Product Description

This rich compendium on the lives and doctrines of philosophers ranges over three centuries, from Thales to Epicurus (to whom the whole tenth book is devoted); 45 important figures are portrayed. Diogenes Laertius carefully compiled his information from hundreds of sources and enriches his accounts with numerous quotations.

Diogenes Laertius lived probably in the earlier half of the 3rd century CE, his ancestry and birthplace being unknown. His history, in ten books, is divided unscientifically into two 'Successions' or sections: 'Ionian' from Anaximander to Theophrastus and Chrysippus, including the Socratic schools; 'Italian' from Pythagoras to Epicurus, including the Eleatics and sceptics. It is a very valuable collection of quotations and facts.

The Loeb Classical Library edition of Diogenes Laertius is in two volumes.

Customer Reviews (5)

On the Importance of Gossip
This is yet another Loeb book where I have shamefully lost the companion volume! This is volume II of the 'Lives of Eminent Philosophers' and it has, among many others, sections on Pythagoras, Parmenides, Heraclitus, Zeno, Epicurus and Diogenes - this last is the philosopher-cynic, not our author Diogenes Laertius, who is really little more than a sophisticated gossip. But actually, that is more than a little harsh, this collection of anecdotes is not only fun but it gives us information that is often only mentioned by our author, D. Laertius. Unfortunately, without confirmation, much of what he testifies to is either not accepted or, at the very least, open to question. But for those of us interested in the philosophers, and the relations between them and their ways of philosophizing, this book really is both educational and entertaining.

For instance, on Diogenes (the philosopher-cynic, not our author, the gossip) we read, "Being reproached with begging when Plato did not beg, 'Oh yes,' says he [that is, Diogenes the Philosopher says] 'he does, but when he does so -He holds his head down close, that none may hear.'" It seems that many of the first generation of 'Socratics' were contemptuous of what might be best described as Plato's (ahem) 'kowtowing' to popular opinion. 'Begging' here means (probably) Plato's attempt to influence the City and its Nomos. For many of the other Socratics there was on the one hand Philosophy and there was on the other hand Law (Nomos) and never the two shall meet. But Plato, through his cautious writing, intends to 'influence' the City in order to make it more philosophical - or, at the very least, more friendly to philosophy. Recall that Kojeve once remarked (something to the effect) that once Socrates set foot and began speaking in the marketplace modernity itself becomes inevitable. We always need to add that this supposed 'inevitability' vanishes entirely if Plato chose to live like the philosopher Diogenes did...

But the squabbles and banter between the Socratics Diogenes and Plato can be quite interesting:

"Others tell us that what Diogenes said was, 'I trample upon the pride of Plato,' who retorted, 'Yes Diogenes, with pride of another sort'."

To Plato, who had given him more than he asked, Diogenes said, "So, it seems, you neither give as you are asked nor answer as you are questioned."

"As Plato was conversing about Ideas using the nouns 'tablehood' and 'cuphood,' he said, 'Table and cup I see; but your tablehood and cuphood, Plato, I can nowise see.' 'That's readily accounted for,' said Plato, 'for you have the eyes to see the visible table and cup; but not the understanding by which ideal tablehood and cuphood are discerned'."

So we see that Diogenes is not ready to follow Plato into his Ideal world. Diogenes questions, as he did obliquely in our first quote above, the 'honesty' of Plato. It seems that Plato is 'purposefully' unclear. And keep in mind that it isn't only Diogenes who thinks so. Epicurus goes so far as to refer to Plato's school as 'the toadies of Dionysius'!

Nietzsche has a wonderful comment on this remark of Epicurus that might be apposite here:

How malicious philosophers can be! I know of nothing more venomous than the joke Epicurus permitted himself against Plato and the Platonists; he called them Dionysiokolakes. That means literally - and this is the foreground meaning -"flatterers of Dionysius," in other words, tyrant's baggage and lickspittles; but addition to this he also wants to say, "they are all actors, there is nothing genuine about them" (for Dionysiokolax was a popular name for an actor). And the latter is really the malice that Epicurus aimed at Plato: he was peeved by the grandiose manner, the mise en scene at which Plato and his disciples were so expert - at which Epicurus was not an expert - he, that old schoolmaster from Samos who sat, hidden away, in his little garden at Athens and wrote three hundred books - who knows? perhaps from rage and ambition against Plato? It took a hundred years until Greece found out who this garden god, Epicurus, had been - did they find out? (Beyond Good & Evil, Section 7)

So you see, the 'malicious' little joke by Epicurus that D. Laertius mentions in his 'Lives' (and the pride that aimed the remark) were worth a comment by a philosopher of the stature of Nietzsche. The joke, btw, is that Plato flattered the powerful by 'acting' (i.e., writing) in a manner they would consider both flattering and wise; and thus, hopefully, influencing the behavior of the powerful by the wise. It is in this manner that the few dozen dialogues of Plato began a tendency in Philosophy that results in, as Kojeve said, our 'enlightened' modernity.

You see what clues are available even in the gossip that has grown up around the philosophers! One stands in awe of how different the world would be if Plato had followed Diogenes and lived like a dog...

INDISPENSABLE FOR LIFE, HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY
We know but very little, if not almost nothing about Diogenes Laertius. However, this book, written, compilated by him is of tremendous, by far even underestimated IMPORTANCE FOR OUR KNOWLEDGE OF GREEK PHILOSOPHY. The shortage of biographical data is rather remarquable while he wrote no less than 82 biographies of the antique thinkers and their theories. In his work one can easily distinct an inexhaustive passion for "COMPLETENESS", which turns out quite HUMORISTIC ... This tune makes it a real delight to read this superb collection of his "memories", the result of the tremendous MEMORY (and work, research) he must have had.

He wrote down EVERYTHING HE KNEW and almost didn't note any differentiation in his own "communications". LAERTIUS STANDS FOR THE ENCYCLOPAEDIC AUTODIDACT, a man who always excells in zeal ... and lack of being fastidious and scepsis towards his subject. His so IMPORTANT, MARVELOUS LIFEWORK contains - in 10 books - the description of the lives of about 80 philosophers, from the "SEVEN WIZARDS" until Epicure.

While the vast majority of the sources out of which Diogenes Laertius collected his knowledge have definitely dried up, are destroyed, HIS COMPILATION about the life and the doctrines and theories of all the famous Greek thinkers that were known to him, IS OF INVALUABLE IMPORTANCE up until today for life itself, for history and of course for philosophy. We very probably would never have known now about "his protagonists", about Greek philosophy.
What is more, thanks to the many anecdotes, epigrams, letters, citations, testaments, etc... THIS OEUVRE IS EASILY READABLE ... WITH A LOT OF HUMOR !!

However this is a book of REFERENCE (for philosophy), I RECOMMEND IT WARMLY TO ALL READERS: AN OUTSTANDING OEUVRE that is very RARE in its genre. YOU DO NOT AT ALL HAVE TO BE A PHILOSOPHER TO READ THIS: IT IS AS IF YOU READ A NOVEL ABOUT WHO DID WHAT. A BOOK THAT YOU WILL ENJOY (sic!) AND NEVER EVER IN YOUR LIFE WILL FORGET ABOUT!

"There are some who say..."
This opening line from Diogenes Laertius (as translated
by Robert Drew Hicks) neatly sums up the approach of
Diogenes in compiling this amazing amount of material
about the ancient philosophers.Some of the material
is valuable, some is stuff...but even the "stuff" is
pretty interesting coming from such an "ancient"
compilier (one dating for Diogenes is (ca. A.D. 225-
250).
According to Herbert S. Long in his "Introduction"
to Vol. 1 (there are 2 volumes in the complete set of
the Loeb Classical Library Diogenes published by Harvard
Univ. Press -- Vol. 1: ISBN 0-674-99203-2 and Vol. 2:
ISBN 0-674-99204-0) -- Diogenes ranges from being a
source of valuable information about the lives of the
ancient philosophers to a source of highly readable,
even entertaining, but sometimes unreliable thought
bites.
A few things Long has to say are: "His account of Plato,
one of his longest, clearly shows how superficial and
unreliable he was [sigh...].""The tone of his work as
a whole suits better a man of the world who happened to
be interested in philosophers, but more as men and writers
than as philosophers in a technical sense."Which means
that Diogenes can appeal to the general reader who is
interested in anecdotes and fascinating out-of-the-way
puns and "gossip" about the philosophers (as compiled
from tomes of secondary and tertiary sources)-- as well
as to the scholar interested in seeing the effect of
a compiler/synthesizer as a source of information.
According to Long, again, "Diogenes has acquired an
importance out of all proportion to his merits because
the loss of many primary sources and of the earlier
secondary compilations has accidentally left him the
chief continuous source for the history of Greek
philosophy."
Volume I of the 2-volume set includes Books I through
V, containing a "Prologue" and going from the beginning
with Thales in Book I to Aristotle at the beginning of
Book V. Volume II begins with Book VI and goes through
Book X, with Antisthenes at the beginning of Book VI
and ending with the entire Book X devoted to Epicurus.
Diogenes starts out his work by taking to task those
who claim that philosophy arose among the barbarians,
who rest their claims with the Persians and their Magi,
the Babylonians and Assyrians with their Chaldaeans,
the Indians with their Gymnosophists, and the Celts
and Gauls with their Druids.
But Diogenes assertively states: "These authors forget
that the achievements which they attribute to the
barbarians belong to the Greeks, with whom not merely
philosophy but the human race itself began." [!!!]
One example of his interesting material concerns
the ancient figure of "Linus":"Linus again was (so
it is said) the son of Hermes and the Muse Urania.He
composed a poem describing the creation of the world,
the courses of the sun and moon, and the growth of
animals and plants. * * * Linus died in Euboea, slain
by the arrow of Apollo, and this is his epitaph:
Here Theban Linus, whom Urania bore,/ The fair-
crowned Muse, sleeps on a foreign shore."
Very provocative...certainly worth deeper
investigation...so, why not plunk down your dollars and
have a go at Diogenes!

Excellent resource for the study of Epicurus
Volume 2 of this edition of Diogenes Laertius' work is invaluable to students of Epicureanism who want to access Epicurus' thoughts in the original Greek. Diogenes Laertius has faithfully copied three of hisletters and a collection of maxims: the sum Athenian philospher's intactworks. Hicks' translation provides an excellent gloss of the Greek, but nota very good crib because he resolves Epicurus' compact and tortured Greekinto smoother English.This is a first-rate edition from the excellentLoeb collection. A great companion to the Loeb edition of Lucretius!

The first history of philosophy by schools of thought
Diogenes Lartius' Lives of the Philosophers is a flawed work by an unsinspired thinker and poetaster. His work is, however, indispensable to the student of ancient western thought and writing, as his quotations of many earlier philosophers, poets, and miscellaneous writers, whose works have perished, have left a large body of fragments for the historian to collect and analyze. The organization of Diogenes' work into successions of philosophers and schools of thought provided the foundation for the subsequent organization of the history of ancient philosophy. Interspersed throughout his fascinating book, full of legends and tidbits about the lives of individual philosophers, Diogenes Laertius has preserved entire bibliographies, reports of raging philosophical controversies, as well as poetry (including his own very mediocre compositions). This work is a must-read for the serious student of ancient western thought. ... Read more

Product Description
The reasons people are attracted to Christianity and its teachings are many and varied. In this book, Allen hopes "to supply more of the information (pieces of the puzzle) that are needed if a person is to make sense of the Christian understanding of God and our life in the universe." More philosopher than theologian, Allen writes for "a troubled believer," dealing with issues and questions that emerge during Christians' daily lives and in the course of contemplating Christian faith. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Clarifying the issues
I regard this work as an excellent example of the kind of apologetic analysis that many liberal and moderate theologians are being driven to do because of the sharp lines that have been drawn over the last few years by the militant new atheist movement. No longer can typical fuzzy thinking have any relevance or say in these important matters when we are now seeing people of faith, no matter how mealy-mouthed or open-minded that faith may be, are being declared irrational at best, or pernicious at worst, by the likes of Hitchens, Dawkins, etc. Here Allen gives a carefully worded summary of where the Church currently stands in light of these sharp distinctions. The fundamentalist claims (inerrancy, young earth, literalism, millennialism, etc.) have long set themselves up for attack by critical scholars of every stripe, and according to some (Carlos Bovell, Peter Enns), produce Bart Ehrman types who thoroughly discard the baby with the bath water once they encounter evidence that their strict upbringing may not be quite up to the task of explaining itself in the post-reformation, post-modern world. I myself have been very suspicious of liberal theology for decades because of the skeptical nature of those who constitute things like the Jesus Seminar, De Vinci decoders, or gnostic-gospel proclaimers. They appear to pursue their craft not simply to discover truth for any ultimate purpose of shoring up believers and getting the biblical message as accurate as possible, but rather take perverse pleasure in attacking believers or their belief, while perhaps maintaining some kind a respectability of religion only so far as to promote liberal social agendas and political ends.

Allen, who has the advantage of many years of varied philosophical encounter with theology that an environment such as Princeton Seminary provides, now clarifies to a large extent these so-called Jesus wars, science wars, Bible wars, and so forth. It is time to quite trying to put everything into Enlightenment categories of thinking and move back to a more philosophically informed way of interpreting scripture. Some passages are propositional truth claims, while others are topological, allegorical, or mystical. Deciding which is what is, of course, the sporting field of biblical studies and philosophical theology, but it remains the case that the Reformation project has done it work and is long over, as is much of 19th century liberalism, 20th century modernism and postmodernism and that there are much more critical issues now at stake. And through it all, I really think Allen has his heart in the right place by not being afraid to declare Jesus as the bridge between God and man. There are things in the book I would not agree with, but I have become long-suffering and appreciative of the task this book sets out to do with engaging troubled believers, and his writing is so clear and distinct that even Descartes might find a lot of properly basic ideas contained therein.

Excellent Book
Theology for a Troubled Believer differs from other books by Diogenes Allen in at least two ways.First, he spends more time in biblical exposition.This book is a blend of the biblical and the philosophical.In the first section, for example, on the nature of God, Allen spends much time in the Hebrew scriptures, looking at God's revelation to Moses and Isaiah.Later sections also incorporate more biblical material than I am used to finding in Allen's work.His philosophical masters are still present, though, particularly Simone Weil and Blaise Pascal.

A second difference is the attempt to be more comprehensive than in his other works, which tend to treat specific themes.The subtitle of this book, 'An Introduction to the Christian Faith,' indicates a broad scope.Allen's treatment of Christian faith divides into five parts:The Nature of God, Suffering, The Divine Sacrifices, The New Life in God, and Responding to God.I found the third part on the divine sacrifices most compelling; here Allen discusses creation, incarnation and crucifixion, seeing each as an act of God's self-limitation and self-emptying in love.The atonement Allen sees as an event in which the Son absorbs the full effects of sin and evil -- an exposure that would destroy us -- so enabling us to journey toward God.

In the end, what troubles a troubled believer is suffering, which Allen treats in part two.He sees the inevitability and pain of suffering, but he also reminds us of its positive uses.Suffering can make us more humble, and it can open us up to the love of God.The book begins with a letter Allen received, asking him about the problem of suffering, and this theme bubbles up frequently in the pages that follow.

All in all, this is an excellent book.Reading it will shed light on the themes in Allen's other writings.My only critique is not for the content of the book, but for it's presentation by the publisher -- the print in the book is very small and difficult to read.It's a 300 page book disguised as a 200 page book.I hope this is changed in a future edition.Publishers should have more mercy on our eyes.

I recommend this book highly, as well as my favorites among his others, Temptation and Spiritual Theology. ... Read more

Product Description
In this comprehensive, thoroughly researched, and engaging book, philosopher Luis E. Navia undertakes the task of reconstructing Diogenes' life and extracting from him lessons that are valuable in our time. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Freedom
Suppose, like most people, you don't have a very good shot at being the ruler of the entire world.Your next best option would probably be to follow the example of Diogenes, the man that showed us what may prove to be the best path to freedom the world has to offer.

By having nothing to take away, Diogenes had little to fear from causing a ruckus, and was able and willing to speak his mind without too much thought to the consequences.Maybe we need more of this kind of philosophy in the world today.I keep comparing Diogenes to Michael Savage, although Michael Savage isn't near as extreme.

Yet, the extreme nature of Diogenes was enough to actually earn him respect.Even his most bitter critics must have admired this man simply because of his incredible wit and his fearlessness in the face of both natural and manmade adversity.Or maybe just the fact that he practiced what he preached was enough.In either case, even his enemies didn't want to put him away because he was such an amazing guy, and even THEY wouldn't dream of silencing his excellence.What a great spot to be in!To be so good at what you do, you can pretty much say anything and still get away with it.What incredible freedom Diogenes possessed!

Diogenes was a fascinating figure, and Navia's book does its best to hammer this into your mind.Endless references, careful analysis, speculative psychiatry, numerous anecdotes, and annotations you actually want ot read are all present to give you an idea of how Diogenes was not only fascinating, but very important.He valued freedom of speech above all other things, and made sure his notable contributions to cynicism would apply this ideal to any and all time periods.

So while the book isn't terribly exciting and I spent about 200 pages looking forward to the helpful and heavily referenced appendix (itself a translation of an ancient Diogenes biography), which wasn't quite as great as I thought it would be, the whole package still got me thinking a lot about Cynicism, and I find myself applying it to more and more areas of life soon after finishing Navia's book.

You can find plenty of amusing anecdotes about Diogenes from numerous online sources I'm sure, and most people would probably be content with that.This book is only for serious Diogenes fans.Not fans of cynicism, but fans of Diogenes.

Intriquing look at the life of Diogenes.
Very informative book about a most perplexing and refreshing man. Interesting discussion regarding his influence on those who came after him.This is a must-read book in my view.

George Carlin Forerunner
This is a book about a 4th century B.C.E philosopher of the George Carlin school. If you think, like I do, that George is the wisest thinker in America today, then this book is for you.
This book has a limited audience, I admit. I would have preferred to read a good historical novel about this guy rather than a cold book of facts.
(Added the following in July 08)
I can't believe the people so far who voted against the above review actually read the book. I believe it's George they don't like. That makes me feel really, really good. As the late George Carlin once said: "If there isn't at least a few people who walk out of my shows in disgust,I kinda think I'm not doing my job."
I wish I could end with a Carlin greeting to the naye-sayers, but I'm afraid I'm too timid.

Diogenes The Cynic: The War Against The World
The life and the legacy are both wrapped in mystery and controversy. Nothing of Diogenes' philosophical works has survived through to modern day from his life in the fifth century BCE. Yet, other Greek figures and philosophers are filled with stories and fables about the man who called himself a dog. Unfortunately, these accounts tend to vary substantially on the events of Diogenes' life as well as their opinion on whether Diogenes was a great philosopher or whether he was just completely insane.

Diogenes the Cynic explores all the material and theories about Diogenes. This book looks at what we can truly ascertain about the man's life, examines Diogenes metamorphism into a dog, and details the foundations and philosophy of Cynicism in an attempt to understand both who Diogenes was, what he stood for, and what contributions, if any, the man had on future philosophers.

Diogenes the Cynic is complete enough to be used as a text about Diogenes and Cynicism. The book even includes copies of many of the accounts about this man in the appendix and detailed bibliographies for those wanting to delve deeper into the subject. At the same time though, that this book is so complete, that the reader need not have prior knowledge of the subject matter.

Every age . . . needs a Diogenes"
This is a good book. I say that because the life, times, and philosophy of Diogenes, much based on inference, is laid out with integrity. Navia is trying hard to elucidate an obscure subject - he should get his "A" for producing a work of fine scholarship.

Yet, having said that, I must also caution that the writing style is torpid at times, as is alot of academic writing. There is nothing bold here; the tentative nature of the writing is not complementary with the subject and research done. While it is a book worth reading for the content, it is not "an enjoyable read".

The other flaw here is the cheap fabrication of the book itself. The paper is low grade; the typesetting is very poor; and the plastic delaminates from the paper cover after a minimum of handling.

So, if you can live with the downer points in this review, Navia's book is worth the money for his overall treatment of Diogenes the Dog.


Extracts: A Field Guide for Iconoclasts

The Cloud Reckoner ... Read more

Product Description
The author turns to the great teachers of the past--Augustine, Maximus the Confessor, Bonaventure, Hugh of St. Victor, Calvin and Luther, George Herbert--to recover a spirituality that is rich with the doctrines and disciplines of theology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

What would it be like to live every moment of one's life with an awareness of God?
With this question, Diogenes Allen began his search into the depths of Christian spirituality.What he found resulted in a brief but very powerful overview of the history of spiritual theology.Allen probes the insights of the Bible and such spiritual masters as St. Anthony and the desert fathers, Augustine, Basil the Great, Bonaventure, Cassian, Evagrius, Francis of Assissi, Gregory of Nyssa, George Herbert, Julian of Norwich, Maximus the Confessor, Teresa of Avila, and Simone Weil.Perhaps the best concise spiritual theology written, tying ancient wisdom to the needs of today. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an OCR edition without illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from GeneralBooksClub.com. You can also preview excerpts from the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Published by: H. G. Bohn in 1853 in 505 pages; Subjects: Philosophers, Ancient; Philosophy, Ancient; Philosophers; Biography & Autobiography / Philosophers; History / Ancient / Greece; Philosophy / General; Philosophy / History & Surveys / Ancient & Classical; Philosophy / History & Surveys / General; Philosophy / History & Surveys / Modern; ... Read more

Product Description
This anthology of 58 articles, interviews, memoirs, and critical and personal essays gives students convenient and affordable access to a wide variety of important selections that discuss the theory and practice of fiction writing. The readings are accompanied by questions that encourage critical reading, as well as writing activities that invite creative responses. A compact writing workshop included guides students in drafting and revising their stories. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Crafting Fiction has something for every writer
Diogenes and Moneybun's "Crafting Fiction" is a wonderful book for those who need to get to the nitty gritty of writing. You can learn something of value to the writer on every page.

I've found all the tips to be useful and insightful. This is a very accessible and worthwhile text. It was required reading in three of my college fiction classes.

Kit in St. Louis ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Simple spiritual autobiography from a complicated man
Diogenes Allen is a legend in Princeton.For more than 40 years he has been a stand out among the heady group of intellectual superstars.He is a force of nature, whose raw gifts place him among Peter Brown, Bruce McCormick, David Willis, Bruce Metzger, and just a handful of others that make up the greatest theological minds of the town.And if that were not enough, he has also been a recognized master in the philosophical guild as well.His work on Kierkegaard, Simone Weil, and others have become standards.

So I expected some deep but difficult going here.Not so -- this is Prof. Allen at his most relaxed and accessible.This would be profitable reading not only for his professional colleagues, ministers, philosophy grad students and seminarians.It would also be a good read for any interested and thoughtful layperson.

(Disclaimer: Allen is considered 'conservative' by his mainline colleagues and fellow PCUSA Presbyterians, but to some evangelical readers he may be less orthodox than we'd hope in just a very few places here.) ... Read more

Product Description
"This book goes a long way toward showing...that philosophical knowledge enables one to appreciate more deeply the meaning of virtually every major doctrinal formulation and every major theologian".---Eternity. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Worthwhile and Informative
This work is a chronologically arranged look at Western Philosophy, concentrating chiefly on those areas where it has informed or influenced theology.The authors do a good job in explaining the essential thinkers and the systems of thought over roughly a 2,500-year period.

Beginning with Plato, the first inflection point, they briefly jump back to touch on the pre-Socratics, and then follow through with Aristotle and Aquinas, then the pre modern-, modern-, and post modern-ists.

Although the authors are admirably objective in their narrative, there is a touch of Protestant bias (or is it my Catholic bias?) in the treatment of the Angelic Doctor.St. Thomas and Thomism is so much more than what the authors let on.Also, there always seems to be (in general with Protestant commentators) an attempt to "lift" St. Augustine out of the Catholic Church, primarily by placing Aquinas and Augustine in opposition.It is done here through the voice of Karl Barth speaking 700 years in the future. I've always felt this Aquinas-Augustine tension to mirror the tension found among the Gospels; i.e., the points of contradiction or non-agreement in the Gospels is additive to our Faith and helps us understand the great mysteries better, rather than nullifying either of them.I say all this with the complete confidence that the authors have forgotten more about Theology and Philosophy than I'll ever know - this is just my un-learned opinion.

This work is composed so that each chapter can more or less stand on its own, so there is a bit of re-hashing and overlap - but I think that is a plus as it can be used to reference a single period without having to re-read previous chapters.

All in all, a worthwhile and informative read.

Good content, terrible layout
The content of the book is fascinating and brilliant!

However, I must regretfully inform that the layout is terrible. The authors are doubtless brilliant but often repeat themselves again and again (note especially the section on Plato). Now, in their defense, I probably needed to hear Plato's basic tenets repeated many times over in order to get them, but I fear the average reader will grow frustrated by all the redundancy. Further, at times, it seems as though the author rambles in a sort of stream of consciousness manner without really holding himself to an outline. If I'm wrong, perhaps section headings within the chapters would be a good addition for a future edition.

Diogenes Allen
The two books I ordered by Diogenes Allen were required for a graduate course in theology that I am taking.Allen is a well-respected philosopher/theoogian, and these books reflect the depth of his scholarship.Not many in our culture are interested in theology, so these books would appeal to a very narrow segment of the American population.

The World Was Created
Allen's brilliant PHILOSOPHY FOR UNDERSTANDING THEOLOGY boils down the foundation of Christian Theology to this: The World was created. According to the Bible, God created heavens and the earth. He is eternal, not that which he created. Allen explains that this differs from Aristotle who believed the universe had no beginning. The exalted One for Aristotle, then, is no different than the world. The difference then between the Christian faith and Aristotle (and philosophical systems that posit the eternality of matter) is ontological and epistemological.

That's just the first page of Allen, and in it he previews the conflict that has existed throughout the ages between theology and philosophy. Clear and concise in his writing, penetrating in his analysis of philosophical systems, expert in his understanding of theology, this is a great book to have.

A masterful introductory text
Allen is remarkably clear and easy to read, yet he does not sacrifice scholarship or content to be so.This volume packs an amazing amount of material in its 280 pages, containing every big name in the history of philosophy.Yet this book is not simply a historical overview of the major tenets of the discipline; it is focused at every turn on showing how philosophy has impacted Christian thought.While Allen covers all one would expect from Plato and Artistotle to Hegel and Kant, he makes a deliberate effort to show how such leading Christian thinkers as Augustine and Aquinas interpreted and applied philosophy to their theology.This text is a superior introduction to the relationship between philosophy and theology.Highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
All the extant fragments of Herakleitos and a collection of Diogenes' words from various sources

Herakleitos' words, 2500 years old, usually appear in English translated by philosophers as makeshift clusters of nouns and verbs which can then be inspected at length. here they are translated into plain English and allowed to stand naked and unchaperoned in their native archaic Mediterranean light.

The practical words of the Athenian street philosopher Diagenes have never before been extracted from the apochryphal anecdotes in which they have come down to us. They are addressed to humanity at large, and are as sharp and pertinent today as when they were admired by Alexander the Great and Saint Paul. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Just quotes...
It's a collection of quotes with some very terse history.Personally, this book is of no use to me, but if you like quote lists, then you'll love it.

Fire...
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.The fragments of Heraclitus (or, Herakleitos) and Diogenes are a collection of the remains of their now-lost works, joined to various sayings attributed to them by other ancient philosophers both in their own day and later.This is basically a collection of translated aphorisms - 124 of which belong to Heraclitus, and 124 of which belong to Diogenes.Each philosopher's fragments are given a brief introduction - although, for reasons unstated by the author, the introduction to Diogenes is almost 3 times as long as that for Heraclitus - and, in a few places, some explanatory notes are given for the translation.I was disappointed that the translator, Guy Davenport, gave no information whatsoever about the manuscripts that he used for the translations here, or any information about the history of the texts that he used for the translation.Although I do not know Greek, it would have been nice to at least have some of this sort of background material.

Neither set of fragments has any systematic organization; there is no narrative to follow.However, within the writings of Heraclitus one is given a sense of the permeability of all existence, and that the world we know is not a stable place.He has a tremendous sense of the instability of life, and he expresses this with some very poetic images: "One cannot step twice into the same river, for the water into which you first stepped as moved on" (# 21); "There is a new sun for every day" (# 36).Some of the aphorisms are much food for thought; others are more humorous: "Hide our ignorance as we will, an evening of wine reveals it" (# 53).All of them are worth reading, and if one chooses to make connections between them - if fire is the destruction of all things and pride is like fire, is he trying to say that pride will destroy us? - then one can come up with some interesting insights.

The fragments of Diogenes are of a very different flavor than Heraclitus's musings.Diogenes, as one reviewer put it below (quite brilliantly, I might add), really can be considered history's first punk.He was certainly an iconoclast, and he seems to have reveled in it.However, he also came up with some genuinely fascinating ideas that we still repeat today - "I am a citizen of the world" (# 7) and "Practice makes perfect" (# 119).He also stated, hundreds of years before St. Paul, that "Love of money is the marketplace of every evil" (# 78).Predictably, some of his musings are humorous - "Go into any whorehouse and learn the worthlessness of the expensive" (# 36) - but some are also quite quarrelsome; Diogenes seems to have had a considerable dislike for Plato, in particular.

Readings this book might take you a full hour.However, there are considerations in these pages worth mulling over for years, and perhaps even a lifetime.This, of course, is exactly what philosophy is supposed to be.

Best of the Translators
Sharp and concise are how these translations come across. Compared with recent translations like Brooks Haxton's (Heraclitus) and Luis Navia's (Diogenes the Cynic), Davenport's work will stand the test of time. Highly recommended.

Parataxis

Extracts: A Field Guide for Iconoclasts

The Cloud Reckoner

History's first punk
Before grunge, before punk, before monks renouncing this "evil world" for the purity of the desert, there was Diogenes.If Plato codified and, to some extent, "created" Western philosophy, then Diogenes lit a stink bomb at Plato's Academy and sent all the earnest young students scrambling for fresh air: what they didn't realize was that Diogenes WAS that fresh air.Listen to his dismissal of the great man of the West:"Plato winces when I track dust across his rugs: he knows that I'm walking on his vanity."And how about his summary of the state of Greek culture in the mid-fourth century B.C.E.: "Men nowhere, but real boys at Sparta."Nor did his satiric bite exempt his own condition:"When I die, throw me to the wolves.I'm used to it."How many of Plato's dialogues deliver a message as direct as this one?: "I threw away my cup when I saw a child drinking from his hands at the trough." In pithy saying after saying, Diogenes makes it clear that he has "broken through" to the freedom of being owned neither by his possessions nor by society's limitations, all of which is in some sly way conveyed by his opening [in Davenport's translation] salvo:"I have come to debase the coinage."And, oh yes, this translation includes all the meaningful fragments of Herakleitos as well.But once you have read Diogenes, Herakleitos will seem like the stodgiest old coot you've ever heard of, except maybe for Plato.[Updated versions of these translations are also available in Davenport's 7 GREEKS, which also includes the "complete" works of Sappho, Archilochos, Alkman, Anakreon and Herondas.] ... Read more

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This is a fascinating story of Diogenes, a Greek dog who gave up everything to live like a king!
Dogs are dogs are dogs, but Diogenes was definitely a different kind of dog. He had no intention of rolling over for anyone, let alone fetching a bone because "he wanted to be his own master."One day, as he had his face buried in his bowl of food, he noticed a little mouse.The little mouse didn't seem to have a care in the world and Diogenes decided he wanted to be just like that.The next day he gave up all his worldly possessions, meaning a dog house, a collar and leash, and left for Athens, the big city.Without a care in the world he only had a walking stick and his bowl, which he proudly sported on his head.

The city was stupendous and bursting with activity.Athens would be a great place to try new tricks.He learned to beg for food, sleep in "an old pot," how to deal with the climate, and he even "begged from statues."He certainly was enjoying being his own master and enjoying the simple life.He was a bit of an odd dog, but soon he found fame and many "people traveled from all over to see his latest trick."Even Alexander the Great took an interest in him, but one day the dogsnatcher threw him in a net and took him to the pound.Was this going to be the end of his freedom or was there more in store for Diogenes?

This is a fascinating story of Diogenes, a Greek dog who gave up everything to live like a king.I liked the interesting allusion to the "real" Diogenes in this story, a story that subtly has a lot to tell the young reader.This tale would be an excellent introduction to ancient Greek life in the homeschool or classroom setting.The artwork is animated, lively, and will make the reader chuckle when they see the wide-eyed independent Diogenes at "work."In the afterword there is a concise and very interesting biography about the real Diogenes who "dedicated himself to a life of voluntary poverty and of questioning commonly held practices and beliefs."

a hit in our house
our two-year-old loves it...a toddler intro to greek tales (yes, a dog is the main character). first borrowed it from our library, now buying it!

Rutgers University Project on Economics and Children
Diogenes, an unusually thoughtful dog in ancient Greece, lived a comfortable life free of trouble or need.Yet Diogenes wanted more; he wanted to be his own master.Inspired by his observations of a carefree mouse, Diogenes left all his creature comforts behind and set off for the great city of Athens.There he spent the rest of his doggy days performing various tricks to teach people about the value of a simple lifestyle and the importance of avoiding moral bankruptcy.Based on the actual story of a man who founded the Cynic school of philosophy, this unique book offers children an interesting opportunity to explore ethics and morals in an ancient Greek setting.
... Read more

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The life and teachings of Diogenes of Sinope, the Greek philosopher who gave rise to classical Cynicism, deserve careful consideration because of their relevance to contemporary ethical issues. The task of reconstructing the philosopher's life, however, is exceedingly difficult, because in his case, more than in those of other ancient philosophers, we must deal not only with the scarcity of reliable sources and testimonies, but also with the mountains of anecdotal and fictional accounts that are responsible for the creation of a veritable literary legend around the Cynic who once lived in a tub. This comprehensive study reconstructs his biography on the basis of classical and Arabic sources, identifies the main ideas and principles of his philosophy, and shows the application of his philosophical message for our contemporary world. ... Read more

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Lucky Find!
This book is fabulous!Navia chronicles the life of Diogenes in an academic and professional manner, and effectively disputes many claims made by other philosopher historians, such as F. Sayre.If you are a fan of Diogenes the man and what he stood for, then you will definitely find this book edifying, but if you are not, then it is still an excellent learning experience.

An important philosophy for our time.
I thoroughly recommend Diogenes of Sinope as essential reading for both Classical Greek scholars and those who simply wish to learn out more about the Cynics, their philosophy, and their way of life. Indeed, anyone who has overlooked this important philosophy. Scholarly in its approach, this book is yet compulsively readable. I was easily carried through the text which is generously peppered with fascinating anecdotes from the primary sources as well as Navia's own compelling interpretations. What better place to start an understanding of Cynicism than through its hero Diogenes.

In Chapter 4, Hegel's view that Cynicism contains little philosophy and no `system' is demolished. Navia presents the reader with a very comprehensive and systematised account of what Cynicism's philosophy is, and yet achieves this without undermining Cynicism's integrity, for instance by not leaving a trail of `truths' for some unscrupulous management theorist to claim as the latest quick fix for a failing company. At the end of this chapter, Cynicism emerges with its anti-scientific credentials intact, but also with much greater clarity about what Diogenes' brand of Cynicism stands FOR as well as what it opposes. I deliberately choose the present tense here, because what Navia demonstrates in these pages, is that (unlike the ideas of say Freud or Marx, who as one writer put it `were weighed down by the cultural baggage of their time'), Diogenes' view of the world is as fresh and relevant today as it was 2,300 years ago. The reader should be left in no doubt that Cynicism represents a very powerful philosophy, even if he or she is not inclined to share it.

Throughout the book I was impressed by passages that sent me off contemplating contemporary issues and debates, but I also appreciated the detail and minutia that conjured up vivid portraits of life at the time ~ Diogenes life in particular. The appendix of Diogenes Laertius' (not to be confused with Navia's own hero) original writings about Diogenes the Cynic is very helpful in supporting Navia's own text. What Navia has achieved cleverly in this book, is to strike a balance between producing an authoritative text which reinforces the `facts' available, while at the same time, acknowledging the myth-making that is essential for a real understanding of the Diogenes phenomenon.

Can we have a paperback edition please! ... Read more

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The eccentric Greek philosopher Diogenes, who lived in the 4th century B.C., wanders the ancient city of Corinth wearing only an old cloak and a barrel. Using a lantern in daytime, he proves the local philosophers wrong. Diogenes teaches even Alexander the Great an important lesson about wisdom and life! ... Read more

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Deep, Excellent, Worth the Read
This is not your typical book on "love".So approach without any preconcieved ideas, and with a willingness to be challenged.Especially poignant is the section on Christian friendship.But really, all of it is quite good. ... Read more

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This volume is a revised translation of the complete text of Book Six about Diogenes of Sinope and the Cynics, taken from The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers written around AD 230 by the Graeco-Roman author Diogenes Laertius. The Life of Diogenes is accompanied by a detailed outline of Cynic philosophy, explaining Cynic doctrine and its significance for today's audience. Alongside the Life of Diogenes are accounts of other Cynics, including Antisthenes, Crates and Hipparchia. The works of the early Cynics have all been lost, and this text by Diogenes Laertius thankfully preserves an important range of quotations and references. Despite the Cynic's extreme stance, this idealistic philosophy still has a valid part to play in the face of the increasing materialism of our modern society, challenging us to re-evaluate our priorities. The nineteenth-century translation of C. D. Yonge has been substantially revised, and is supported by a new Introduction, Glossary of Names, Notes and Index. ... Read more

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An entertaining read!
When I started reading this book, I expected it to be interesting and informative, but I had no idea that it would be so entertaining and really funny.

Diogenes of Sinope in particular was always making fun of other people's pomposity, and he comes over as quite a character. Someone put a notice on his own front door saying, 'Let no evil thing enter here,' and Diogenes said, 'How, then, is the master of the house to get in?' He went to a very dirty public bath and said, 'I wonder where the people who bathe here clean themselves.' The Cynic way of life involved living on the streets and begging. On one occasion, someone saw Diogenes begging alms from a statue, and asked him why, and he said that he was practising being disappointed! Another time, he was begging from a man who said that he would give him money if Diogenes could persuade him to, but Diogenes said, 'If I could have persuaded you, I would have persuaded you to hang yourself.' One day he saw an archer doing target practice very badly, so he sat down right next to the target and said, 'Now I shall be out of harm's way.' He was not even daunted by meeting Alexander the Great. Diogenes asked Alexander if he was the Alexander known as the bastard. Alexander was angry, but then Diogenes reminded him that his mother had claimed that she had been impregnated with Alexander, not by her husband, but by the god Ammon, in which case he would be a bastard (illegitimate). Alexander admired him for his courage, and the people of Athens loved him and built a monument to his memory after he died.

Other Cynics appear in this book too. Metrocles of Maroneia was the brother of Hipparchia, who was married to Crates, who was said to be a pupil of Diogenes. Metrocles accidentally broke wind in a public meeting and was so embarrassed that he decided to commit suicide by starving himself to death. Crates visited him and made them both a meal of lupins, a bean which notoriously causes flatulence, and as they ate the lupins together, Crates was able to show Metrocles that it would be a wonder if someone did not break wind, which he then demonstrated himself, so lifting Metrocles out of his sad mood and convincing him not to commit suicide after all!

This is a great book, full of anecdotes, and a wonderful, memorable account of the way of life of these ancient philosophers. The editor's introduction is really good, as it explains clearly and simply what the Cynics' philosophy of life was all about. There is a useful Glossary at the end containing summaries about the various people who feature in the texts. And I also enjoyed the old map of Athens!

Another well-done book by Keith Seddon
Mr. Seddon is a professor of ancient philosophy specializing in the Greco-Roman therapeutic schools (i.e., Stoicism, Cynicism, etc.).Over the past 10 years or so he has published a number of works about those philosophies that are aimed at the general reader rather than the academic world. One of the first of those works was his landmark commentary on Epictetus' HandbookEpictetus Handbookand the Tablet of Cebes: Guides to Stoic Living.This was the first and so far only work of its kind written in English.Another was Stoic SerenityStoic Serenity: A Practical Course on Finding Inner Peace based on an on-line correspondence course that he teaches.

The current volume is a sequel to his Summary of Stoic PhilosophyA Summary of Stoic Philosophy: Zeno of Citium in Diogenes Laertius Book Seven published 2 years ago.Cynicism was a direct forerunner of Greek and Roman Stoicism.Indeed, the longest chapter In Epictetus's Discourses is in praise of it.It features a revised translation of Book Six, but an excellent introduction, bibliography, glossary, index and appendices (footnotes, too) is what sets it apart from other works of its type.Mr Seddon takes great care with these things and they should be regarded as an integral part of the book.

The production values are far above normal.Excellent choices were made in font, type sizing and paper quality.This makes makes the rather high price worth the risk.

I personally recommend this volume to anyone seeking knowledge of this most important forerunner of Classical Stoicism.

In addition to his Stoic-related work.Mr Seddon has published a number of works on philosophical Taoism that are of value.

Cashing in on the Cynics
The type Cynic is born not made. You have to be a Cynic to understand one. Mr Seddon is the opposite of a Cynic. His latest offering, let us make no bones about it, is all about jumping-on-the-latest-bandwagon, that is, cashing in on the recent minor growth industry, that is, the long and much neglected Classical Cynics. Mr. Seddon calls himself a Stoic and frankly he should stick to Stoic studies and leave the Cynics to the big boys. As William Desmond points out in his book, *Cynics*, "Cynicism is now admired as one of the more creative and influential philosophical movements in antiquity" thus Mr. Seddon's book -- and I say Mr. Seddon's book but really all he has done is to copy out and slightly tweak the material of others. In this case Mr. Yonge's, Diogenes Laertius' *Lives of the Eminent Philosophers* book 6. And in my opinion he has not done a good job. The book is over-priced and there are others on the market in the same category written by professionals who have a genuine interest in and admiration for the Cynics that are less expensive and infinitely more original. I say, by the way, 'genuine interest' for the fact is Mr. Seddon clearly has no time for the Stoics having written, in his *A Guide to Stoic Living* the Stoic view is "undermined by the Cynic approach even by adopting the *appearance* of a Cynic, if not the lifestyle itself" -- pretty damning evidence if you ask me of Mr. Seddon's anti-Cynic view. ... Read more

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From the 1860s to the present day, these are the accounts of the Diogenes Club, whose agents solve crimes too strange for Britain's police, protecting the realm-and this entire plane of existence-from occult menaces, threats born in other dimensions, magical perfidy and the Deep Dark Deadly Ones. Kim Newman continues the series began in The Man From the Diogenes Club, revealing more mysteries of the British Empire's most secret service. ... Read more

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In Allen's account of the Christian life, temptation offers a doorway into the mystery of God. Far from trying to avoid the temptations of our daily lives, we need to recognize them as an essential part of our journey into the kingdom of God. ... Read more

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Spiritual Reflections
This short, readable, and profound book examines the preconditions of Christian spirituality.The jumping off point is a detailed analysis of the temptations Jesus faced in the wilderness:to live for material things, to seek personal security, and to clamor for social position.Once we overcome these temptations, the path is cleared for a spiritual pilgrimage; if we are lucky, the pilgrimage culminates in trust in Christ and faith in the Resurrection."Temptation" doesn't present a comprehensive apologetic for Christianity.Instead, it profoundly reorients the reader and offers a view of the human world in which Christianity can make sense.It is really, really good. ... Read more

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This original study reveals the importance of ancient Cynicism in defining the Enlightenment and its legacy.

Louisa Shea explores modernity's debt to Cynicism by examining the works of thinkers who turned to the ancient Cynics as a model for reinventing philosophy and dared to imagine an alliance between a socially engaged Enlightenment and the least respectable of early Greek philosophies. While Cynicism has always resided on the fringes of philosophy, Shea argues, it remained a vital touchstone for writers committed to social change and helped define the emerging figure of the public intellectual in the 18th century.

Shea's study brings to light the rich legacy of ancient Cynicism in modern intellectual, philosophical, and literary life, both in the 18th-century works of Diderot, Rousseau, Wieland, and Sade, and in recent writings by Michel Foucault and Peter Sloterdijk.

Featuring an important new perspective on both Enlightenment thought and its current scholarly reception, The Cynic Enlightenment will interest students and scholars of the Enlightenment and its intellectual legacy, 18th-century studies, literature, and philosophy.