To the uneducated Cynics

To the uneducated Cynics PDF Author: Julian
Publisher: DigiCat
ISBN:
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 34

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Book Description
A classic history book originally written by Julian (A Roman Emperor) and translated by Emily Wilmer Cave Wright. Julian's aim here, as in the Seventh Oration, is not to convert the New Cynics, but to demonstrate the fundamental unity of philosophy. He equated Diogenes with Socrates as a moral authority and had deep sympathy for cynical ideals. He emphasized to the Cynics that there is no convention that has not been examined and accepted by individual reason, for the Delphic teaching of "Know Yourself" warns all philosophers not to accept traditional authority. The allusion to the opening paragraph for the summer solstice seems to suggest that Julian wrote the Oration before leaving Constantinople to prepare for the Persian expedition.

To the uneducated Cynics

To the uneducated Cynics PDF Author: Julian
Publisher: DigiCat
ISBN:
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 34

Get Book Here

Book Description
A classic history book originally written by Julian (A Roman Emperor) and translated by Emily Wilmer Cave Wright. Julian's aim here, as in the Seventh Oration, is not to convert the New Cynics, but to demonstrate the fundamental unity of philosophy. He equated Diogenes with Socrates as a moral authority and had deep sympathy for cynical ideals. He emphasized to the Cynics that there is no convention that has not been examined and accepted by individual reason, for the Delphic teaching of "Know Yourself" warns all philosophers not to accept traditional authority. The allusion to the opening paragraph for the summer solstice seems to suggest that Julian wrote the Oration before leaving Constantinople to prepare for the Persian expedition.

Symeon the Holy Fool

Symeon the Holy Fool PDF Author: Derek Krueger
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520415329
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 216

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Book Description


Cynicism and Christianity in Antiquity

Cynicism and Christianity in Antiquity PDF Author: Marie-Odile Goulet-Cazé
Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
ISBN: 1467456675
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 442

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Book Description
Was Jesus a Cynic? Cynicism and Christianity in Antiquity is a literary tour de force analyzing and refuting the hypothesis that Jesus was a Cynic. Marie-Odile Goulet-Cazé examines the arguments submitted by some New Testament scholars who believe that Jesus and his disciples were influenced by the ethics and social behaviors of itinerant Cynic preachers. In examining the “Cynic Jesus hypothesis,” Goulet-Cazé offers a reliable, accessible, and fully documented summary of Cynicism and its ideas, from Diogenes to the Imperial Period, and she investigates the extent and nature of contact between Cynics and Jewish people, especially between 100 BCE and 100 CE. While recognizing similarities between the ideas and morals of ancient Cynicism and those evident in early Christian movements, Goulet-Cazé identifies more significant, fundamental differences between them in culture, theology, and worldview.

Julian's Gods

Julian's Gods PDF Author: Rowland B. E. Smith
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1134677537
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 326

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Book Description
Julian's brief reign (360-363 AD) had a profound impact on his contemporaries, as he worked fervently for a pagan restoration in the Roman Empire, which was rapidly becoming Christian. Julian's Gods focuses on the cultural mentality of `the last pagan Emperor' by examining a wide variety of his own writings. The surviving speeches and treatises, satires and letters offer a rare insight into the personal attitudes and motivations of a remarkable Emperor. They show Julian as a highly educated man, an avid student of Greek philosophy, and a talented author in his own right. This elegant and closely-argued study will deepen understanding not only of Julian, but of the context of fourth century Neoplatonism.

Cynics

Cynics PDF Author: William Desmond
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317492854
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 254

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Book Description
Once regarded as a minor Socratic school, Cynicism is now admired as one of the more creative and influential philosophical movements in antiquity. First arising in the city-states of late classical Greece, Cynicism thrived through the Hellenistic and Roman periods, until the triumph of Christianity and the very end of pagan antiquity. In every age down to the present, its ideals of radical simplicity and freedom have alternately inspired and disturbed onlookers. This book offers a survey of Cynicism, its varied representatives and ideas, and the many contexts in which it operated. William Desmond introduces important ancient Cynics and their times, from Diogenes 'the Dog' in the fourth century BC to Sallustius in the fifth century AD. He details the Cynics' rejection of various traditional customs and the rebellious life-style for which they are notorious.The central chapters locate major Cynic themes (nature and the natural life, Fortune, self-sufficiency, cosmopolitanism) within the rich matrix of ideas debated by the ancient schools. The final chapter reviews some moments in the diverse legacy of Cynicism, from Jesus to Nietzsche.

Cynicism

Cynicism PDF Author: Ansgar Allen
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262537885
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 282

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Book Description
A short history of cynicism, from the fearless speech of the ancient Greeks to the jaded negativity of the present. Everyone's a cynic, yet few will admit it. Today's cynics excuse themselves half-heartedly—“I hate to be a cynic, but..."—before making their pronouncements. Narrowly opportunistic, always on the take, contemporary cynicism has nothing positive to contribute. The Cynicism of the ancient Greeks, however, was very different. This Cynicism was a marginal philosophy practiced by a small band of eccentrics. Bold and shameless, it was committed to transforming the values on which civilization depends. In this volume of the MIT Press Essential Knowledge series, Ansgar Allen charts the long history of cynicism, from the “fearless speech” of Greek Cynics in the fourth century BCE to the contemporary cynic's lack of social and political convictions. Allen describes ancient Cynicism as an improvised philosophy and a way of life disposed to scandalize contemporaries, subjecting their cultural commitments to derision. He chronicles the subsequent “purification” of Cynicism by the Stoics; Renaissance and Enlightenment appropriations of Cynicism, drawing on the writings of Shakespeare, Rabelais, Rousseau, de Sade, and others; and the transition from Cynicism (the philosophy) to cynicism (the modern attitude), exploring contemporary cynicism from the perspectives of its leftist, liberal, and conservative critics. Finally, he considers the possibility of a radical cynicism that admits and affirms the danger it poses to contemporary society.

The Dangerous Life and Ideas of Diogenes the Cynic

The Dangerous Life and Ideas of Diogenes the Cynic PDF Author: Jean-Manuel Roubineau
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0197666353
Category : Cynics (Greek philosophy)
Languages : en
Pages : 165

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Book Description
"Ancient philosophers are often contrasted with contemporary philosophers because they view philosophy not as a profession, but a way of life. None did so more uncompromisingly, however, than Diogenes the Cynic, who chided even Socrates for occasionally wearing sandals and maintaining a small household. Diogenes's espousal of extreme poverty combined with a talent for exhibitionism and propensity for offense was taken by some to be merely childish and grounded in a desire for fame, but by others as an ideal form of pure philosophical commitment. Beginning with his life as a banker's son in Sinope, this book traces the origins and effects of his exile and status as a foreigner in Athens and Corinth, his subsequent espousal of a life a poverty, and his development of a style of life that both he and others found comparable to a dog's in terms of its disregard for social norms and conventions. Much of Diogenes' practical philosophy took the form of his own distinctive bodily practices which were meant to reinforce Cynic freedom and self-sufficiency. By calling into question cultural conventions governing the body with respect to sexuality, athletics, clothing, hygiene, punishment, etc., his own dog-style life championed unrestrained free speech (parrhēsia), equality between the sexes, and a cosmopolitan view of the possibilities of a world rid of the evils caused by the pursuit of wealth, fame, and power. Throughout various historical periods, Diogenes has offered a fascinating alternative to conventional lives and served as a brave exemplar of absolute devotion to human freedom and equality"--

Emperor and Author

Emperor and Author PDF Author: Nicholas J. Baker-Brian
Publisher: Classical Press of Wales
ISBN: 1910589144
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 393

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Book Description
This volume offers the first comprehensive analysis in English of all the writings of Julian (r. AD 361-363), the last pagan emperor of Rome, noted for his frontal and self-conscious challenge to Christianity. The book also contains treatments of Julian's laws, inscriptions, coinage, as well as his artistic programme. Across nineteen papers, international specialists in the field of Late Antique Studies offer original interpretations of an extraordinary figure: emperor and philosopher, soldier and accomplished writer. Julian, his life and writings, are here considered as parts of the tumult in politics, culture and religion during the Fourth Century AD. New light is shed on Julian's distinctive literary style and imperial agenda. The volume also includes an up-to-date, consolidated bibliography.

The Routledge Handbook of Hellenistic Philosophy

The Routledge Handbook of Hellenistic Philosophy PDF Author: Kelly Arenson
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 135116810X
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 511

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Book Description
Hellenistic philosophy concerns the thought of the Epicureans, Stoics, and Skeptics, the most influential philosophical groups in the era between the death of Alexander the Great (323 BCE) and the defeat of the last Greek stronghold in the ancient world (31 BCE). The Routledge Handbook of Hellenistic Philosophy provides accessible yet rigorous introductions to the theories of knowledge, ethics, and physics belonging to each of the three schools, explores the fascinating ways in which interschool rivalries shaped the philosophies of the era, and offers unique insight into the relevance of Hellenistic views to issues today, such as environmental ethics, consumerism, and bioethics. Eleven countries are represented among the Handbook’s 35 authors, whose chapters were written specifically for this volume and are organized thematically into six sections: The people, history, and methods of Epicureanism, Stoicism, and Skepticism. Earlier philosophical influences on Hellenistic thought, such as Aristotle, Socrates, and Presocratics. The soul, perception, and knowledge. God, fate, and the primary principles of nature and the universe. Ethics, political theory, society, and community. Hellenistic philosophy’s relevance to contemporary life. Spanning from the ancient past to the present, this Handbook aims to show that Hellenistic philosophy has much to offer all thinking people of the twenty-first century.

Sons of Hellenism, Fathers of the Church

Sons of Hellenism, Fathers of the Church PDF Author: Susanna Elm
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520287541
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 576

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Book Description
This groundbreaking study brings into dialogue for the first time the writings of Julian, the last non-Christian Roman Emperor, and his most outspoken critic, Bishop Gregory of Nazianzus, a central figure of Christianity. Susanna Elm compares these two men not to draw out the obvious contrast between the Church and the Emperor’s neo-Paganism, but rather to find their common intellectual and social grounding. Her insightful analysis, supplemented by her magisterial command of sources, demonstrates the ways in which both men were part of the same dialectical whole. Elm recasts both Julian and Gregory as men entirely of their times, showing how the Roman Empire in fact provided Christianity with the ideological and social matrix without which its longevity and dynamism would have been inconceivable.