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Cynic Philosophy
Cynicism () is a school of thought in ancient Greek philosophy, originating in the Classical period and extending into the Hellenistic and Roman Imperial periods. According to Cynicism, people are reasoning animals, and the purpose of life and the way to gain happiness is to achieve virtue, in agreement with nature, following one's natural sense of reason by living simply and shamelessly free from social constraints. The Cynics (, ) rejected all conventional desires for wealth, power, glory, social recognition, conformity, and worldly possessions and even flouted such conventions openly and derisively in public. The first philosopher to outline these themes was Antisthenes, who had been a pupil of Socrates in the late 400s BC. He was followed by Diogenes, who lived in a ceramic jar on the streets of Athens. Diogenes took Cynicism to its logical extremes with his famous public demonstrations of non-conformity, coming to be seen as the archetypal Cynic philosopher. He was foll ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Asceticism
Asceticism is a lifestyle characterized by abstinence from worldly pleasures through self-discipline, self-imposed poverty, and simple living, often for the purpose of pursuing Spirituality, spiritual goals. Ascetics may withdraw from the world for their practices or continue to be part of their society, but typically adopt a Frugality, frugal lifestyle, characterised by the renunciation of Economic materialism, material possessions and physical pleasures, and also spend time fasting while concentrating on the practice of religion, prayer, or meditation. Some individuals have also attempted an ascetic lifestyle to free themselves from addictions to things such as Alcoholic beverage, alcohol, tobacco, Drug, drugs, entertainment, Sexual intercourse, sex, food, etc. Asceticism has been historically observed in many religious and philosophical traditions, most notably among Ancient Greek philosophy, Ancient Greek philosophical schools (Epicureanism, Gymnosophists, Gymnosophism, Stoic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Parrhesia
In rhetoric, parrhesia () is candid speech, speaking freely. It implies not only freedom of speech, but the obligation to speak the truth for the common good, even at personal risk. Etymology The earliest recorded use of the term ''parrhesia'' is by Euripides in the fifth century B.C. ''Parrhesia'' means literally "to speak everything" and by extension "to speak freely", "to speak boldly", or " boldness". Usage in ancient Greece In the Classical period, parrhesia was a fundamental component of the Athenian democracy. In the courts or the Ecclesia, the assembly of citizens, Athenians were free to say almost anything. In the Dionysia, playwrights such as Aristophanes made full use of their right to ridicule whomever they chose.. Outside of the theatre or government however, there were limits to what might be said; freedom to discuss politics, morals, religion, or to criticize people would depend upon the context: by whom it was said, and when, and how, and where. If one was s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Philanthropy
Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives for the Public good (economics), public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private good, focusing on material gain; and with government endeavors that are public initiatives for public good, such as those that focus on the provision of public services. A person who practices philanthropy is a philanthropist. Etymology The word ''philanthropy'' comes , from 'to love, be fond of' and 'humankind, mankind'. In , Plutarch used the Greek concept of to describe superior human beings. During the Middle Ages, was superseded in Europe by the Cardinal virtues, Christian virtue of ''Charity (Christian virtue), charity'' (Latin: ) in the sense of selfless love, valued for Salvation in Christianity, salvation and escape from purgatory. Thomas Aquinas held that "the habit of charity extends not only to the love of God, but also to t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Arete (moral Virtue)
() is a concept in ancient Greek thought that refers to "excellence" of any kind—especially a person or thing's "full realization of potential or inherent function." The term may also refer to excellence in " moral virtue." The concept was also occasionally personified as a minor goddess, Arete (not to be confused with the mythological Queen Arete), who, together with sister Homonoia, formed the ("Exacters of Justice"). In its earliest appearance in Greek, this notion of excellence was bound up with the notion of the fulfillment of purpose or function: living up to one's potential. A person of is of the highest effectiveness; such a person uses all of their faculties— strength, bravery, and wit—to achieve real results. In the Homeric world, involves all of the abilities and potentialities available to humans. Though particularly associated with "manly" qualities, the Homeric usage of the term was not necessarily gender-specific, as Homer applied the term to both ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Apatheia
In Stoic philosophy, ''apatheia'' (; ) refers to a state of mind in which one is not disturbed by the passions. It might better be translated by the word equanimity than the word indifference. The meaning of the word ''apatheia'' is quite different from that of the modern English apathy, which has a distinctly negative connotation that includes feelings of inertness, indifference, and impassiveness. According to the Stoics, ''apatheia'' was the quality that characterized the sage. Philosophy Whereas Aristotle had claimed that virtue was to be found in the golden mean between an excess and a deficiency of emotion (''metriopatheia''), the Stoics thought that living virtuously provided freedom from the passions, resulting in ''apatheia''. It meant eradicating the tendency to react emotionally or egotistically to external events, the things that cannot be controlled. For Stoics, it was the optimally rational response to the world, for things cannot be controlled if they are cau ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eudaimonia
Eudaimonia (; ) is a Greek word literally translating to the state or condition of ''good spirit'', and which is commonly translated as ''happiness'' or ''Well-being, welfare''. In the works of Aristotle, ''eudaimonia'' was the term for the highest human good in older Greek tradition. It is the aim of practical philosophy-prudence, including ethics and political philosophy, to consider and experience what this state really is and how it can be achieved. It is thus a central concept in Aristotelian ethics and subsequent Hellenistic philosophy, along with the terms Arete (moral virtue), ''aretē'' (most often translated as ''virtue'' or ''excellence'') and ''phronesis'' ('practical or ethical wisdom'). Discussion of the links between ''ēthikē aretē'' (virtue of character) and ''eudaimonia'' (happiness) is one of the central concerns of ancient ethics, and a subject of disagreement. As a result, there are many varieties of eudaimonism. Definition and etymology In terms of its e ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stobaeus
Joannes Stobaeus (; ; 5th-century AD), from Stobi in Macedonia (Roman province), Macedonia, was the compiler of a valuable series of extracts from Greek authors. The work was originally divided into two volumes containing two books each. The two volumes became separated in the manuscript tradition, and the first volume became known as the ''Extracts'' (also ''Eclogues'') and the second volume became known as the ''Anthology'' (also ''Florilegium''). Modern editions now refer to both volumes as the ''Anthology''. The ''Anthology'' contains extracts from hundreds of writers, especially poets, historians, orators, philosophers and physicians. The subjects range from natural philosophy, dialectics, and ethics, to politics, economics, and maxims of practical wisdom. The work preserves fragments of many authors and works which otherwise might be unknown today. Life Nothing of his life is known. The age in which he lived cannot be fixed with accuracy.Mason 1870, pp. 914–5 He quotes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Oxford Companion To Classical Literature
''The Oxford Companion to Classical Literature'' is a book in the series of Oxford Companions produced by Oxford University Press. It is compiled and edited by Sir Paul Harvey, Fellow of St Anne's College, Oxford and lecturer in Classical Languages at the University of Oxford. The book provides an alphabetically arranged reference to classical literature Literature is any collection of Writing, written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially novels, Play (theatre), plays, and poetry, poems. It includes both print and Electroni .... The second edition was published in 1989, the third in 2011. . External links OUP information Oxford Companion to Classical Literature Oxford University Press reference books Books of literary criticism Classics publications {{ref-book-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gymnasium (ancient Greece)
The gymnasium () in Ancient Greece functioned as a training facility for competitors in public games. It was also a place for socializing and engaging in intellectual pursuits. The name comes from the Ancient Greek term '' gymnós'', meaning "naked" or "nude". Only adult male citizens were allowed to use the gymnasia. Athletes competed nude, a practice which was said to encourage aesthetic appreciation of the male body, and to be a tribute to the gods. Gymnasia and palaestrae (wrestling schools) were under the protection and patronage of Heracles, Hermes and, in Athens, Theseus. Etymology The word ''gymnasium'' is the latinisation of the Greek noun γυμνάσιον (''gymnasion''), "public place for physical exercises; exercise area", in pl. "bodily exercises" and generally "school", which in turn is derived from the common Greek adjective (''gymnos'') meaning "naked" or "nude", by way of the related verb γυμνάζω (''gymnazo''), whose meaning is "to train naked", "t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cynosarges
Cynosarges ( ''Kynosarges'') was a famous temple of Heracles, public gymnasium, and surrounding grove located just outside the walls of Ancient Athens on the southern bank of the Ilissos river and near the Diomeian gate. The modern suburb of Kynosargous is named after it. Overview Its exact location is unknown but it is generally located in what is now the southern suburbs of Athens.''The Stones of Athens'', Wycherley, R.E., Princeton 1978.Pg 229 Its name was a mystery to the ancients that was explained by a story about a white or swift dog, etymologising the name as ''Kynos argos'', from genitive of ''kyon'' (dog) and ''argos'' (white, shining, or swift). The legend goes that on one occasion when Didymos, an Athenian, was performing a lavish sacrifice, a white (or swift) dog appeared and snatched the offering; Didymos was alarmed, but received an oracular message saying that he should establish a temple to Heracles in the place where the dog dropped the offering. Herodotus men ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
