Cynics, Skeptics, Epicureans & Stoics
What did Diogenes say when people asked what country he belonged to?
"I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a person of the world"
What is the Greek origins of the word cosmopolitan?
"cosmos" (world) + "polis" (city) = world city = person of the world
What can 'the problem of induction' be summarized as?
'Some' does not entail 'all'
Which difference did Diogenes especially hate?
Greek vs. foreigner
What are the two forms of skepticism?
Local and global skepticism
Which Roman poet popularized this view?
Lucretius
View and approach to philosophy/knowledge
Middle ground between theory and no theory; all knowledge is not to be treated the same and science must remain an essential component
Did they believe differences were important?
No
According to Epicureans, what is the good?
Pleasure, the absence of pain.
What is another form of local skepticism (involving other minds)?
Skepticism about other minds. How do you know that other people have minds - that they have an inner mental life which is similar to your own e.g. in 'alien' an astronaut is discovered to be an android programmed to look/act like a human
What were Cynics sometimes called?
The "dropouts" of the ancient world
What's an example of local skepticism?
The atheist is skeptical about claims to knowledge of God
What was the only difference that mattered?
The difference between true and false values
What is skepticism?
The view that it is doubtful that we can know anything. Skepticism can be local (specific to one area) or global. Global skepticism is the view that having knowledge is impossible
How do the Stoics view passion?
They see it as illogical because they stem from false belief
Did the Epicureans value friendships?
YES
Did Epicureans believe in free will?
YES.
Who founded the Stoic schools and who is a well known Stoic?
Zeno; Epictetus
Where did the name "Cynics" come from?
from greek "kynikos" or dog. they were called that because they "barked" against social norms
What is the aim of philosophy?
to produce ataraxia or tranquility
What did Diogenes do?
He defied social norms, shocking people around him.
What was Antisthenes like?
He was a student of Socrates and a colleague of Plato. When Greece fell and Socrates died he decided on a life of simplicity. He did not want to die and be the center of attention like Socrates.
What are two more questions skeptics might ask?
How do we know that the people whom we take to be authorities really are authoritative? How many white swans do I need to see before I can safely conclude that all swans are white?
What is limitations of reason?
It only provides us with fairly useless knowledge, e.g. it is either Tuesday or it is not Tuesday. It does not help us in the real world. Also, as Hume suggests, even simple a priori truths like maths and logic rely on our understanding of concepts that we must gain from experience first
What is virtue according to the stoics?
1) Good without qualification 2) Life according to nature 3) Reasonable and completely natural 4) Requires training and discipline
Stoic moral theory
1) The highest good is right volition 2) Every act is chosen and voluntary and you are responsible for your desires 3) There is no moral luck; it's in your control 4) Suffering is an error and there is no reason to feel guilty for it; you must improve and gain knowledge
Who founded Cynicism?
Antisthenes
What is the infinite regress of justification?
Can be deceiving us (optical illusions)
What word did Diogenes come up with?
Cosmopolitan, meaning a person of the world
Who put Cynicism on the map?
Diogenes
