Greek Philosophy Research Articles

Vrednosti helenske kulture kao temelj Ničeove filozofije

The paper is examining Nietzsche's attempt to fuse his studies of antiquity with his critique of modernity. For Nietzsche, modernity is in a state of crisis. If we look at the intellectual relationship early Nietzsche develops with the Greek philosophers, it can be discovered the guiding problems motivating a good deal of Nietzsche's later work, but also and problem-solving strategies that marks the development of his whole philosophical journey. The aim of the work is to prove that the foundation of Nietzsche's philosophy is found in the value system of the ancient Greeks, while the central problem is culture, which he interprets through the prism of Greek cultural values that reconcile thinking, desire and the will to live with the will to power. Nietzsche claims that the Greeks have offered humanity exemplary models of cultural and individual developments. 'Heterogeneous' prePlatonic philosopher is essential to the homogeneity of Greek culture. Nietzsche's classicism amounts is criticism of his own times, but in the time is the base of his whole philosophical opuses. Nietzsche insists, modern Europe could not simply 'imitate the Greeks'. As individuals, the Greeks were psychologically healthier than the moderns were; they were emotionally stronger, in Nietzsche's view, more self-assured, less alienated from their own natures and from nature as such. They enjoyed these advantages because the common culture uniting the Greek world was stronger and more clearly defined, and this strength helped the Greeks find reliable answers to questions concerning the purpose of their being in the world. They knew, instinctually, why they existed, and in their various philosophies and tragic festivals, each of them affirmed to himself the meaning of his own particular existence, and by confirming the basic assumptions and worth of the culture's institutions, each of them affirmed the meaning of existence as such. The most significant problems and concepts arising in Nietzsche's philosophy developed through his engagement with Greek culture and thought and that for these reason studies of Nietzsche failing to take into account these problems and concepts from their origins run the risk of misconceiving Nietzsche's ideas by a considerable margin. Nietzsche does not reject not the tradition or modernity's inheritance of it. In Nietzsche's reading, Greek culture, like all flourishing types, understood the need for meaning, purpose, direction and goals, and responded to this need by 'toppling boundary stones', but also by constructing 'new religions and moralities'. Both responses are the function of such artistic, philosophical visions affected as they were in the age of Greek tragedy. Will to power serves him as a tool for understanding the conventional paths of modern scepticism and pessimism. Nietzsche's notion of self-overcoming contains the meaning of maturity and spiritual growth, based on ancient will to life. The key to the meaning of the will to power is Nietzsche's notion of self-overcoming after achieving maturity and power. The optimal will to power is realized in the ideal Übermensch based on ancient hero.

Terapia y terapeutas en Platón

Starting with an outline an overview of the ancient Greek literature on the notion of therapy and on who oversees such activity, the text highlights that originally the term “therapy” refers to a much more general care or service that culminated in body care under a medical connotation, with the special case of Hippocrates. Subsequently, in Plato the word "therapist" focuses on care for the mind and soul, whose characteristics and procedures are stipulated by the Greek philosopher.

Peithō and Logos in Aeschylus's Eumenides 778–891

In early Greek theoretical descriptions of rhetoric peithō and logos both emerge as crucial elements. However, historical scholarship on rhetoric has generally focused on logos at the cost of any sufficient understanding of peithō. This essay examines peithō within a text that predates the descriptions of rhetoric formulated by Gorgias, Plato, and Aristotle—Aeschylus's Oresteia. I argue that, throughout the speeches of Athena at Eumenides 778-891, Aeschylus displays highly sophisticated argumentative techniques (forms of logos) that anticipate principles outlined in Aristotle's Rhetoric. At the same time, Aeschylus highlights peithō as an essential characteristic of Athena's rhetorical effectiveness. In so doing, Aeschylus prepares the way (in practice) for what Greek sophists and philosophers will later articulate (in theory): that logos and peithō are inseparable and equally important components of effective rhetoric.

Mirroring Michelangelo, finding Galen: the ancient anatomical theory of the soul and its possible influence on The Creation of Adam

Galen of Pergamon (129 – c. 216) was a Greek physician, surgeon, and philosopher in the Roman Empire, whose views dominated Western medicine for thirteen centuries until the Renaissance. Starting from the theories of Hippocrates and Plato, Galen supposed how the soul was distributed within the human body. Galen’s method of investigation was the archetype of medical-scientific thought for his time. More generally, his visions were very practical and he managed to summarize and refine the contemporary knowledge in medicine. Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475–1564) was a “key figure” of the Italian High Renaissance. For centuries, his masterpieces have been studied in many disciplines, including the medical field, especially Anatomy. One of Michelangelo’s most studied works of art has been The Creation of Adam. In recent years, scientists from different fields of study have found hidden messages inside this work. Some theories are extremely interesting, and other meanings may have been included by Michelangelo in what many consider to be his greatest work. This paper suggests a new hypothesis of an anatomical observation of The Creation of Adam, based on Galen’s theory about the soul. This is to reason that the medical research carried on by Galen could have influenced many fields and also Michelangelo’s work. More generally, the study of human anatomy since ancient times has undoubtedly influenced many fields of research and development in important ways.

У.К.Ч. Гатри. История греческой философии

Review of A History of Greek Philosophy. Vol. 4. Plato. The Man and Dialogues: Earlier Period, by W.K.C. Guthrie

Interpretation of the Cave Metaphor in Plato's the Republic in Ancient Greek Philosophy Course

Interpretation of the Cave Metaphor in Plato's the Republic in Ancient Greek Philosophy Course

Interpretation of Justice in Plato's the Republic in Ancient Greek Philosophy Course

Interpretation of Justice in Plato's the Republic in Ancient Greek Philosophy Course

Reality+: Virtual Worlds and the Problems of Philosophy by David J. Chalmers

Reviewed by: Reality+: Virtual Worlds and the Problems of Philosophy by David J. Chalmers Anand Jayprakash Vaidya (bio) Reality+: Virtual Worlds and the Problems of Philosophy. By David J. Chalmers. New York, NY: W.W Norton & Company, 2022. Pp. xi + 520. Hardcover $22.49, isbn 978-0-393635-80-5. It isn't uncommon to think that virtual worlds, the worlds we engage with in video games, for example, are not real or at least less real than the ordinary world. After all, they are worlds that are created by us, and thus are less real than the world we didn't create, mind-independent reality. However, in Reality+, David Chalmers argues for the thesis that virtual reality is genuine reality. Reality+ is the twenty-first century equivalent of Bertrand Russell's twentieth century The Problems of Philosophy, published 110 years prior. Like Russell, Chalmers' goal is to explain the basic problems of philosophy to a wide audience. The book's twenty-four chapters are organized into seven different parts: virtual worlds, knowledge, reality, real virtual reality, mind, value, and foundations. Each section has about three to four chapters. Having taught the book in an upper-division philosophy of mind course, I would say that the first nine chapters should be read together to get a good sense of the whole project, because they give shape and structure to Chalmers' basic arguments and positions. The following fifteen self-explanatory, self-contained, chapters, are independently engaging, and can be taught separately, as standalone works of philosophy. Chalmers engages in what he terms technophilosophy, which is the combination of (1) asking philosophical questions about technology and (2) using technology to help answer traditional questions of philosophy. He claims that he draws inspiration for the project from Patricia Churchland's 1986 Neurophilosophy, where she does the equivalent of (1) and (2) with neuroscience. Reality+ delivers clear arguments, referencing historical and contemporary philosophical work, while frequently drawing from science fiction, including several outstanding Rick and Morty -style illustrations. The use of science fiction helps to connect students to abstract ideas, while the robustly constructed arguments serve to instruct students on how to go about critically examining the ideas. My students found the book accessible and engaging. I imagine the book [End Page 1] will become even more relevant to successive classes, as the issues Chalmers discusses grow more dominant in the future. Chapter 1, "Is this the real life?", begins by discussing Indian and Chinese philosophy in relation to Greek philosophy with respect to theme of illusion/dreams vs. reality. In all three traditions, one finds discussion of the nature of reality and whether we can know it. Chalmers thinks that each of these traditions helps to formulate the basic questions of his book: the knowledge question, the reality question, and the value question. The knowledge question: can we know whether or not we are living in a virtual world? In part 2, Chalmers argues that we cannot know that we are not living in a virtual world. He does so by defending his own version of Nick Bostrom's simulation argument (2003), which very roughly goes as follows: (1) If there is nothing (technological or otherwise) that would serve to block the creation of a perfect simulation of a humanlike being into existence (what he calls a sim blocker), then most humanlike beings are simulations. (2) if most humanlike beings are simulations, we are probably simulations. So, (3) if there are no sim blockers, we are probably sims. The reality question: are virtual worlds real? He argues that virtual worlds are genuinely real by examining a variety of definitions of what makes something real in chapter 6. I will examine this argument in more detail in the following section. The value question: can you lead a good life in a virtual world? He argues that one can, in parts 5 and 6. He says: "In principle, life in virtual reality can have the same sort of value as life in nonvirtual reality. To be sure, life in virtual reality can be good or bad" (p. 311). As successful as Reality+ is, philosophical counterpoints arose in my mind. In the next section, I present...

Представление о любви в древнегреческой философии и его отражение в произведениях русской классической литературы

This article is devoted to the study of the theme of love in ancient Greek philosophy, as well as its reflection in the works of Russian classical literature. While in the Russian language, one capacious word is used to denote a whole range of human feelings and emotions - "love", in the Greek lan The idea of love in ancient Greek philosophy and its reflection in the works of Russian classical literature.guage there are several words describing different types of love at once. Eros, Philia, Mania, Stroge, Ludus, Pragma, Agape - each of these terms carries a specific understanding of a particular shade of love experienced by a person. And sometimes these shades can contain completely opposite meanings. The article examines the types of love in ancient philosophy, reveals their characteristic features and differences. The author also analyzes the works of Russian classical literature, interprets the feelings of the heroes of the works according to the ancient classification of the concept of love.

The feminine in early Greek philosophy (Part one: Homer, Homeric tradition, Hesiod, Derveni Papyrus)

This paper forms the first part of broader research dealing with the possibilities for a feminine ????, i.e., the starting point or source for a change, in early Greek thinking. Thus, it involves comparative analyses of the material provided by Homer, The Homeric hymn to Apollo, Hesiod?s Theogony and the Derveni Papyrus, the latter text being ?the only one that can, without the shadow of a doubt, be described as ?Orphic?? (Brisson, 2019). The work on the sources resulted in endorsing the following interpretative hypothesis: In the analysed cosmogonies, the concept of ???? is linked and - as I would argue - dependant upon the phenomenon of parthenogenesis, i.e., reproduction without fertilisation, implying a kind of a biological ?self-sufficiency?. Consequently, the employed research strategy throughout the paper consisted of the two following tasks: 1) to assess the feminine emergence as the ???? in light of parthenogenesis; 2) employing the same criterion, to assess the relationship between the feminine and the masculine. The main results thus obtained show that: 1) apart from the fact that none of the analysed cosmogonies posited the feminine and the masculine in the relationship of equality, 2) the role of the feminine otherwise resists putting into ?patterns?, including its position in the so-called paternalistic Homeric tradition. Whether these results will change with the further inclusion of sources or remain as nuanced as they now are, remains to be seen in future research.

Plants and Vegetal Respiration in Early Greek Philosophy

This essay pursues the question of vegetal respiration in Presocratics’ doctrines in contrast to Aristotle’s categorical circumscription of this vital process to the blooded animals. It finds that epithelial respiration in DK31 B100 is central to Empedocles’ conception of plants’ breathing, linked to their fructification, deciduousness, and overall life preservation. It also discusses plants’ respiration in relation to their body temperature in Menestor, then, concludes by analyzing Democritus’ psychological doctrine, arguing that the intake of fiery atoms pertained to all living beings, plants included.

God in Motion: A Critical Exploration of the Open Theism Debate, ManuelSchmid, Baylor University Press, 2021 (ISBN 978‐1‐4813‐1408‐4), viii + 208 pp., hb $24.99

God in Motion: A Critical Exploration of the Open Theism Debate, ManuelSchmid, Baylor University Press, 2021 (ISBN 978‐1‐4813‐1408‐4), viii + 208 pp., hb $24.99

Открытое применение разума: Сократ и Кант

Kant is compared with Socrates because the two philosophers have much in common. Both thinkers were central figures in their time. Kant revolutionised the philosophy of the modern period dealing with questions of ethics and epistemology; Socrates brought about a similar revolution in ancient Greek philosophy. The image of Socrates continues to inspire modern scholars, the main features of this image being rationality and publicity. Socrates is seen as an arch-rationalist and the founder of science and philosophy as a whole. Besides, he practised philosophy publicly, being an antipode of another ancient Greek philosopher, Pythagoras, whose doctrines were secret. Coming together in the image of Socrates, publicity and rationality mutually condition each other. This again is a feature shared with Kant who put forward the concept of the public and private use of reason. Today, the term “publicity” should be replaced by the more accurate term “openness.” Like publicity, openness implies accessibility of knowledge to the largest possible number of people. However, openness is a broader concept: it makes it possible both to explain the interconnection between the freedom of reason and its publicity advocated by Kant and to draw a demarcation line between Socrates and the Sophists who were also public intellectuals. Whereas the Sophists sought personal gain and popularity, Socrates viewed the practice of philosophy as a form of self-sacrifice for the good of society; this led the Sophists to relativism and Socrates to the discovery of rational thinking. The conclusion is that openness, interpreted as accessibility of knowledge and the possibility of its development, constitutes the key component of rationality.

Ֆալիբիլիզմի ակունքները անտիկ փիլիսոփայությունում / The Sources of Fallibilism in Ancient Philosophy

The main purpose of the article is to reveal the philosophical foundations and elements of fallibilism in the traditions of ancient philosophy and, in particular, skeptical teachings, to show the attempts of forming and applying the main principles of fallibilism in the teachings of ancient philosophers, recording the outlook and methodological importance of fallibilism in human existence and knowledge, the justification of knowledge, in the philosophical-historical process of the search for criteria of truth. To achieve the goal, the following tasks were set: to analyze the epistemological views and approaches of ancient Greek and modern philosophical teachings and authors that contributed to the formation and further development of fallibilism, and to study the outlook and methodological significance of fallibilism and its impact on different epistemological concepts and in the context of overcoming conceptual conflicts and extremes. Many original works and articles were used during the research. The research used the methods of analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, analogy and historical comparison. The main conclusion derived from this research is that the skeptical views of many ancient Greek philosophers and especially Sextus Empiricus, Carneades, and Philo played a vital role in shaping the philosophical foundations of fallibilism and its worldviewmethodological significance. The approaches proposed by these authors facilitated the reinterpretation of classical notions of knowledge and cognition, thereby establishing alternative fallibilistic approaches to a wide range of epistemological issues. Importantly, fallibilism has historically demonstrated its significance of the outlook and methodological function in mitigating and resolving epistemological conflicts, as well as reconciling opposing and dead-end conceptual frameworks.

ПЕРЕКЛАД "АПОФТЕГМ" АНАХАРСІСА СКІФСЬКОГО

For the first time, the translation (from ancient Greek and Latin) into Ukrainian of the entire body of reasoning and fragments available today, which are attributed to the outstanding early Greek philosopher Anacharsis of Scythia (VIII-VI centuries BC), is presented. It was found that the majority of apophthegms are built according to the principle of antithesis: in order for a thought to arise, the thinker needs to move away from the opponent's thought, and then refute it. It was established that this pre-Socratic paid little attention to the classical problem of the philosophical searches of pre-classical ancient Greek thinkers – ontology (cosmology), while ethical-anthropological and socio-political topics played an important role for him.

The citizens’ lifelong learning in Plato’s laws

In the Laws, Plato presents an educational program for all members of the projected city of Magnesia, which concerns not only various kinds of specific knowledge, but also, and more importantly, the application of ethical and political virtues, in view of becoming excellent citizens and achieving a ?good life? in the long run, at the private and public level. These objectives are realised in many ways, as for example, by the people?s participating in the legislation and the city?s administration, by receiving a common fundamental education, including lessons of reading, writing, mathematics and astronomy; practicing sports; playing music; singing; dancing and also by taking an active role in religious festivals. The population is then divided in three groups, according to age, and they form ?choirs? dedicated to different divinities (the children to the Muses, the young people to Apollo, the elderly to Dionysus). Thus, we may deduce that Plato was one of the ancient Greek philosophers who supported the concept of ?lifelong learning,? expanded through various kinds of knowledge, skills and qualities. In my paper I examine the objectives, different contents of Plato?s pedagogical project destined to all the Magnetes, the various methods he proposed to use in order to arrive at its attainment, as well as the eventual reasons for these choices, related to his philosophical theories. I conclude by making a comparison with the notion of ?lifelong learning? as we understand it today.

The peculiarity of the dialectical ideas of the Second Teacher, a prominent representative of the Muslim Renaissance

AbstractThis paper investigates the development of dialectical concepts about the universe, being, metaphysics, scientific methods, and the knowledge of philosophers. The methods it uses are mainly theoretical and empirical methods, such as analysis and synthesis. Within the boundaries of the designated topic, it offers a systematic analysis of the historical periodization of Arab Muslim philosophy from the eighth century to the twentieth. The paper examines the activities of the prominent philosopher and mathematician Abu Nasr Muhammad ibn Muhammad al‐Farabi, showing the circumstances of his borrowing certain forms, concepts, and structures from ancient Greek philosophers. The paper's main conclusion is that al‐Farabi is a Second Teacher in modern philosophy, meaning the continuation in his works of the search for a scientific approach to the study of various forms of being.

Ecology, Anti-Christianity, and the Far Right

Ecology, Anti-Christianity, and the Far Right

«Эллинские мудрецы» в христианских храмах: путеводитель по философской иконографии Средневековья

The article is devoted to the study of the visual-plastic iconography of ancient philosophers in medieval Christian churches in Western and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Greece and Russia. For the first time in Russian and European scientific literature, the author gives such a complete and detailed overview of all Christian churches (including little-known ones) and temples that have visual-pictorial and sculptural-plastic images of “Hellenic sages”, which in the Middle Ages included not only ancient philosophers, but also poets, writers, historians and sibyls. Based on his many years of research, travel, study of many domestic and foreign sources on this topic, the author presents a large-scale and multicolored picture of the amazing Christian (primarily Orthodox) tradition of understanding the ancient sages as prophets of Christ and his teachings, drawing attention to many of its interesting features. This tradition finds expression both in texts and in the narthex, galleries, refectory, outer walls and even in the iconostasis of churches, visual images of the “Hellenic sages”, most often part of the iconography of the “Tree of Jesse”. Along the way, the problems of visual identification of such images, the features of their appearance, clothing, accompanying sayings, etc. are touched upon. Revealing in this way the potential of the visual dialogue between antiquity and Christianity in the Middle Ages, the author strives to present in a new light the reception of ancient Greek philosophers, which is valuable for modern thought both in the aesthetic and historical-philosophical context.

Междисциплинарный подход к исследованию благополучия личности

The purpose of the study is to analyze the phenomenon of personal well-being in the context of the interdisciplinary approach. The issue of happiness and well-being of a person has been the focus of philosophers’ attention since ancient times. Ancient Greek philosophers tried to define its essential content and spoke of it as the highest good, virtue, prosperity. In the Middle Ages, well-being begins to take on a different meaning and is associated with maintaining a balance in the spiritual and material spheres. The enrichment of the soul occurs due to the desire for both «heavenly» bliss, religion, and the receipt of «earthly» joys and pleasures. In the Modern Era, the study of well-being continues through eudemonic and hedonistic approaches. According to them, well-being is associated with obtaining pleasure and the absence of pain as such. In modern times, especially since the 1980s, researchers in the field of psychology, sociology, economics, and other scientific fields consider the problem of human well-being as one of the leading areas. Well-being is a construct that ensures the positive functioning of a person, the improvement of his mental health. This paper gives an idea of a comprehensive study of well-being as a source of attention in different fields of knowledge, showing the ambiguity in understanding and describing the existing problem. The interdisciplinary approach demonstrates the desire to develop a common concept of well-being, but there are noticeable gaps that make it difficult to systematize and develop a single definition of this construct.