1. Compared to Cynicism
Different Characteristics of Cynicism
• Known for sense of
detachment from desire
• Pursue a path of virtue, not
easier path of pleasure
• Can only be obtained by
letting go of pleasures
• “sought self-sufficiency and
rejected the social and
religious values of civilization”
• Not a very popular school of
philosophy

2. Compared to Platonism
Characteristics of Platonism
• Huge concentration on self
knowledge
• “Emphasize
goodness, beauty, and
truth”
• “The function of Philosophy
is to arrive at some single
systematic synthesis of all
that is known”
• Reality is a system, not
divided into parts

3. References
• Benton, J., & DiYanni, R. (2012). Arts and culture:
An introduction to the humanities. (4 ed., Vol.
1). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
• Cynicism and stoicism. (2001). Retrieved from
http://philosophy.lander.edu/ethics/stoicism.
html
• Pecorino, P. (2000). Plato's legacy. Retrieved from
http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/socialsciences/ppec
orino/intro_text/Chapter 2
GREEKS/Plato_Legacy.htm