human behavior have been ignored—there are too few fragments for any to go uncommented for long—but that they seem isolated and not obviously calling out to be made part of a systematic theory of eth- ical behavior. Furthermore, it has to be said that some of these scarce attempts to study Heraclitus’ ethics are disappointing.1 Nor does the subject of ethics as such receive much attention in more comprehensive treatments. It is true that ethics is discussed elsewhere in the huge Hera- clitus bibliography, but rarely head-on as a subject to be investigated and analyzed in its own right.2 Two noteworthy contributions to the liter- 1 Thus, A. N. Zoumpos, “Das ‘ethische Urteil’ bei Heraklit,” Platon 11 (1959) 420–423, raises the Aristotelian distinction between a-priori and a-posteriori reasoning, only to find that this does not apply to Heraclitus, which does not get us very far: “Kurz gesagt nimmt Herakleitos das ‘ethische Urteil’ als Produkt des ‘Göttlichen Logos’ an, das naturgemäss also in Voraus in den Menschen vor- hande ist.” (One could compare Anaxagoras’ Nous, which also shows up in an- imals.) Zoumpos relies too heavily on Plato for his understanding of Heraclitus, especially those passages in the Cratylus and Theaetetus that characterize him pri- marily as one relying on a theory of flux to explain his epistemological con- cerns. -
The Demise of Plato's Academy341
141 SKÉPSIS, ANO VII, Nº 10, 2014. MURDER OR NATURAL CAUSES? THE DEMISE OF PLATO'S ACADEMY341 RAMÓN ROMÁN-ALCALÁ (Universidad de Córdoba). E-mail: [email protected] Introduction. History, operating imperceptibly, tends to provide us with an overview of the rise and fall of philosophical movements, an overarching perspective to which we are blinded when studying the key figures within the limits of their time and space. It is fascinating to observe how philosophical doctrines mutate or change course over time, for reasons whose significance for the evolution of the system as a whole become apparent only when that evolution has ended, but which go unnoticed in the heat and clamour of the dialectical battles that shaped it. The moderate scepticism propounded by Arcesilaus342 and Carneades marked the heyday of the Academy; under their followers, the philosophical stance of the Academy shifted towards a striking dogmatism which eventually prompted its downfall. Little by little, scepticism began to fade, giving way first to a semi-dogmatic outlook and later to the most unyielding dogmatism. This shift in position was the reason for the demise, first of Academic scepticism – which was later to be restored with certain 341T his paper forms part of the Research Project I + D + I FFI2012-32989 on skepticism, funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. 342 Arcesilaus is the key figure in the academic skepticism, made an innovative reading of Plato's dialogues, and where others saw a positive and systematic doctrine, the dialectical method looked a skeptical argument (to the impossibilities of clear definitions of concepts), cf. -
Pyrrhonism Or Academic Skepticism? Friedrich Wilhelm Bierling's
SKÉPSIS, ANO VII, Nº 10, 2014. 128 PYRRHONISM OR ACADEMIC SKEPTICISM? FRIEDRICH WILHELM BIERLING’S ‘REASONABLE DOUBT’ IN THE COMMENTATIO DE PYRRHONISMO HISTORICO (1724) ANTON MATYTSIN (Stanford University). E-mail: [email protected] Following the revival of ancient skepticism in early-modern Europe, debates about the possibility of obtaining true and certain knowledge of the world took place not only in metaphysics and in the natural sciences, but also in history and other humanities. While seeking to comprehend their own place in the process of historical development, 18th-century historians attempted to reconsider the nature and the purpose of historical writing, in general. Simultaneously, historical scholarship drew critiques from new sources. Cartesians, Deists, and philosophical skeptics posed challenges to the reliability of the discipline. Even antiquarian scholars, influenced by the humanist tradition, began to doubt the veracity of ancient histories due to the paucity of documentary evidence and to the alleged unreliability of reputed authors such as Livy, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, and Plutarch. Consequently scholars began to re-examine their sources as they sought new foundations for true and certain historical knowledge. Despite the increasingly acerbic nature of these debates, some thinkers argued that a middle ground between extreme Pyrrhonian skepticism and complete moral certainty about all historical facts was possible. One such attempt to integrate skeptical critiques with traditional historical methods and to rehabilitate Pyrrhonism in the eyes of the learned community was provided by the German scholar Friedrich Wilhelm Bierling (1676-1728). A professor of philosophy and theology at the University of Rinteln and an active correspondent of Leibnitz on the very question of historical certainty, Bierling offered both a novel approach to the study and writing of history and a unique interpretation of the varieties of philosophical skepticism.