Ancient philosophy is the period between the rise of philosophy in the seventh century BC and the fall of the Roman Empire.
the ancient philosophy marks the first form of existing philosophical thinking. Its beginning took place in Greece, about 600 years before Christ, as a way of questioning the church's dogmas, myths and superstitions.
The thoughts developed at the time were the basis for the construction of critical reasoning and the Western way of thinking. Before, there was no preference for rational and logical explanations for the phenomena of nature. With the first philosophical reasonings (based on empirical analyzes of reality), the first forms of science appeared.
Historical context
Ancient philosophy began in the 7th century BC in the Ionian region of Greece. The cities that made up the region were moved by the mercantile hubs of the Mediterranean Sea and therefore had a large concentration of intellectuals.
It was precisely in the city of Miletus that the first three philosophers emerged:
tales, Anaximander and Anaximens. His ideas rejected traditional explanations based on religion and sought to present a cosmological theory based on observable phenomena.In historical terms, ancient philosophy extends to the fifth century after Christ, when the fall of the Roman Empire and the transition from Antiquity to the Middle Ages takes place.
Periods of ancient philosophy and the issues that debated
Ancient philosophy is divided into three distinct periods, each dominated by different themes and issues:
- Pre-Socratic Period (from the 7th to the 5th century BC): occurred during the so-called Archaic Period of Greece. Philosophical studies at the time sought to explain nature and reality itself. During this period there was a great advance in astronomy and the birth of physics, with emphasis on the philosopher Thales of Miletus.
- Socratic Period (from the 5th to the 4th century BC): also called the classical period, was concerned with issues related to the human being, being concerned with issues related to the soul, vices and virtues. It was during this period that democracy was established in Greece. The highlights of the time were Socrates, Aristotle and Plato.
- Hellenistic Period (4th century BC to 6th century after Christ): it is a less defined period of ancient philosophy, with less categorical ideas and solutions than previous periods. In addition to themes related to nature and man, the Hellenistic philosophers studied the ways in which the human beings can be happy, regardless of circumstances beyond their power, such as government, society, etc. Some highlights of the Hellenistic period are Epicurus, Aristotle and Zeno of Citium.
schools of ancient philosophy
The schools of ancient philosophy only begin with Plato in the fifth century BC, and therefore do not encompass the pre-Socratic period. This is because, before, philosophy was not taught by text and very few notes by pre-Socratic philosophers such as Pythagoras, Parmenides, Heraclitus and Thales were recovered.
The schools of ancient philosophy were formed from strands of reasoning that gained more strength and adherents than others. Among the main ones are:
Platonism
Plato (427 to 347 a. C.) was the first ancient philosopher whose work can be accessed in great quantity. Among his contributions, his political studies and the concept of universals stand out (everything that is present in different places and moments, such as feelings, colors, etc).
Plato established a school in Athens called the Academy, which remained in operation until the year 83 AD, which contributed to the spread of his ideas even after his death.
Aristotelianism
Aristotle (384 to 322 a. C.) is one of the most influential philosophers in history. His teachings were essential for the advancement of several areas such as logic, ethics, rhetoric, biology, etc.
Aristotle's work exerted an extreme influence not only on the Western tradition but also on the Indian and Arabic ones.
Stoicism
Stoicism was a philosophical school started in Athens by Zeno of Citius, around 300 BC. Ç. For the Stoics, the objective of philosophy was to bring the human being to a state of absolute tranquility, independent of factors external to the individual.
Stoicism focused on the study of metaphysics and the concept of logos (universal order), arguing that everything that happens happens for a reason.
Epicureanism
Epicurus (341 to 270 a. C.) defended that the only dignified way to live is through moderate pleasures that are not confused with vices. His ideas turned to the cultivation of friendships and artistic activities such as music and literature.
Epicurus also defended that everything happens by chance and that the reality in which we live is only one among several possible ones.
Skepticism
Skepticism was a philosophical school initiated by Pirro de Élis (360 to 270 a. C.) who advocated a constant questioning of all aspects of life. Pyrrhus believed that the absence of judgment was enough to lead the human being to happiness.
Cynicism
The philosophical school of Cynicism was initiated by Antisthenes (445 to 365 a. Ç.). The current believed that the meaning of life was to live according to one's nature. Thus, virtue would consist in rejecting the desires for wealth, power and fame and seeking a simple life.
leading ancient philosophers
Among the main philosophers of antiquity are:
Tales of Mileto (623-546 a. Ç.): considered the father of philosophy, lived in the pre-Socratic period. He presented the first empirical questions and believed that water was the primordial substance from which everything came to life.
Anaximander (610-547 a. Ç.): like Thales, he believed in the existence of a substance that underlies life and all things. For him, this substance was called apeiron (infinite, eternal and immortal), and it gave mass to everything in the universe.
Anaximenes (588-524 a. Ç.): disciple of Anaximander, he believed that the primordial initiating substance of all things was air.
Pythagoras of Samos (570-490 a. Ç.): presented a mathematical point of view to explain the origin of things. His thinking was fundamental to the advancement of exact sciences.
Heraclitus (535-475 a. Ç.): he believed that fire was the fundamental substance of nature. His metaphysical reflections held that the processes of change and the constant flux of life were the result of opposing forces exerted by the universe.
Parmenides (510-470 a. Ç.): contributed to the advancement of ontology (studies of being).
Zeno of Elea (488-430 a. Ç.): his thoughts were focused on the elaboration of paradoxes that made the theories in which he did not believe unfeasible. Among the main themes tackled were divisibility, multiplicity and movement, which, according to the philosopher, are just illusions.
Empedocles (490-430 a. Ç.): argued that the world was structured on four natural elements (air, water, fire and earth), which would be manipulated by forces called love and hate.
Democritus (460-370 a. Ç.): creator of atomism, according to which reality was formed by invisible and indivisible particles called atoms.
Socrates (469-399 a. Ç.): contributed enormously to the studies of being and its essence. His philosophy made constant use of maieutics, a method of critical reflection aimed at deconstructing prejudices and generating self-knowledge.
Plato (427-347 a. Ç.): contributed to basically all areas of knowledge and defended the concept of universals.
Aristotle (384-322 a. Ç.): his philosophy served as the basis for logical and scientific thinking. Like Plato, he wrote numerous works on metaphysics, politics, ethics, the arts, etc.
Epicurus (324-271 a. Ç.): argued that the purpose of life was moderate pleasure, that is, healthy and free from addictions.
Zeno of Scythius (336-263 a. Ç.): founder of Stoicism, understood that happiness was independent of factors external to the individual.
Diogenes (413-327 a. Ç.): a fan of cynicism, he defended that happiness lay in self-knowledge and away from material goods.
Characteristics of ancient philosophy
The main features of the ancient philosophy are:
- It was the first stage of Western philosophy;
- It appeared in Ancient Greece in the 17th century and lasted until the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century;
- It served as the basis for the Western way of thinking and resulted in the emergence of the first forms of science;
- It is divided into three periods: pre-Socratic, Socratic and Hellenistic;
- Its main schools are: Platonism, Aristotelianism, Stoicism, Epicureanism, Skepticism, Cynicism;
- Among its main representatives are Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, Thales of Miletus, Socrates, etc.
See too:
- Philosophy
- medieval philosophy
- modern philosophy
- Stoicism
- Epicureanism
- Cynicism
- Skepticism