History of Ancient Philosophy III

Giovanni Reale is full Professor and holder of the Chair in the History of Ancient Philosophy at the Catholic University of Milan. His studies and philosophical works cover the whole of ancient philosophy. Reale's The Concept of First Philosophy and the Unity of the Metaphysics of Aristotle, edited and translated by John R. Catan, is also published by SUNY Press. John R. Catan is Professor of Philosophy at the State University of New York College at Brockport. Co-editor of the journal Paideia, he is also editor of Aristotle: The Collected Papers of Joseph Owens and Saint Thomas Aquinas on the Existence of God: The Collected Papers of Joseph Owens, both published by SUNY Press.

• ForewordPreface to the American EditionTranslator's PrefaceThe Systems of the Hellenistic AgeIntroduction to the Philosophy of the Hellenistic Age 1. The spiritual consequences of the revolution produced by Alexander the Great2. The development and diffusion of the cosmopolitan ideal3. The discovery of the individual4. The equalization of Greeks and barbarians and the breakdown of ancient ethnic prejudices5. The transformation of Hellenic culture into Hellenistic culture6. The addition in breadth and the loss in depth of Hellenistic philosophy7. The revival of the Socratic spirit8. The ideal of autarcheia9. The ideal of ataraxy10. The ideal of the Sage11. The deification of the founders of the great systems of the Hellenistic AgeFirst PartTHE DECLINE OF THE MINOR SOCRATIC SCHOOLS AND THE SCHOOLS OF PLATO AND ARISTOTLEFirst SectionTHE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MINOR SOCRATIC SCHOOLS AND THE REASONS FOR THEIR DECLINE AND DISAPPEARANCE I. Diogenes "The Dog" and the Development of Cynicism 1. Diogenes and the radicalization of Cynicism2. Parrhesia and anaideia3. The practice of discipline (askesis) and work (ponos)4. Autarcheia and apatheia5. Diogenes and the Hellenistic Age6. Crates of Thebes and other followers of Diogenes7. Cynicism up to the end of the Pagan Era8. The value and limits of CynicismII. The Decline and End of the Cyrenaic School1. The development and diffusion of Cyrenaicism2. Hegesias and his followers3. Anniceris and his followers4. Theodorus and his followers5. The end of CyrenaicismIII. The Dialectical Developments of the Megaric School and its Dissolution1. The development of the Megaric doctrines and their characteristics2. Eubulides and the Megaric "paradoxes"3. Diodorus Cronos and the polemic against the Aristotelian notion of "potency"4. Stilpo and the final affirmations of Megaricism5. The end of the Megaric schoolIV. The Rapid Dissoultion of the Elean-Eretrian SchoolSecond SectionTHE FIRST ACADEMY AND THE RAPID DESTRUCTION OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE "SECOND VOYAGE"I. The Platonic Academy, its Aim, its Organization, and its Rapid DeclineII. Eudoxus of Cnidus, an Astronomer Guest of the Academy1. The immanent nature of the Ideas2. The hedonism of EudoxusIII. Heraclides, Ponticus, Head of the Academy during the Absence of Plato1. The neglect of intelligible reality2. The conception of the soul3. The rejection of the geocentric viewIV. Speusippus, First Successor to Plato1. The rejection of the Platonic Ideas2. The levels of reality3. The highest principles of reality4. Knowledge5. EthicsV. Xenocrates, Second Successor to Plato1. The tripartition of philosophy2. The doctrine of knowledge3. Physics (the doctrine of the principles)4. The religious interpretation of the cosmos5. EthicsVI. The Final Representatives of the Old Academy: Polemon, Crates, and Crantor1. Polemon2. Crates3. CrantorVII. Conclusions Concerning the Old AcademyThird SectionTHE FIRST PERIPATOS AND THE RAPID LOSS OF THE MEANING OF THE METAPHYSICAL DIMENSIONI. The Aristotelian Peripatos, its Organization, and its Rapid DeclineII. Theophrastus and the Loss of the Speculative Component1. Metaphysics2. Physics and psychology3. Logic4. Ethics5. Conclusions concerning TheophrastusIII. The Other Immediate Followers to Aristotle: Eudemus, Dicaearchus, Aristoxenus1. Eudemus2. Dicaearchus3. Aristoxenus of TarantumIV. Strato of Lampsacus, Second Successor to Aristotle1. Physics2. PsychologyV. Conclusions Concerning the First PeripatosSecond PartEPICUREANISM FROM ITS ORIGINS TO THE END OF THE PAGAN ERAFirst SectionEPICURUS AND THE FOUNDING OF THE GARDENI. The Development and Characteristics of the Garden1. The polemic of Epicurus against Plato and Aristotle2. The rejection of the "second voyage"3. The renewal of atomism and the Eleatic categories fundamentally connected to it4. The relations between Epicurus, Socrates, and the minor Socratics5. The predominant role of ethics6. The purpose of the Garden and its originalityII. The Epicurean Canonic1. The "Canonic" as determining the criteria of truth2.Sensation and its absolute validity3. Prolepses or anticipations and language4. The feelings of pleasure and pain5. Opinion6. Aporias and limits of the Epicurean canonicIII. Epicurean Physics1. The ontological foundations: the characteristics of reality as such, bodies, the void, and the infinite2. The atoms3. The structural characteristics of the atom4. The doctrine of the "minima"5. The structural characteristics of the void6. Movement7. The "clinaman" or "swerve" of the atoms8. The universe and infinite worlds9. Celestial phenomena and their multiple explanations10. Soul, its materiality and mortality11. The likenesses and knowledge12. The conception of the Gods and the DivineIV. Epicurean Ethics1. Pleasure as the foundation of ethics2. Reform as Cyrenaic hedonism3. The hierarchy of pleasures and wisdom4. Epicurean asceticism and autarcheia5. The absolute character of pleasure6. The relative character of pain7. Death is nothing for human beings8. Epicurean virtue and Socratic intellectualism9. The devaluation of the State and political life and the elevation of the "hidden life"10. Friendship11. The fourfold remedy and the ideal of wisdomV. The followers of and Successors to EpicurusSecond SectionTHE SPREAD OF EPICUREANISM AT ROME AND LUCRETIUSI. The First Attempts to Introduce Epicureanism at Rome and the Circle of Philodemus1. The attempt of Alceus and Philiscus and its failure2. The attempt of Amafinius3. The circle of PhilodemusII. Lucretius and Epicurean Doctrine Presented through Elevated Poetry1. The inadequacy of some judgments concerning Lucretius2. The initial pessimism and the victory of reason in Lucretius and Epicurus3. The truth which eases pain and produces peace4. The principles of true Epicureanism and the poem of Lucretius5. Pity through pain in the poem of Lucretius6. The significance of life and deathThird PartSTOICISM FROM ITS ORIGINS TO THE END OF THE PAGAN ERAFirst SectionANCIENT STOICISMI. Zeno, the Foundation of the Stoa, and the Different Phases of Stoicism1. The meeting of Zeno with Crates and with Socraticism2. The rejection of the "second voyage"3. The reinterpretation of Heraclitus and the concept of "physis" as fire-maker4. Relations with Epicurus5. The origin of the Stoa and its developmentII. The Tripartition of Philosophy and the LogosIII. The Logic of the Ancient Stoa1. The role and the articulations of Stoic logic2. The criteria of truth: se