Hellenistic philosophy

How do we live ‘according to nature’ in the Stoic doctrine? Do you agree with this doctrine? Stoicism is one of the branches of ancient philosophy originally founded by Zeno of Citium (300 BC). What is Stoicism? Stoic philosophy is not a series of philosophical claims about the nature of the world, of what we can know or what is right or wrong. Instead, Stoicism is commonly described to be an attitude, a way of life (Sellar, 2006). More importantly, the stoics have repeatedly stated in their philosophy: ‘to live according to nature’, where ‘nature’ relates to the Greek term ‘physis’. This does not describe an object or state, but rather, a process. One way to answer the question- how does one live ‘according to nature’, is to refer to the way in which things are intended by nature to i.e. change and grow (Daw, 2013). In this essay, I will begin by explaining the main ideas Stoicism stands for, namely, of the importance stressed on God and fate. I will then explain what living ‘according to nature’ entails and the emphasis Stoics put on achieving eudaimonia, of leading virtuous lives. Hence, if one is to live according to nature, this is to bring oneself closer to leading a virtuous life. Conversely, I will outline some of the criticisms put forward against this Stoic doctrine, namely the account proposed by Friedrich Nietzsche. I will then challenge Stoicism further…

ith all three of the Hellenistic philosophies in my approach in life. Some I may not agree with their teaching views but for the most part I agree with their philosophies on life in general. These two philosophers had almost similar views on life in general. Diogenes and Zeno teaching were related to the teaching of Jesus in a way. But as for Epicurus, I agree somewhat of his views but for the most part I don’t agree with his teachings. Diogenes was the philosopher who came up with the idea of…

However, this is not to say they shared the same reasons for holding their beliefs. First, and most broadly, they are both materialists in some sense. Meaning both are primarily concerned with matter and the material world. Both are attempting to do philosophy without abstract objects or ‘fancy things’. For example, things like Plato’s forms did not fit into either of their ideologies. While the Stoics did admit there must be some sort of abstract things, they denied they were anything like…

conspirators against Julius Caesar, share a common goal, but act uniquely in achieving it, based on their beliefs. The unique methods used by each man are based off of their philosophies, and are actually similar to each other. Brutus and Cassius are supporters of contrasting philosophies, but the influence of the philosophies on each man is similar. The actions, goals, and ideas of each man is shaped and influenced by their mindset. Through juxtaposition and paralleling scenes in Julius Caesar,…

We all tend to be happy in our lives. Some people compare happiness with factors like money, social status etc. while some mean satisfaction by happiness. I personally feel that it is our desires that control our happiness and these desires if controlled can lead to positive feelings like satisfaction. It has been rightly said, “Satisfaction is the death of desire.” Out of the four accounts that we covered, I would select the views of the Epicurean and the Stoic accounts for the description of…

The framework of the Hellenistic world can be seen during the life and reign of Alexander the Great. His role in developing the Hellenistic culture sprouts from his conquering of the Persian empire, and mixing the many cultures that were already present with Hellenic culture and ideas. This mixture of ideas moved the Hellenic’s three primary lenses of thought: humanism, idealism, and rationalism to a Hellenistic concept of three similar lenses: individualism, realism, and empiricism. This…

From primary sources and your notes on Hellenistic art, explain the relationship between mathematics and beauty. Include in your response the following ratios, proportion, perfect vs. imperfect, mathematical harmony and optical importance. After the death of Alexander the Great, the art period changed immensely from classical to the Hellenistic period. The Hellenistic period consists of complexity, movement, emotion and focuses on conveying drama. Hellenistic art were athletes, heroic figures,…

you will find three passages, discuss what the context is and what major issue in Jewish history they illustrate: The passages below describe the impact of Hellenism on Jewish history and tell the story of the emergence of Christianity. The Hellenistic period began following Alexander the Great’s conquest in 334 BCE and continued culturally till almost the seventh century CE. During this period, the Jews incorporated Hellenistic thoughts with their Judaic traditions; this is made evident in the…

The classical period is known as the period before Alexander the Great’s death. The Hellenistic period is known after his death. However, while he was alive he came up with great campaigns that changed the world of the Greeks. The differences that he attempted to change were the studies of the philosophy, science, religion, literature, and art. In the classical period or classical era, art was based on realism for the most part. The Hellenistic period showed art with more facial expression and…

The Hellenistic era was a period of great cultural change in literature, art, science, and philosophy. Each aspect of this cultural change occurred through Greek expansion and played a role in shaping the culture of Hellenistic Greeks. The beginning of the expansion of the Greek cultural was caused by the changing of the Greek environment. To begin with, the Greeks developed new technologies that would further their knowledge and even influence the modern world. These technologies include…