Greek Thought Research Articles

Мифические детерминанты политического (Политический проект Платона)

The article is devoted to the explication of the mythological determinants of Plato’s political doctrine. The author raises the question about those axiomatic propositions that underlie the political philosophy of the ancient Greek thinker: what is it, the rudiments of mythical consciousness or the rationality of the nascent philosophical logos? The article shows that there are two opposite answers to this question. One is associated with the tradition of conceptualizing myth as fiction and fantasy (Georg Hegel, Auguste Comte, Feokhari Kessidy), the other with the understanding of myth as a special type of rationality underlying a certain ontological reality (Friedrich Schelling, Alexey Losev, Kurt Huebner). The author shows that modern Platonists are increasingly inclined to the second approach and consider myth as an indispensable element of Plato’s philosophy as such. The central element of his system, the doctrine of ideas, is genetically linked to classical mythology. Plato’s ideas are rationalized supernatural entities, divine substances. This understanding finds comprehensive manifestation in Plato’s political project. The peace of a self-identified being is the ideal of a perfect polis. Justice, on the other hand, is conformity to one’s nature i.e., ultimately, conformity to the divine substance expressed in the idea. Thus, the author concludes, justice in Plato’s project is primarily not a social or political

Metamorphosis of Psyche in Psychoanalysis and Ancient Greek Thought: From Mourning to Creativity, by Marcia D-S. Dobson, Routledge, Abingdon and New York, 2023, 263 pp.

Metamorphosis of Psyche in Psychoanalysis and Ancient Greek Thought: From Mourning to Creativity, by Marcia D-S. Dobson, Routledge, Abingdon and New York, 2023, 263 pp.

THINKING ABOUT EXISTING-BEING IN THE TEACHINGS OF ANCIENT GREEK SAGES AND ANCIENT INDIAN RISHIS (IN THE INTERPRETATION OF MODERN EUROPEAN AND INDIAN PHILOSOPHERS: MARTIN HEIDEGGER AND SRI AUROBINDO GHOSE)

In this study, first of all, it was important to analyze this technique of returning to the ancient tradition of two outstanding thinkers of the 20th century. M. Heidegger and Sri Aurobindo Ghosh in order to understand to what extent the language of the ancient sages and rishis is still accessible to our understanding; Has it not already happened that the voice of the ancient sages will turn out to be completely foreign to us, like the language of the unconscious, which we do not hear and do not understand? The conducted analysis showed that a certain intellectual conflict arose between Heidegger and the ancient Greeks. This conflict connected with the fact that the German thinker, repeatedly turning to different periods of Greek philosophy and different Greek thinkers and trying to apply to them the phenomenological method of his teacher Husserl, being atheistically minded, never managed to capture the original spiritual intuition of the pre-Socratics in the understanding of being. And at the same time, he himself could not find a suitable name for understanding being in modern culture. Where Heidegger still very carefully writes about the “open clearing” as a manifestation of the truth in the original ancient Greek thinkers, the essence of which, from the point of view of the German thinker, was still given to Heraclitus and Parmenides only intuitively (they did not yet understand the reason for this phenomenon of our consciousness), Sri Aurobindo directly indicates the existence of a connection between the ancient rishis and the existence (revelation) of the gods. Moreover, the processes described by the Indian thinker are very similar to those described by Heidegger. Everything indicates that the thinking of the ancient Greeks and ancient Hindus was very similar. The ancient Greeks (pre-Socratics) tried to understand why our consciousness is given to existence at all, and discovered the existence of inner peace in man – human openness to understanding the existence. Vedic sages, listening to the “voice” of the subconscious, discovered the waves of the subconscious and realized that man is like gods. It is important to note the difference between the pre-Socratics and the ancient Indian rishis in their interpretation of knowledge of existence. For the Greeks, true knowledge of being awakens human existence for knowledge (the logos, the world of naming, the world of concepts). According to the ideas of the ancient Indian rishis, when the gods awakened by man descend into their own world of existence, the consciousness of man in his actual existence also awakens. That is why the truth for the Greeks, according to Heidegger, is the opening and concealment of the truth of being (things), and the truth for the Rishi, according to Sri Aurobindo, is the ascent to true existence together with the gods that awaken in us.

Smoke and Fire. Sign Inference in Greek and in Indian Epistemology

Abstract“Wherever there is smoke there must be fire.” In 1957, Aram M. Frenkian noticed that both ancient Greek and Indian philosophy makes use of the smoke-fire analogy as a model for inferential reasoning. He postulated that Greek use of the example reflected Indian influence on Greek philosophy which was mediated through the works of Pyrrho, the founder of Sceptisicm, who had accompanied Alexander the Great on his Indian campaign (327-5 BCE) and learnt from Indian sages (‘gymnosophists’ as the Greeks called them). More recent scholarship mainly shares his views. In the present paper, I argue that the smoke-fire example formed part of a complex theory of sign inference, and that not only the isolated analogy, but the theory as a whole which it illustrates is present in both cultures. Furthermore, the variants of this theory comprise such close and extended similarities that they must be the result of direct contact between Indian and Greek thinkers, although it is impossible to decide whether they stem from a common origin, or are the result of influence from one culture to the other.

The Evolution of Legal Philosophy: From Greek Thinkers to Modern Rule of Law

The Evolution of Legal Philosophy: From Greek Thinkers to Modern Rule of Law

REGARDING EXPLANATION OF INTERNATIONAL TERM ELEMENTS IN THE UZBEK DICTIONARIES

This article explores the historical evolution of linguololklore studies, tracing its origins back to ancient Greece and ancient India, where scholars have analyzed language variations in literary and spoken forms. This section discusses the efforts of Greek thinkers to interpret the language of Homer's epics and the work of Indian grammarians such as Panini in distinguishing between Sanskrit and Prakrit. Furthermore, it highlights the contributions of Arab scholars in interpreting Islamic texts and the emergence of linguistics as a distinct field in the 19th century, particularly through the works of Wilhelm von Humboldt and Jacob Grimm. The article also delves into the philological study of Russian folklore, with scholars such as A. Kh. Vostokov and A. A. Potebnyamade significant contributions. It examines debates on the relationship between folklore language and dialect, along with the efforts of contemporary scholars such as A. T. Khrolenko, E. B. Artemenko, and S. E. Nikitina in advancing linguo-folkloristics. This article underscores the interdisciplinary nature of linguo-folklore studies and their role in understanding language, culture, and societal dynamics.

Tracing the Roots of Modern Human Rights in Ancient Greek Thought

The establishment of the modern human rights regime, a pivotal development that transpired in the aftermath of the Second World War, marks a watershed moment in the annals of global governance. However, it is imperative to recognize that the foundational bedrock upon which this regime stands embodied by concepts such as freedom, equality, the right to vote, and the notion of natural rights extends its roots far beyond the mid-20th century. These bedrock principles have an intricate lineage, manifesting in various forms throughout history and across diverse cultures. To unravel this historical continuum, one need not look solely to the post-World War II era; rather, a profound exploration reveals that analogous ideals have left indelible imprints across different countries and epochs. Among these cultural tapestries, ancient Greece emerges as a particularly rich and influential backdrop, offering a plethora of ideas that resonate with the very essence of contemporary human rights. In an earnest pursuit of understanding the intricate interplay between ancient wisdom and modern conceptions, the present paper embarks on an insightful examination. Through a meticulous study, it endeavors to illuminate the myriad ideas and features that emanated from ancient Greece, serving as pre-cursors to, and reflections of, the multifaceted concept of human rights as it is comprehended and cherished in our present-day global discourse.

“educating children for wisdom”: reflecting on the philosophy for children community of inquiry approach through plato’s allegory of the cave

There is a widespread belief in Philosophy for Children that Plato, the famed Greek thinker who introduced philosophizing to the world as a form of dialogue, was averse to teaching philosophy to young children. Decades of the implementation of P4C program’s inquiry pedagogy have shown conclusively that children are not, in fact, incapable of receiving philosophical training and education. But was Plato wrong? Or has he been largely misunderstood? Does his theory of education show the value of cultivating virtues in the young? This paper attempts to answer these questions by reading the Republic, specifically Plato’s theory of education and the allegory of the cave, as an education manual that can strengthen one’s understanding of the pedagogical approach of P4C and the importance of educating children in wisdom and other intellectual virtues. It demonstrates that the Platonic conception of education is consistent with P4C’s theoretical position of education being transformative, facilitative, and virtue-based. By unpacking the symbolisms and meanings of the cave metaphor, it also discusses effective facilitation, teacher capacity building, and sharing of responsibility in education. Ultimately, drawing from Plato’s theory of education can recalibrate and improve the way one sees the role of education in building caring communities that empower learners and educators for democracy, higher learning, and achievement.

The problems of memory in the philosophical tradition of Antiquity

The article is devoted to the problem of actualization of the phenomenon of memory in the tradition of Ancient thought. Despite the genuine interest in the politics and techniques of memory, recollection and oblivion at the end of the twentieth century, the ancient tradition of interpreting the concept of "memory" rarely becomes an independent subject of detailed consideration by researchers. Modern authors from various fields of knowledge often mention Aristotle as the originator of the concept of memory, but such references are rather a "common place", a tribute to tradition, rather than a serious analysis. The study of the achievements of ancient authors opens the way for readers to study the problems of the work of consciousness, the general concept of time, and also creates the ground for the analysis of a wide range of epistemological problems. In this regard, the reconstruction undertaken in this article of the author's most important concepts of memory in antiquity aims not only to explain the meaning of phraseological units, such as "to fall to the source", but also to demonstrate the importance of ancient concepts for the modern understanding of the phenomenon, in particular, the understanding of memory as a specific characteristic of personality. The authors of this article proceed from the thesis that ancient Greek thinkers saw in memory the main property that distinguishes a person from other beings.

The Contribution of Education to the Formation of the Democratic Citizen

The purpose of this paper is twofold; firstly, we will attempt to highlight the contribution of education to the formation of the democratic citizen. However, the reason for our study was the ideas of the ancient Greek thinkers regarding the relationship between education and the citizen. In the course of the work, we ascertain the topicality of their theories, as well as their influence on modern researchers, which will constitute the second purpose of our research. People have the same desire for glory, power and material wealth as the citizens of ancient Greece, that’s why their texts acquired a timeless value. To support our proposal, we will invoke the proposal of T. Parsons, who argues that Western societies originate from the ancient Greek ones (Parsons, 1966).In the study at hand, we will also be concerned with the issue, if education still plays a primary role in the formation of the democratic citizen, given that there are now many educational institutions, such as the Internet. In addition, we will deal with whether the concept of democracy has been differentiated in relation to the way it was understood by the ancient Greek philosophers, who believed that the citizen should be active and participate in the commons. Nowadays, do education systems promote political participation or passivity, serving the interests of the ruling class of states?

Проблема справедливости в антиеретическом дискурсе св. Ипполита Римского

The article examines one of the key episodes of the semantic transformation of the moral and political category of justice, its fate in the era of the Christianization of philosophy. The article analyzes a Greeklanguage polemical treatise of the 3rd century A.D., known as the "Philosophoumena" (or more precisely, "Philosophical Opinions, or a Refutation of All Heresies"), recently attributed to Hippolytus of Rome, a prominent representative of pre-Nicene patristics. The article shows that in this treatise, justice appears as a significant concept used in a number of contexts. First of all, the author of the treatise is armed with justice for the trial of heretics, criticizes their own claims to justice. He argues that all heresies are a direct consequence of Greek philosophical teachings, and for this reason, justice occupies an essential place in the retelling and quotations of classical ancient Greek thinkers. At the same time, justice is an important component of various heretical cosmologies, theologies, and traditions of social organizations. In addition, justice appears as a theological attributive category: in heretical teachings, Christ is referred to as the fairest man, and one of several gods of pluralistic Gnostic theology is endowed with the property of justice. Hippolytus himself uses the category of justice in the narrative of "divine economy", where it is associated with the appearance of "the law and the prophets" and the incarnate Messiah. Thus, Hippolytus' anti-heretical discourse reflects the contradictory image of late-Antique philosophy and the early history of Christianity and shows justice as a term relevant both for the ancient philosophical tradition of the late Roman period and for the emerging heretical and "orthodox" Christian religious traditions.

Heidegger and Plato's idea of the Good

The article deals with the question of Plato's reception in Heidegger's philosophy. In particular, the research focuses on the question of how Heidegger interpreted the idea of the good from Plato's "State". Here a number of difficulties important for the history of philosophy arise. What is the ontological status of the idea of good? How is the idea of the good connected with the demiurge from the dialogue "Timaeus"? On the one hand, it is well known that the late Heidegger criticized Plato and all European metaphysics, which was and remains Platonism. On the other hand, the early Heidegger clearly presents an attempt to master the shining heights of Platonism: the question of the meaning of being needs an angle from which a definite answer can be highlighted – and Heidegger borrows this angle from Plato. Just as the good endows existence with being and truth, so the understanding of being is possible from time, because it is temporality that is the condition for understanding being, it highlights its meaning. And if Plato's being "pounces" on the good, or on the one, then for Heidegger, time is such a condition. This line of thought, fundamental to the whole project of fundamental ontology, is directly related to the philosophy of Plato, who for the first time was able to rise so high as to become ἐπέκεινα τῆς οὐσίας, to see things as if from the outside, i.e. in the light of the transcendent idea of good. Nevertheless, Heidegger criticizes Plato, which allows us to raise the question: how did Heidegger understand Platonic ἐπέκεινα τῆς οὐσίας and the doctrine of the good? It is impossible to answer this question unequivocally, since Heidegger approached this question from different sides and at different times interpreted this most important position of the Greek thinker in different ways. Nevertheless, the main remarks can be reduced to two: (1) the good was conceived by Plato as something moral and therefore mixed with the existing, (2) the good subordinates the being, brings it under fitness.

Trans-philosophy: Translating Philosophy on and beyond the Boundaries

ABSTRACT Translating archaic Greek philosophies presents a complex of opportunities and challenges for translators, several of which are regularly overlooked. Among these figure prominently the culture and thematics of oralcy and the predisciplinarity in which early Greek thinking took shape. Additionally, translators engaged with early Greek thinking face layers of interpretive history and expectations that can determine the scope of possible translation, which, in turn, limits the range of interpretive possibilities. Yet their predisciplinary or at least hybrid modes summon a broad attention to contexts of language, forms, and meanings that may challenge, or even disrupt, the predominant lines of inquiry and interpretation. How can translation motivated by the oralcy and predisciplinarity of archaic Greece open new directions for interpretation of the early Greek thinkers? Ranging through Anaximander, Xenophanes, Heraclitus, Parmenides, and others, this article articulates some possibilities for translating on and beyond the boundaries of philosophy.

Konsep Pendidikan Menurut Ibnu Miskawaih

Recently, the topic of moral or character education has received more attention in Indonesian society, particularly among academics. The events that took place reveal a lot about how moral degradation can develop. In order to build this country for a better future, global prosperity, and eternal happiness, we must look at the causes, the remedies, and the way this country is constructed. A qualitative methodology combined with a literature study method is used in this study. Greek thinkers like Plato, Zeno, and Aristotle had a significant influence on Ibn Miskawaih's ideas. In addition, he drew inspiration from Muslim philosophers like al-Kindi, al-Farabi, and ar-Razi. The purpose of education, according to Ibnu Miskawaih, is to manifest an inner attitude that is able to spontaneously encourage all actions of good value in order to obtain true and perfect happiness. Ibnu Miskawaih, who emphasizes the formation of morals by habituation, imitation, continuous imitation, and training, is in accordance with the current curriculum in Indonesia.

The Transmission System of the Greco-Arabic Translation Movement during the Abbasid Era and its Philosophical Contribution

<em>This study aims to determine the factors underlying the occurrence of the Greco-Arabic Translation Movement, how its process takes place, how the translation transmission system works, who are the figures behind it, and what its contributions are to the advancement of philosophy. This article uses the qualitative method through library research with data sources in the form of historical books written in the Abbasid dynasty, a book titled ‘Greek Thought, Arabic Culture’ by Dimitri Gutas, and articles related to the object of research. It can be concluded that the factors underlying the occurrence of the translation movement were the conquests by the Arabs, the Abbasid Revolution and the demography of Baghdad, and the pre-Abbasid translation movement. Based in Baghdad, this project lasted from the 8th century to the 10th century AD. The translation transmission system applied is the Greco-Syriac-Arabic translation. Some of the figures who played crucial roles in this project were caliph al-Mansur, caliph Harun ar-Rashid, caliph al-Ma’mun, Hunayn ibn Ishaq, the Banu Musa brothers, and Thabit ibn Qurra. This movement birthed the philosophy study. This project contributed to the advancement of philosophy both in classical and modern eras of Arab civilization and the world.</em>

Resposta brasileira à crise humanitária venezuelana: A Operação Acolhida como uma política de esperança

Abstract This article discusses how Operation Acolhida, within the context of the Venezuela Situation, functions as a customized politics of hope where the Venezuelans refugees and migrants crossing the Brazilian border’s need for hope of is instrumentalized in a strategy to define how/what to hope for. The methodology is divided in the following subsections: the first section brings the discussion on the metaphysics of presence and its logocentric and teleologic perspectives; section two discusses how theories and understanding of hope have been evolving from the Ancient Greek thinkers till the present day and presents the politics of hope as a tool to understand the Operation Acolhida. The last two sections draw its conclusions by analysing how Operation Acolhida activates a customized strategy.

Normativity and Ontology of Law in Early Greek Philosophy

The paper is devoted to the issues of the emergence of European science and philosophy, founded by the ancient Greeks. In the period known as the First Enlightenment, there was, on the one hand, a gradual departure from the mythological explanations of the reality, and, on the other, the construction of a new way of looking at the world, known as the study of nature. The inquiries of the ancient Greeks had an ontological dimension; they consisted in searching for the arche of the world and they were looking for the ultimate structure of reality, and, what is important, the human being was situated in these studies as an integral, but not the most important part of the Cosmos, subject to its laws. Presocratics did not put the human being above nature, because they did not strictly distinguish between the laws of nature and the laws of community. This was one of the reasons why the science of law did not arise at that time. Besides, the Greeks never reduced their right to the system, because too often gods or demos ‘interfered’ with the laws of the polis. It was a typical example of “law without jurisprudence”, because it was flexible and had vaguely formulated rules and institutions. Another significant factor here was the lack of the trained group of professional lawyers. This period ended with the advent of Socrates’ philosophy. Up to his time, philosophy had studied numbers and movements, and had dealt with the question of where all things have their origin and where they disappear; it also had observed the stars, the distances between them, their circuits, as well as had studied phenomena which appear in the sky. The early sages believed that they could gain knowledge by conducting research into natural phenomena themselves. Socrates rejected the ontology and study of nature initiated by the Milesians and other early Greek thinkers in favour of searching for the meaning of words and concepts found in the Athenian polis language. He believed that finding the meaning of words translated into revealing the reality which could not be reached otherwise.

A general description of the issues of origin and creation in Boston's Greek philosophy

In the article, the author discussed the issue of the origin and creation of the world from the point of view of Boston Greek thinkers . The use of analytical, historical, comparative, critical and scientific - theoretical methods during the investigation of the issue is widely observed/ The author tried to investigate the issue of origin and creation in the works and opinions of the Greek thinkers of Boston and shows the similarities and differences of their opinions on the issue. In the article, more attention is paid to the ideas and thoughts of Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes, because the ideas of these Boston Greek philosophers are the starting point of the evolution of the mythological and religious worldview into the religious - philosophical worldview. At the same time, the philosophical-scientific assumptions in the mentioned works of Fales are not lacking, and most of them still keep their position . It can be said that the relationship between the issues of origin and creation has been investigated to some extent in the article, and the author has discussed the goal and goal he set before him as much as possible.

Philosophy of Greek Myth from a Historical Perspective (1300-1100 BC)

This research intends to provide an academic viewpoint on the value of studying "Greek Mythology" in a historical context by tracing its roots as a primary philosophy. Myths are complex because they contain historical information. The study subject focuses on the success of the Greek epics poet "Homer," who mixed mythology with history in a philosophical and literary framework. Both epics incorporated rhetorical visuals, graphic arts, supernatural, and philosophical elements. The research relies on a historical, descriptive technique, examining important documents, books, papers, and research. According to the study, the Iliad and the Odyssey reveal the influence of myth on Greek thinking and ideology. The Iliad reveals "Trojan War" mysteries and facts. Homer's descriptions of events and episodes are consistent with those of Greek historians, especially Thucydides. The research made several important recommendations, including the need to include in university curricula topics on the philosophy of history that provides for eastern and western mythological symbols because of their importance as part of the cultural heritage of peoples that must be revived in all countries, and the need to hold seminars and scientific conferences to shed light on the importance of the symbols.

A Contribution to the Discussion of the Theory of Anomie

AbstractThe paper analyses the notion of anomie through various theories presented in the works of classical Greek thinkers up to today’s understanding of this notion. In this regard, the article will touch on some previous understandings of this phenomenon, and the beginnings of modern thought on anomie in the work of Jean-Marie Guyau, and the developed understandings of Robert Merton and Émil Durkheim as the two most prominent authors dealing with this topic. In addition, the attitudes of marginalized writers will be analysed, as well as neglected and underrepresented understandings in criminology and wider science. The purpose of this paper is to find common ground between all previous understandings of the theory of anomie, and to try to find a more specific meaning of the term in order to contribute to the discussion on this topic.