Classical ThoughtSpanning over a thousand years from Homer to Saint Augustine, Classical Thought encompasses a vast range of material in succinct style, while remaining clear and lucid even to those with no philosophical or Classical background The major philosophers and philosophical schools are examined---the Presocratics, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Stoicism, Epicureanism, Neoplatonism; but other important thinkers, such as Greek tragedians, historians, medical writers, and early Christian writers, are also discussed. The emphasis is naturally on questions of philosophical interest (although the literary and historical background to Classical philosophy is not ignored), and again the scope is broad---ethics, the theory of knowledge, philosophy of mind, philosophical theology. All this is presented in a fully integrated, highly readable text which covers may of the most important areas of ancient thought and in which stress is laid on the variety and continuity of philosophical thinking after Aristotle. |
Contents
1
Introduction | 1 |
2 Homer
| 6 |
3 The Naturalist Movement
| 20 |
4 Doubts about Naturalism
| 43 |
5 Socrates
| 68 |
6 Plato
| 85 |
7 Aristotle
| 118 |
8
Epicureanism | 145 |
9
Stoicism | 164 |
10
Plotinus | 185 |
11
Christianity and Greek Thought | 202 |
Notes | 222 |
| 250 | |
| 257 | |
Common terms and phrases
accept Achilles action Aeschylus agree aims Anaximander answer argues argument Aristotle Aristotle’s assume assumptions Athenian Athens atoms Augustine beliefs benefit body bravery Christ Christian Cicero claims common conception conflict conflicting appearances cosmic justice criticism death define definition democracy Democritus depends difficulties Diogenes Laertius divine doctrine empirical Epicurean Epicurus ethics Euthyphro evil explain external final causes find gods Greek philosophy happiness hence Heracleitus hero Herodotus Hesiod Homeric honour human nature identified influence inquiry Intellect intelligent interlocutor justified knowledge Lucretius Manichean matter moral naturalist object observation outlook people’s person philosophical Plato pleasure Plotinus political principles properties Protagoras questions rational reality reason recognize reference reflect reflexion reject result Roman sacrifice scepticism scientific seems senses Sextus simply Socrates someone sort soul Stoicism Stoics suggests theory Theory of Forms things Thucydides true truth universe virtues Vlastos whole Xenophanes Zeus