spread of philosophy after the death of Aristotle

1. POST-ARISTOTLE

2. HELLENISTIC AGE (C. 323-30 BCE)
Decline of Athens (c. 404)
Rise of Macedon:
Philip (d. 336) & Alexander
Death of Alexander (323)
[Aristotle dies 322]
Hellenism
Alexandria cultural center
Fusion of peoples
Stoicism & Epicureanism
Mystery Religion
Roman Republic (509-133)
Collapse of Republic (133-30)
Roman Empire (30 BCE- 180 CE)

3. FROM HELLENISM TO ROME
Classical Athens: Rational Humanism
Power and stability of democratic city-state
Critical assessment of individual & community
Individual defined by capacity to reason
Aim at good society, good life via reason
Hellenistic Society: Cosmopolitanism
Political instability, monarchy, cultural expansion
Value of individual & community put into question
Issues related to alienation, fatalism, and virtue

4. ALEXANDER THE GREAT (R. 336-323)
Succeeded his father, Philip II at age 20
Philip II unites Macedonia ,defeats Athens
Plans to invade Persia, assassinated on eve of campaign
Invaded Asia Minor with 37,000 in 334
Defeated Persian fleet on Asia Minor coast, without a navy.
Advanced to Egypt, made Pharaoh, founded Alexandria
Pursued Darius III (Persians) into Mesopotamia
Victory at Tigris when outnumbered by Persians
Bablyon surrenders
Reached northern India, defeated King Porus
Alexander’s army resisted further advance
Returned to Babylon, planned next campaign (China?)
Ptolemy in Egypt
Defeat in Near north East asia

5. Zeno(334-262 B.C) was the founder of stoicism
Stoa means porch advocated by cicero and Epictetus.
Happiness comes from accepting whatever life bring up
Inspired by Socrates for happiness is virtue by wisdom.
human wisdom is to understand the roles in the world.
We cannot control event but control our attitude
All people were alike and should be tread well.
All are citizens od the same country i-e cosmopolitan.

6. Ideas developed by the Stoics
1. Necessity of cosmic order
2. Definitions of logic and dialectic; theory of
significance; inductive reasoning
3. Theory of cosmic cycle; God as soul of world
4. Analysis and rejection of human emotions
5. Idea of self-sufficiency and absolute freedom

7. Ideas developed by the Stoics
6. Notion of duty
7. Identification of freedom with necessity
8. Theory of natural law
9. Cosmopolitanism
10. Emphasis on specialization in knowledge

8. Stoic Logic
Interest in how human thought functions
Theory of meaning
Examination of hypothetical propositions
regardless of actual truth or not

9. Stoic Ethics
Duty ≠ goodness
Good result of habit of virtue
Virtue as actualisation of rational order of
universe
All that is not virtue is indifferent things, incl.
emotions
Cosmopolitanism, objection to slavery

10. Stoic meta -physics
Life of world as cyclic
Destiny as necessary law of world, following
plan, which is divine reason
However, some elements of chance and human
freedom as part of plan of destiny
Evil as necessary background for good
Freedom = recognising rationality of all things

11. Diogenes(404-323)was the founder of cynic approach .
Cynics means shameless rejection of all conventions.
It means disbelieve in goodness & sincerity of motives .
They express sneer and sarcasm over social values.
He has the most who has content with the least.
Happiness could be achieved to live according to nature
Abandon social relation to minimize emotional bound.
Mastery of the self was not taken away influence stoic.

12. The aim of life is attainment of pleasure.
Pain is always bad and pleasure is always good.
The pleasure of mind is prior than any form of pleasure
The wise person is one who consume little.
Feeling is immediate test of goodness or badness.
Pleasure of mind come from lessen the useless fear.
EPICURUS (341-270
B.C)

13. EPICUREANISM
Epicurus (341-271 BCE)
A life devoted to worldly happiness based on
materialist account of nature.
Encouraged withdrawal from political life
into communities of like-minded individuals
(Gardens in Athens)
Rational humanism, influence on Romans,
revived in 16th/17th century with rise of
science and renaissance humanism.

14. EPICUREANISM
Materialism (Atomism)
All things are atoms & void; shape & size
Atoms are eternal (nothing from nothing), universe is boundless
Ethics
happiness is a mind free from disturbance and a body free from pain.
fear cause disturbances in mind and body, so understand the true nature of
things; removal of source of fear and disturbance.

15. BODY FREE FROM PAIN
Pleasure and pain natural and necessary sensations
Can reduce pain by avoiding painful things
Increase pleasure by pursuing pleasurable things.
But, a prudent life (virtuous) tells us not all pleasure is good, nor
all pain bad.
Moderation in pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain
Friendship and other social/intellectual pleasures included.
“Moderate Hedonism”

16. EPICUREANISM
HEDONISTIC ETHICS: HAPPINESS BY
ATARAXIA (SERENITY OF THE SOUL),
THE ABSENCE OF PAIN &
THE ABSENCE OF FEAR OF DESTINY,
FEAR OF DEATH
PLEASURE = FREEDOM FROM PAIN IN THE
BODY ;
PERMANENT STATE OF PLEASURE IS
ACQUIRED THROUGH PRUDENCE

17. PHILOSOPHY COMPARISONS
Aim Means Comments
Plato
A just or well-order
soul
Each part of the soul
doing its part well;
reason rules…
Knowledge of the
good is paramount;
wisdom
Aristotle
Eudaimonia:
happiness as a well
ordered life as a
whole
Virtues: character
traits that are means
between extremes…
Hierarchy of goods
and necessities of
good life; a whole life
Epicureanism
Eudaimonia:
Ataraxia or mind and
body free from
disturbance
Moderate Hedonism:
Prudent action and
understanding of
nature; avoid pain,
moderate pleasure
Materialism and
removal of irrational
fear as cause of
distrubances
Stocisim
Eudaimonia:
Ataraxia or pathe:
rational constancy in
accord with nature
Moderate Fatalism:
Knowing what is/is
not within one’s
control; adjusting
desires to nature of
things.
Pantheistic, fatalistic,
moral
conventionalism,
modesty;
cosmopolitanism

18. Pyrrho was the founder of skeptic approach .
The skeptic keep on searching the truth .
The suspension of judgment involved in inquiry.
Respect for appearance and accept nature.
Morality is possible without knowledge
Force of feeling hungry derive to food is probable.
Nothing is good or bad by nature .
Attitude of doubt is the safe for absolute truth.
PYRRO (361-270 B.C)

19. SKEPTICISM
A REVOLT VS THE DOGMATIC
AFFIRMATIONS OF THE STOICS &
EPICUREANS; WISDOM = EPOCHE,
SUSPENSION OF JUDGMENT
REACTION VS DOGMATISM &
DISSAGREEMENTS OF DIFF SCHOOLS;
BUILD A SYSTEMATIC STATE OF DOUBT

20. SKEPTICISM
TORN BY INNER CONTRADICTIONS &
TENSION: DOGMATICALLY SELF-SATISFIED
WITH A SYSTEMATIC EPOCHE; DOUBTFUL
OF DOGMATISTS, YET DOGMATIC IN HIS
DOUBT
URGES ONE TO FOLLOW PERCEPTIONS,
SATISFY NATURAL INSTINCTS, ABIDE BY
TRADITIONS, PURSUE SCIENCE, &
CULTIVATE THE ARTS FOR THEIR UTILITY
OFFERS BOTH NEGATIVE & POSITIVE
ASPECTS