Questions tagged [philosophy]
the use of reason in understanding such things like the nature of the real world and existence, the use and limits of knowledge, and the principles of moral judgment
74
questions
1
vote
1
answer
201
views
Did ancient Romans converse with statues for inspiration?
Recently I encountered a passage from a book The Mask of Socrates by Paul Zanker
There were passionately cultivated Romans who sought in such statues conversation partners, who used them, as Seneca ...
- 297
-1
votes
2
answers
120
views
How significant was poetry as mnemonic device in technical / philosophical / scientific texts in classical Rome and Greece? [closed]
This starts because I remembered that he works of one of the classical Greek philosophers was lost, but what was kept was an adaptation of the work into poetic form.
This is highly unlikely in the ...
- 11
1
vote
0
answers
94
views
What were the Oriental influences on Heraclitus?
I'm reading Karl Popper's The Open Society and its Enemies. In chapter two, he mentions in passing that Greek philosophers such as Heraclitus were influenced by oriental ideas.
Is he referring to ...
- 119
6
votes
1
answer
547
views
When did Walter Benjamin say "We collect books in the belief that we are preserving them when in fact it is the books that preserve their collector"?
In for instance this source, it is stated that Walter Benjamin once said or wrote the following:
"We collect books in the belief that we are preserving them when in fact it is the books that ...
- 209
0
votes
2
answers
245
views
How do we reconcile hierarchical and violent aspects of Ancient Egypt with its nonviolent principle of Maat, as exemplified in negative confessions?
Maat represents and refers to the ancient Egyptian concepts of truth, balance, order, harmony, law, morality, and justice. Ma'at was also the goddess who personified these concepts, and regulated the ...
- 27
7
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Is this anecdote about use of poison in guerrilla war mentioned by Schopenhauer based on facts?
In Schopenhauer's 1819 "The World as Will and Representation", volume 1, in the (only) footnote of chapter 64, we can read:
“That Spanish bishop, who in the last war simultaneously
poisoned ...
- 2,294
1
vote
0
answers
136
views
Was any belief about the nature of the soul before birth widespread enough to influence common people's lives?
Medieval (European Christian 5-15th century) theologians used to argue between a few ideas about the origin of the soul (creationism, traducianism & pre-existence). However, was any belief about ...
- 1,589
4
votes
1
answer
205
views
Who proclaimed separation of science from philosophy?
Historically (since 2500 years ago), philosophy - "love of wisdom" in Greek - encompassed all intellectual endeavors, and natural philosophy was seen as its part. However, these days the ...
- 26.9k
1
vote
1
answer
225
views
What were the neoplatonists' attitude towards Christianity (or religion in general)?
In the movie "Agora" an ultimatum is given to Hypatia, either she adopts Christianity or the prefect would not be able to protect her anymore. Hypatia chooses the latter and is subsequently ...
- 462
15
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Where does Herodotus discuss judging the wisdom of decisions by the evidence at hand vs. the consequences?
Physicist/statistician Edwin T. Jaynes, in a broad overview of the history of ideas about reasoning amidst uncertainty (precursors to Bayesian inference), attributes an early articulation of an ...
- 159
1
vote
1
answer
137
views
What is Renaissance Humanism? [closed]
I'm having trouble wrapping my head around the concept of Renaissance humanism. I've been reading about it for some time and I've found definitions, or explanations, varying in focus from it being a ...
- 11
2
votes
1
answer
278
views
Did Empedocles think that plants have sexes?
I was reading the book Flora Unveiled: The Discovery and Denial of Sex in Plants by Lee Taiz and Lincoln Taiz published by Oxford. In Chapter 8, "Plant sex from Empedocles to Theophrastus", ...
- 139
1
vote
0
answers
100
views
Are the sources in Flora Unveiled correct?
According to the book, Flora Unveiled: The Discovery and Denial of Sex in Plants by Lee Taiz and Lincoln Taiz published by Oxford, Chapter 8: Plant sex from Empedocles to Theophrastus (pg 213), the ...
- 139
7
votes
1
answer
2k
views
What was the personal philosophy of Alexander the Great in his youth?
Long time ago I read a biography about Alexander the Great. It is so long ago that I cannot give references. It said that Alexander in his early youth followed a philosophy not uncommon in Greece ...
- 1,874
1
vote
0
answers
118
views
To what extent did the Jewish tradition of debate influence the development of Classical Liberalism in Europe?
Judaism has a long tradition of valuing debate. My sense is that it is somewhat singular in this regard. Certainly there is debate within Islam or Christianity, but if I understand correctly, Judaism ...
