Концепція свободи в античному світі

Abstract

The aim of the study is to research the correspondence and difference of ancient Greek authors FREEDOM conception. The subject of the article is the investigation of freedom category interpretation by ancient Greek writers. The object of the study is the works of ancient Greek writers, poets, philosophers, concerned with major issues of freedom conception. The academic novelty of the investigation is as follows: the most significant definitions of FREEDOM by ancient Greek authors were researched and recapped. It was examined that humans’ freedom and their cognitive activity are the significant issues of the conception determination of freedom. The term FREEDOM is different for every person that is why we cannot insist categorically that one idea is right and the other is wrong. In this case the idea of freedom disappears. Some philosophers consider that initially no Greek word ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΙΑ, no Latin LIBERTAS didn’t have philosophical meanings. Ancient Greeks believed that destiny, fate, necessity run humans. The idea of Freedom emerged in Ancient Greece. The ancient Greeks were first, who began to consider the issue of freedom both in the political and philosophic senses of the word. They tried to create the first state institutions defended human freedom. This concept had a lot of meanings in ancient times: the domination of intellect over emotions, conscience control, responsibility for actions, independency, and privilege for life, right to manipulate slaves. The idea of “being free” appeared much earlier than the conception of “freedom”. According to Homer to be free for person means to have an opportunity to live on your dear land. Particularly in Homer’s poems we are able to find the generation of the human right choice idea. Herodotus was the first scientist who formed the social meaning of the word FREEDOM. The definition of FREEDOM as philosophical term was used by sophists for the first time ever. According to Socrates FREEDOM is a self-control, physical instincts control. Plato in his turn considers that humans have a right of choice, but their freedom is not absolute. The analysis of the philosophical views and approaches concerning freedom conception in antiquity is conducted to prove that that freedom was the most significant value of ancient world. Ancient philosophers emphasized the polis freedom, internal and external freedom (stoics), freedom as self-control (Socrates), freedom as material independency (Plato), freedom as permissiveness (cynics), freedom as capacity for good. Ancient Greek and Modern Greek lexicographical sources show both analogies and differences of language objectification of FREEDOM conception. We consider appropriate to analyze these analogies and differences of various discourse’s types as the further prospective of this theme investigation.