Greek Philosophers Biographies - Cynicism Part 1

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2015-12-20 : the website is under construction. THE PROVERBS ARE O.K., but It will take me a few hours to re-insert the images of the greek philosophers, which for some reason were lost, after my last revision, which i have done a few days ago. so until i remove the sign 'website - under - construction' ... you can study the proverbs with safety !. Please stay on Alert !.

Notes: 1. Diogenes of Sinope ... and ... Sinope ... is the same Greek Philosopher

2. Heraclitus of Ephesus ,,, and ... Ephesus is the same Greek Philosopher

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I wanted to get the most broad foundation for a lifelong education that I could find, and that was studying Latin and the classics. Meaning Roman and Greek history and philosophy and ancient civilizations.

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Greek Philosophers Biographies - Cynicism Part 1 in English

The Greek philosophers were among the most influential people in history because they invented both philosophy and science. By asking questions about themselves and the world around them, these philosophers helped create modern civilization.

Interestingly enough, the Greek philosophers thought of themselves as scientists rather than thinkers. They called themselves seekers and lovers of wisdom and often studied a wide variety of subjects, including history, physics, law, sociology, politics, mathematics, and biology. The famous philosophers were also teachers, educating wealthy children and operating schools as well as thinkers.

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Author Birth - Death

02 CYNICISM - Antisthenes 444 BC - 371 BC

05 CYNICISM - Diogenes of Sinope 412 BC - 323 BC

CYNICISM - Crates of Thebes

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For your information ...

Cynicism was not so much a philosophy, but a way of life characterized by asceticism, anti-conformism and anti-conventionalism. The Cynics are regarded as one of the minor Socratic schools. It was founded in the fourth century BC by Antisthenes the Athenian. The name ‘cynic’ derives from the Greek word for ‘dog’ (kuon) denoting their denial of luxuries, wealth and social status. The core of cynicism is the virtue of well being and happy life beyond any conventional value. Eminent Cynics were Diogenes of Synope and Crates of Thebes. Cynicism had a strong influence to Stoic philosophy.

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02 CYNICISM - Antisthenes

Αντισθένης

Portrait bust of Antisthenes, found at the Villa of Cassius at Tivoli, 1774 (Museo Pio-Clementino).

Antisthenes, part of a fresco in the National University of Athens.

Giulio Bonasone - Diogenes and Antisthenes

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A well known philosopher of ancient Greece, Antisthenes was born in Athens, son of an Athenian and a woman from Thrace. Contemporary to Plato, although older, he was a student of Gorgias and a friend and faithful admirer of Socrates. After the death of his great tutor, he founded an academy near Cynosarges Gymnasium. It is from that name that his students were named Cynicals and their movement Cynism. A famous pupil was Diogenes of Sinope.

Socrates admired him for his abstinent and ascetic way of life. In his conversations he tried to falsify the definition Socrates gave to general concepts. He fought against the Platonic theory of ideas, and believed that the only real concepts are the ones we feel using our senses (aesthetic teaching, aesthisi= the greek word for senses).

General concepts according to Antisthenes do not exist (“I see a horse, but I cannot see the “horseness”). By this he concludes that we cannot give to a subject a different meaning other than what makes its identity to be such (eg, gold is gold rather than gold is yellow, mortal is mortal rather than a man is mortal)

That is why Antisthenes rejected the definition of the primary characteristics. These teachings were willingly adopted by the Cynicals, leading them to the effort of making themselves totally independent of human needs, reducing their personal needs to the least, exercising to endure every discomfort and considering pleasure as the ultimate evil.

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BIOGRAPHY 2

Antisthenes of Athens (c.445-c.360 BC) is regarded as the founder of Cynicism. He was a student of Gorgias, but later he became a pupil and follower of Socrates. He usually expressed his distain for conventional values and pleasure. For Antisthenes, desire leads to pleasure and pleasure to the misery of insufficient and temporal happiness. For Antisthenes only virtue is sufficient for real happiness, that is well-being. A virtuous person is sufficient with whatever is present and with future expectations and social conventions. According to Diogenes Laertius (Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers VI ):

And the doctrines he adopted were these. He used to insist that virtue was a thing which might be taught; also, that the nobly born and virtuously disposed, were the same people; for that virtue was of itself sufficient for happiness. And was in need of nothing, except the strength of Socrates. He also looked upon virtue as a species of work, not wanting many arguments, or much instruction; and he taught that the wise man was sufficient for himself; for that everything that belonged to any one else belonged to him. He considered obscurity of fame a good thing, and equally good with labour. And he used to say that the wise man would regulate his conduct as a citizen, not according to the established laws of the state, but according to the law of virtue.

Translated by Yonge

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for more information, please visit the Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia in the following web page

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antisthenes

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CYNICISM - Crates of Thebes

Κράτης ο Θηβαίος ο κυνικός

[Detail from a wall painting from the garden of the Villa Farnesina, Museo delle Terme, Rome]

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Crates (fl. c.328-325 BC) was a Boeotian from Thebes. He is the most famous successor of Diogenes and the principal master of Zeno of Citium, the founder of Stoicism. He was a popular figure in Athens. He used to reconcile family quarrels and give practical and moral advices to the Athenians. As for the other Cynics, Crates believed in the ascetic way of life. Happiness is self-sufficiency and not the balance between pleasure and pain, since in our lives the moments of pleasure are surpassed by the moments of pain.

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for more information, please visit the Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia in the following web page

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crates_of_Thebes

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05 CYNICISM - Diogenes of Sinope

Διογένης απο τη Σινώπη ( ο Σινωπεύς )

ο Κυνικός

Dogs and philosophers do the greatest good and get the fewest rewards.

Diogenes was known as Diogenes the cynic because he was one of the founders of the Cynic school of philosophy. Diogenes rejected society as corrupt and hypocritical and lived a simple lifestyle instead. Legend has it that he lived in a barrel and mocked authority figures, including Alexander the Great and Plato. Diogenes used stunts such as carrying a lamp in the daytime to express his philosophy and refused to write. Diogenes was a radical who rejected all political and social organizations and even the idea of private property. Instead, he believed that simplicity was the key to happiness.

Diogenes sheltering in his barrel as painted by John William Waterhouse

Diogenes sitting in his tub. Painting by Jean-Léon Gérôme (1860)

Diogenes searches for an honest man. Painting attributed to J. H. W. Tischbein (c. 1780)

Alexander the Great visits Diogenes at Corinth by W. Matthews (1914)

Alexander and Diogenes by Caspar de Crayer (c. 1650)

Diogenes by Jules Bastien-Lepage (1873)

Statue of Diogenes at Sinop, Turkey

A 17th century depiction of Diogenes

Giulio Bonasone - Diogenes and Antisthenes

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Cynicism: Antisthenes, Diogenes of Sinope, Crates of Thebes (taught Zeno of Citium, founder of Stoicism)

BIOGRAPHY 1

Diogenes of Sinope (c.400-c.325 BC) was a follower of Antisthenes and probably the most popular of the Cynics. Plato called Diogenes ‘Socrates gone mad’. He had an extreme personality with strong views. He denied pleasure and physical wealth for asceticism. He had the nickname ‘the dog’ because of his shamelessness. He used to live in a barrel with only possessions a robe to wear and a stick to walk. There are many stories for Diogenes’ rebellious and anti-conformal character. According to some ancient sources Diogenes carried a lighted lamp in broad daylight looking in the streets of Athens for the honest man. But the most famous anecdote of his life is related to Alexander the Great. When Alexander stood before him and asked him if he had any desire, Diogenes asked Alexander to move a little to one side because he was blocking the sun.

There lived a wise man in ancient Greece whose name was Diogenes. Men came from all parts of the land to see him and talk to him.

Diogenes was a strange man. He said that no man needed much, and so he did not live in a house but slept in a barrel, which he rolled about from place to place. He spent his days sitting in the sun and saying wise things to those who were around him.

When Alexander the Great came to that town he went to see the wise man. He found Diogenes outside the town lying on the ground by his barrel. He was enjoying the sun.

When he saw the king he sat up and looked at Alexander. Alexander greeted him and said:

"Diogenes, I have heard a great deal about you. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Yes," said Diogenes, "you can step aside a little so as not to keep the sunshine from me."

The king was very much surprised. But this answer did not make him angry. He turned to his officers with the following words:

"Say what you like, but if I were not Alexander, I should like to be Diogenes."

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for more information, please visit the Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia in the following web page

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diogenes_of_Sinope

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