Antisthenes

Cynicism Introduction: Who are the Cynics? The word “cynic” derives from Ancient Greek meaning “dog-like” or “dog”. The philosophy group of Cynics’ beliefs and actions resembles what a dog would think or do, because they live an indifferent way of life. Another way to put this is that the cynics sustained their human behaviour by the motivation entirely of self-interest. An example would be Diogenes of Sinope, who was a dominant figure of the story of Cynicism as there are many stories about his extreme behaviour. Alexander the Great meets Diogenes Diogenes was a simple and homeless man who lived and did his business on the street. Once, Alexander the Great, a wealthy man, met Diogenes and offered to grant him any request. However, Diogenes didn’t want anything except for him to move away from blocking the ray of sunlight. It was a simple and small request that created no debt, and showed how Alexander had disturbed Diogenes and owed him instead. In conclusion, Diogenes had publicly mocked Alexander by gaining power over the most powerful man. Although Alexander the Great was a wealthy man, the problem was that he never had enough of anything including power which meant that he could never achieve happiness. Diogenes lived a simple life where everything he had was enough and enjoyed life as it was. The goal of life for a Cynic is reaching tranquility - state of being calm and free from disturbance, as it leads to happiness. How to be a Cynic? Be a dog. Step 1: Show…

Just by embracing one philosophical teaching it could change and better your life. In the second half of the book, Philosophy For Life And Other Dangerous Situations by Jules Evans, Heraclitus, the Skeptics, Diogenes, Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates are all discussed. Each one of them provides a different philosophical teaching. Heraclitus taught us about the cosmic perspective, the Skeptics taught us to have our own opinion, Diogenes taught us to live simply, Plato taught us justice, Aristotle…

If Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and Diogenes of Sinope all have come into our time zone especially in America and saw the lifestyle we are living, they would all have different opinions on the way things turned out. Some things are good and some are bad, but for sure they would all be shocked of the modern society just like anyone would be to see a new world in front of them. It’s like us going to a new planet or waking up a few thousand years from now and having the same mentality. I will start…

Cynics were not very popular, but that did not stop them from proudly accepting the label “dogs” called them by their opposition. The Greek word dog was often used by Jews to refer to Gentiles, but here the Cynics were labeled dogs because of their belief that wealth, nice clothes, social status, luxuries of life were all things that were counterproductive for living a life of happiness and peace of mind. I am sure that the Cynics hygiene also played a role in them being labeled dogs. If this…

1. 1: Zeno of Citium 2: Epicurus Possibly, the image of two philosophers, who were typically shown in pairs during the Renaissance: Heraclitus, the "weeping" philosopher, and Democritus, the "laughing" philosopher. 3: unknown (believed to be Raphael)[14] 4: Boethius or Anaximander or Empedocles? 5: Averroes 6: Pythagoras 7: Alcibiades or Alexander the Great? 8: Antisthenes or Xenophon or Timon? 9: Raphael,[14][15][16] Fornarina as a personification of Love[17] or Francesco Maria Della Revere?…

The Cynics led by Antisthenes emphasised the disciplining of human needs and insisted upon severer aspects of living. Ethics, they said is the essential part of philosophy, and the highest good is the chief concern of man. The highest good is to be found in virtue, and virtue is happiness. Virtue is attained by means of intelligent living and is expressed in independence of external circumstances and mastery of desires-limiting them to those that are indispensable for life. Work is the essential…

It stands to reason that this much consumption over time will leave some lasting impression on our bodies. For example, because caffeine does its work in the brain, there could be negative effects on the mental health of those who drink large amounts of coffee regularly. It’s also possible that heart problems may arise due to the raising affect caffeine has on blood pressure. Cynics such as Antisthenes and Diogenes would have spoken out against the use of caffeine as a stimulant, instead…

economic systems of the Athenian city-state. Censorship was the norm in Greece, used to maintain an honourable society; in the words of Plato, who was ironically Socrates' own student, we must "let the censors receive any [thing] which is good, and reject the bad" to keep everyone "composed and dignified". Socrates was arrested on unfounded charges of impiety and the corruption of Athenian youth; in other words, he was arrested for his criticism of the ruling classes and their method of…

the preceding phrase, saying that Love is expressed in other responses as well. Finally, in response to Aristophanes’ speech, Eryximachus remarks “ἀλλὰ πείσομαί σοι...καὶ γάρ μοι ὁ λόγος ἡδέως ἐρρήθη” (Pl. Sym. 193e). Eryximachus’ repeated use of ἀλλά continues to grant strength and credibility to his opinions, as ἀλλά is a stronger, more explicit particle. Just like Plato, Xenophon used historical characters as members of his symposium. Niceratus, known as Niceratus II to differentiate him…

This rather simplified overview is nonetheless sufficient for our purposes. One can roughly distinguish the classic and Hellenistic periods into four different but closely connected parts. The first part concerns Socrates and his arguments with the Sophists (second half of the fifth century BC); the second part covers the post-Socratian formation of important philosophical schools deeply influenced by Socratic thought for example Antisthenes’ school of the Cynics, Aristippus’ school of the…