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This volume offers a comprehensive survey of the main periods, schools, and individual proponents of scepticism in the ancient Greek and Roman world. The contributors examine the major developments chronologically and historically, ranging from the early antecedents of scepticism to the Pyrrhonist tradition. They address the central philosophical and interpretive problems surrounding the sceptics' ideas on subjects including belief, action, and ethics. Finally, they explore the effects which these forms of scepticism had beyond the ancient period, and the ways in which ancient scepticism differs from scepticism as it has been understood since Descartes. The volume will serve as an accessible and wide-ranging introduction to the subject for non-specialists, while also offering considerable depth and detail for more advanced readers. ... Read more

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Scepticism, a philosophical tradition that casts doubt on our ability to gain knowledge of the world and suggests suspending judgment in the face of uncertainty, has been influential since its beginnings in ancient Greece. Harald Thorsrud provides an engaging, rigorous introduction to the central themes, arguments, and general concerns of ancient Scepticism, from its beginnings with Pyrrho of Elis (ca. 360 B.C. -ca. 270 B.C.) to the writings of Sextus Empiricus in the second century A.D. Thorsrud explores the differences among Sceptics and examines in particular the separation of the Scepticism of Pyrrho from its later form--Academic Scepticism--the result of its ideas being introduced into Plato's Academy in the third century B.C. Steering an even course through the many differences of scholarly opinion surrounding Scepticism, the book also provides a balanced appraisal of the philosophy's enduring significance by showing why it remains so interesting and how ancient interpretations differ from modern ones.
Copub: Acumen Publishing Limited ... Read more

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All volumes of Professor Guthrie's great history of Greek philosophy have won their due acclaim. The most striking merits of Guthrie's work are his mastery of a tremendous range of ancient literature and modern scholarship, his fairness and balance of judgement and the lucidity and precision of his English prose. He has achieved clarity and comprehensiveness. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

The Beginning of Western Philosophy
W. K. C. Guthrie's incredible series "A History of Greek Philosophy" begins here with Volume I: "The Earlier Presocratics and the Pythagoreans".Originally published in 1962, this volume, and the series continues to be reprinted today, and for good reason.Professor Guthrie manages to make the entire subject very readable and very informative.He provides tremendous notes as well as insights into his reasoning as to why he considers the information he provides to be correct.This is very important to the subject overall, but especially when covering the early philosophers, most of whom are only known through the words of others.

At first glance this book appears to be a very weighty 500 pages, but once one starts reading it they realize that Professor Guthrie is able to discuss the subject matter in a fairly easy to understand way.That is not to say that there aren't areas which are more difficult to follow due to the contrary information which different sources provide, but Professor Guthrie manages to navigate these areas with skill and without leaving the reader behind.

The volume opens with a couple of introductory chapters and then proceeds to take on the earliest philosophers, The Milesians.This chapter looks at Thales, Anaximander, and Anaximenes and though the information is scant, Guthrie collects the small fragments from many sources to put together a picture of these three very early philosophers.

It is the following chapter ("Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans") which is the real meat of this volume.At 200 pages it is a very detailed look at what is known, and not known about the philosophy/religion, its founder, and those who came a bit later.The chapter on The Milesians is easy to follow, partly because so little is known that there aren't contradicting sources for the most part, but with the Pythagoreans Guthrie has to fight against the biases of the sources in order to reach his conclusions, and he supports those conclusions very well.

After the Pythagoreans, the chapters on Alcmaeon (whom Guthrie separates from the Pythagoreans for good reason) and Xenophane, the poet/philosopher are fairly easy going, quite informative, and even entertaining to a certain degree.The volume then closes with a chapter on Heraclitus, which offers a very strong discussion on the differences of opinion on that philosopher, similar, though certainly not as complex as the chapter on the Pythagoreans.

This is a six volume series, which unfortunately ended with the passing of Professor Guthrie in 1981 and so it ends a bit prematurely but that doesn't change the value of the volumes which were published.Volume II picks up where this volume leaves off and finishes Guthrie's discussion of the Presocratics, but this volume can also stand on its own as a tremendous achievement.

To the Roots of Knowledge and Culture
One of the truly remarkable intellectual achievements of our time, Guthrie's magisterial six volume History of Greek Philosophy, is, within the compass of my reading, the most comprehensive rendering of the golden epoch of Western Philosophy available.The sheer magnitude of the research collected, sorted, and weighed here is enough to recommend, but this work offers much more than a survey of leading interpretations.Many a major commentary, ancient and modern, receives a fair hearing for each argument analyzed both in the text and in extensive notes.One only wishes Guthrie were eternal that he might have been able to include all that has and will come in the way of analysis since publication of these texts in the 1960's with the same judicious acumen.
On immersing oneself in these many pages, over and again, one is struck by the centrality and the exhaustive nature of the venture.While such a scope of endeavor is bound to be open to controversy on any number of particulars, and Guthrie is not without critics, the distance traversed is staggering, and the work, in its point-by-point detailed coverage, assumes an authority on the achievement of such breadth alone.But it is the analytic depth of Guthrie's treatment of the arguments that for me holds the greater value. For the many treasures on display in these pages shine ever more brightly due to the loving care with which they are presented in view of their developmental contexts.
Among the finer features of Guthrie is the headliner on each page, providing focus for the narrative, in the style of the annotated Jowett Plato. Organization of the chapters under topical rubrics contributes to the superior organization of the work itself and, along with the extensive Indexes, makes reference within this dense field blessedly user-friendly.
If you love Archaic (Pre-Socratic) Greek Philosophy like I do, I feel that there is no better practice than to regularly inter yourself in the first two volumes of Guthrie.I've been asked which is the best investment for a book on early Greek Philosophy.The best-known one-volume histories all have their virtues. Of these, Barnes is probably most useful, very good on the Eleatics and Xenophanes, not so comprehending of Herakleitos, the Milesians, and others. The writing tends to be nuanced in a very Anglo-analytic, somewhat technical, orientation.Kirk and Raven don't thrill me much either as writers or analysts, and make what a number of commentators feel are erroneous judgments. Not nearly as thorough as Guthrie, their book on balance is - sufficient.The old Burnet is quite good at times, but now has been antiquated on many points by later, more accurate readings (discussed in Guthrie).Nietzsche's study, translated as "Philosophy in the Tragic Age of the Greeks" is definitely worth a read (what did Nietzsche ever write that wasn't?), but was not intended as comprehensive scholarship.All considered, the first two volumes of Guthrie easily outpace the field, and for pure enjoyment of uniformly superb scholarship, copious citations, and solid, accessible writing, are more than worth the expensive price tag.Splurge! You're buying the best.

A word on the Pre- Socratics
My review relates to the one volume of it I have read on the pre- Socratics. It is a clearly written and richly informative work. It was also when I read it as an undergraduate many years ago inspiring. I remember the description of philosophy's beginning in the ' wonder of anything that it is '. i.e. the wonder of how there is anything , and everything at all. I too remember the Heraclitus - Parmenides division and how they anticipate the Platonean synthesis. I am not an expert in the field and can say nothing about the work's scholarship, but as an ordinary reader I can say it is a work that interests and enhances interest in the subject it covers.

The Achievement of a Lifetime's Work
This five-volume set is the most comprehensive treatment of the spectrum of Greek philosophy ever written; this is a man's life-work, a distillation of decades of scholarship. Necessarily, it's written in a rather academic style, and Professor Guthrie expected the reader to already be versed in the basics. But that is not an insurmountable obstacle. The section on the Pythagoreans in this first volume is a self-contained book unto itself and a terrific source of information on the minor adherents to Pythagoreanism, which I haven't been able to find anywhere else. Guthrie also thoroughly works over the competing interpretations of the oracular pronouncements of Heraclitus, and delves in depth into the ontologies of the Milesians. Although most of the footnotes contain information on dusty battles between (mostly German) scholars about etymological and ascriptive concerns, they are rewarding.

Outstanding
This six-volume history of Greek philosophy, which Guthrie unfortunately left unfinished, is a monument of scholarship. His knowledge of Greek is staggering, his treatments are thorough, and he is generally careful to letyou know where the facts leave off and interpretations begin. My onereservation is that he sometimes betrays more interest in historicalminutiae than in philosophy; for instance, his treatment of Plato (vols.4-5) attaches far too much importance to the order in which the dialogueswere written (as if we could be really sure of that!). And there's noquestion that these books are expensive and meant only for the seriousstudent. But if Greek philosophy is your passion, you can't overlook thesevolumes. ... Read more

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Far from being pessimistic or nihilistic, as modern uses of the term "cynic" suggest, the ancient Cynics were astonishingly optimistic regarding human nature. They believed that if one simplified one's life--giving up all unnecessary possessions, desires, and ideas--and lived in the moment as much as possible, one could regain one's natural goodness and happiness. It was a life exemplified most famously by the eccentric Diogenes, nicknamed "the Dog," and his followers, called dog-philosophers, kunikoi, or Cynics. Rebellious, self-willed, and ornery but also witty and imaginative, these dog-philosophers are some of the most colorful personalities from antiquity. This engaging introduction to Cynicism considers both the fragmentary ancient evidence on the Cynics and the historical interpretations that have shaped the philosophy over the course of eight centuries--from Diogenes himself to Nietzsche and beyond. Approaching Cynicism from a variety of thematic perspectives as well--their critique of convention, praise of natural simplicity, advocacy of self-sufficiency, defiance of Fortune, and freedom--William Desmond offers a fascinating survey of a school of thought that has had a tremendous influence throughout history and is of continuing interest today.
Copub: Acumen Publishing Limited ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Superb Synthesis - Very Worthwhile
I endorse what the other reviewer says. I would add that Desmond is very thoughtful and readable.He begins by introducing the personalities involved, whom he identifies as proto-Cynics like Socrates, and the Cynics themselves, whom he divides into hard Cynics who lived the Cynic way of life as beggars, and literary Cynics, who were more inclined to talk the talk than to walk the walk. The discussion is balanced, with anecdotes that are entertaining and analysis that is thoughtful and judicious. Desmond goes on to trace the development and influence of Cynicism to the present.He is very sharp on the comparison of Jesus and the Cynics, showing how Jesus spoke and lived like a hard Cynic, but also discussing in what ways Jesus was unlike the Cynics. Jesus spent a good deal of time only a few kilometers from Gadara, where a number of Cynics lived and taught. There he cured the Gerasene Demoniac.Desmond raises the possiblity that the Demoniac was himself a Cynic. He also points out how the word for Cynic in Hebrew is like the word in Greek (Kune), which means "dog" - a reference to the fact that Diogenes had no home, no shame, and was often seen snarling at the social conventions of the masses.

It is also worth mentioning that Diogenes is credited with coining the word "cosmopolitan," referring to the fact that he was a citizen of the cosmos (the universe), a characterization seen as oxymoronic at the time, since a citizen was one who resided in a polis. Diogenes' brand of cosmopolitanism, like Jesus' version of "Christianity," was very democratic and not institutionalized. Diogenes meant that he was not at home anywhere in the world, by contrast with Diderot, for instance, who felt he was a stranger nowhere in the world.Both Diogenes and Jesus appealed to the hearts and minds of individuals. They spoke out against the established norms - Jesus overthrew the tables of the moneychangers in the Temple - and did not set out to establish the monstrous bureaucracies that have since functioned to perpetuate themselves, enforce conformity, and promote values that are not necessarily similar to the values taught by Diogenes or Jesus.

Desmond points out how, instead of being a marginal lifestyle, as it was described by nineteenth century scholars, Cynicism was actually a highly influential branch of Greek philosophy that endured, in one form or another, for about 900 years. He even examines the similarities between the Cynics and the Gymnosophists, who were contacted by Alexander on his excursion into India. The influence of Cynicism, moreover (the original type, not the modern phenomenon that goes by the same name), is still being felt. Desmond's book is a valuable addition to the literature concerning Cynicism and all Greek thought.

A straightforward introductory text about the philosophical movement that was the ancient Cynics
Written by William Desmond (Lecturer in Philosophy, National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Cynics is a straightforward introductory text about the philosophical movement that was the ancient Cynics. Despite what their name has come to mean in the modern day, the Cynic philosophers had a surprisingly generous outlook on human nature. They believed that by simplifying one's life by giving up unneeded desires, possessions, and ideals, and by living in the moment, human beings could restore their innate goodness and happiness. An excellent textbook for any student of the Cynic movement, from lay readers to philosophy majors, Cynics not only draws upon historical evidence but also offers a variety of interpretations and perspectives for a balanced, well-rounded review of this ancient movement.
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Nietzsche's consideration of 5th and 6th century Greece, the proving ground for his philosophy. ... Read more

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An insightful explication of pre-Platonic philosophera in ancient Greece
One of Nietzsche's earliest works, Philosophy in the Tragic Age of the Greeks deals with various pre-Platonic philosophers, such as Thales, Anaximander, Heraclitus, Parmenides, and Anaxagoras. Nietzsche esteems these thinkers as being important because they took the first halting steps away from mythology, anthropomorphism, and mysticism, groping for a "scientific" explanation of the cosmos. They wrestled with such ideas and concepts as "being," "non-being," "becoming" (or "coming-to-be"), the indefinite, infinity, time, space, and causality, seeking to explain the "whence" and "wherefore" of the universe. Behind it all was the perennial puzzle that plagued philosophers, metaphysicians, and even some thelogians: "Why is there something rather than nothing."

Nietzsche greatly admired ancient Greek culture, especially when he compared it with the low state of contemporary German culture, and sought by his writings to expose the shallowness of "modern philosophy." He traced his philosophical lineage to the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus, who famously stated, "One cannot step in the same river twice" (in other words, the universe is in a continual state of "becoming" (or coming-to-be). A Greek sentence captures this perspective in capsule form: "Panta rhei, ouden menei" ("All things are flowing, nothing is abiding" or, to paraphrase, "Nothing is permanent except change."). In a later work, Nietzsche showed his strong affinity with Heraclitan flux by saying, "[My project] is to stamp on becoming the seal of being," or, in other words, "Becoming" (an eternal flux] is the only true "Being." Heraclitus viewed the cosmos as "a child's game," much like "an artist's creative play-impulse." Nietzsche apparently would agree, for in The Birth of Tragedy from the Spirit of Music he wrote, "The world can be justified eternally only as an aesthetic phenomenon."

Parmenides (whom Plato, in the Sophist, called "our father") is, for Nietzsche, the villain of the piece. Parmenides might be called the "grandfather of Western philosophy," for he greatly influenced Plato, the "father of Western philosophy." (Whitehead famously said, "The whole of Western philosophy is but a series of footnotes to Plato.") For Nietzsche, the philosophy of Parmenides and Plato, which posited "the true world" as opposed to our "actual world," was disastrous for Western philosophy. A wrong turn was made by Parmenides and Plato, and philosophy has never quite recovered from their egregious mistake.

The lion's share of Nietzsche's book goes to an examination of Anaxagoras, for whom Nietzsche shows, surprisingly, a great respect. It is true that a lot of Anaxagoras' "scientific" speculations resemble what modern phyicists speak of as "the big bang" from a "singularity." However, Anaxagoras drug in, as some convenient deus ex machina, the concept of nous (or spirit), which he regarded as the arbitrary, random "mover" of all things. (Compare Aristotle's "Unmoved Mover.) But such a concept smacks of mythology, anthropomorphism, mysticism, and religious gobbledygook. From whence does Anaxagoras derive his celebrated "nous"? The concept sounds much too much like a casui sui (cause of itself), such as the theological concept of "God." Does everything have to have a cause, or did Anaxagoras' "nous" spring full-grown from the head of Zeus? If God created the universe, who or what created God or nous?

Finally, Nietzsche anticipates by many years the intriguing concept of "language-games" and grammatical investigations put forward by Ludwig Wittgenstein. Both of these thinkers aver that we trust much too much in words, concepts, and grammar, and neglect "that which is right before our eyes," that is, the empirical evidence of our senses. In a later work, Nietzsche, the atheist, gives this warning: "We still believe in God because we still believe in grammar."

Overview
Fox Nietzsche the 6th and 5th centuries in Greece were indeed a tragic age. He saw in them the rise and climax of values so dear to him that their sub­sequent drop into catastrophe (in the persons of Socrates-Plato) was as clearly foreshadowed as though these were events taking place in the theater.

This book is an account of the personalities in­volved and not a handbook of philosophic doctrines or the history of a certain period in philosophy. Among those included Nietzsche delineates in turn, Thales, Anaximander, Heraclitus, Parmenides and Anaxagoras.
Nietzsche concludes "so much depends on the de­velopment of Greek culture because our entire occidental world has received its initial stimuli from it.. . . One must know the younger Greece in great detail in order to differentiate it from the older. There are many possibilities which have not yet been discovered because the Greeks did not dis­cover them . . . others have discovered the Greeks and later covered them up again."

to what end does a healthy culture use philosophy?
The book's key concept would be "a unity of style." By this, Nietzsche seems to mean a power to have "life in lavish perfection before our eyes," a power wherein our desire for "freedom, beauty, and greatness" and our "drive toward truth" are one (p. 33). A culture is healthy when it has such unity of style. In such a culture, philosophy exists in its fullest right, being engaged fully by its members. When it is sick, philosphy is deemed dangerous and philosophers exiles. Or, as Nietzsche says: "During such times philosophy remains the learned monologue of the lonely stroller, the accidental loot of the individual, the secret skeleton in the closet, or the harmless chatter between senile academics and children" (p. 37).

How such unity can be achieved in a philosopher is illustrated by Niezsche in philosophers of 'young' Greece, that is, before Plato. So in Thales ("water is the origin of all things"), we see 1) urges of the religious in his wanting to settle the primal origin of everything, 2) a natural scientist at work, putting his proposition in a language free from image or fable, and 3) a philosopher, in his "metaphysical conviction," or presenting his fundamental concept ("unity" of all things) clothed in a hypothesis ("water" as the source of that unity). In the case of Thales, we may say the unity is two-fold: 1) as to the relation between man and nature. Before Thales, Greeks thought nothing of nature, seeing it as mere semblance, and putting all their faith in men and Gods. It is with Thales that they started to believe in nature as a fundamental part of life, 2) as to varying ways of knowing. Nietzsche notes: "When Thales says, "all is water," man is stung up out of the wormlike probings and creepings-about of his separate sciences. He intuits the ultimate resolution of all things and overcomes, by means of such intuition, the vulgar restrictions of the lower leves of knowledge" (p. 44).

The book is from Nietzsche's early period, written at about the same time as The Birth of Tragedy. Although a very small book, with just over 100 pages, it contains many seeds for such essential Nietzschean concerns and themes as the relation between art, philosophy and life, the role of education in culture, virtues of slow reading, or "how one becomes what one is." Widely neglected, but what Walter Kaufmann said of Beyond Good and Evil would be equally applied to this book. You will encounter "hundreds of doors it opens for the mind, revealing new vistas, problems, and relationships."

The young Nietzsche on the impotence of Philosophy...
This book has much of interest to say about various Greek philosophers but precious little to say of Nietzsche's method of proceeding. Of that Nietzsche says, in the preface that "philosophical systems are wholly true for their founders only. For all subsequent philosophers they usually represent one great mistake, for lesser minds a sum of errors and truths. Taken as ultimate ends, in any event, they represent an error..." In this book Nietzsche focuses on one point - "a slice of personality" - in several philosophers in order to reveal ...what? - Personal mood, color, personality, as he says in the first preface? But in a second preface he refers to the incompleteness of this approach. Still, he says, "the only thing of interest in a refuted system is the personal element. It alone is forever irrefutable." By the time he writes Beyond Good & Evil this `personal' element (a singularity) is revealed as philosophical purpose; which is itself the revealing (or concoction) of ultimate ends.

But of that I am going to say nothing. What I have always found most remarkable in this early work by Nietzsche is the discussion of culture; I mean the relation between philosophy and culture. The healthy culture can exist with even a little philosophy, we are told. And we wonder at the contrast he then [implicitly, perhaps unconsciously] offers between the Greeks and the Romans; "the Romans during their best period lived without philosophy." - But what of non-healthy cultures? "The sick it [philosophy] made even sicker. Wherever a culture was disintegrating, wherever the tension between it and its individual components was slack, philosophy could never re-integrate the individual back into the group." Nietzsche says the Greeks did not stop philosophizing when they should have, and that it was this philosophy (of old age) that made our common philosophical tradition. ...Sigh, nothing dies at the right time, but that is another story.

But the Greeks began (to philosophize) at the right time. And they made use of the cultures around them. "Nothing would be sillier then to claim an autochthonous development for the Greeks. On the contrary, they invariably absorbed other living cultures. The very reason they got so far is that they knew how to pick up the spear and throw it onward from the point where others had left it." The Greek achievement is this throwing the spear further. The fashionable and unfashionable insistence on cultural purity is always a sign of stupidity, laziness and cowardice. "The quest for philosophy's beginnings is idle, for everywhere in all beginnings we find only the crude, the unformed, the empty and the ugly. What matters in all things is the higher levels."

But what if one lives in a sick (by that I mean the individual apart from the group) culture? Can we not go back to the beginning, ala Heidegger, retrace our steps, see what went wrong, correct it and start over? "Everywhere the way to the beginning leads to barbarism. Whoever concerns himself with the Greeks should be ever mindful that the unrestrained thirst for knowledge for its own sake barbarizes men just as much as a hatred of knowledge." Nietzsche weaves a cautionary tale about the value of philosophy and knowledge for culture in the opening pages of this essay that is often overlooked in the haste to get to what Nietzsche has to say about this or that Greek philosopher.

Haste is a dreadful thing; the ruin of so many promising beginnings. But can a poor beginning ever be made good again?

Outstanding Book, Bad Introduction
I give this work by Nietzsche, minus the "Introduction" by the translator, five stars.This book is proof that a work can be translated without the translator understanding the conceptscontained within the original work.It is clear from her introduction that the translator does not have a profound knowledge of Nietzsche and his work as a whole, for this work is best understood in the context of Nietzsche's thought throughout the course of his life, with special emphasis on his work concerning metaphysics.I won't write a long review, however, I recommend this work for anyone with a serious knowledge of Nietzsche, metaphysics, and the Presocratic philosophers. ... Read more

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The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Self-Help / Personal Growth / Happiness; Philosophy / Religious; Philosophy / History ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

oh Boethius
I cried when I read Plato's "Apology," though only because I love Socrates with such a pure and friendly love. Boethius lived and died, like Socrates, a true philosopher.

Must Read
The most important text of the Middle Ages and a best seller for 1,000 years.If you want to know why people are unhappy READ THIS BOOK!

Ancient wisdom for the ages.
Excellent. Reader friendly. Ancient wisdom still relative today as Western values are engulfed in the material. If you are a student of Plato and Aristotle this is right down your philosophical alley.

Faith and philosophy in the early Middle Ages
Awaiting his execution on trumpted up charges, Boethius attempts to reconcile his unjust sentence with concepts of "justice", "power", "happiness" and of course, "faith."Considered the first truly medieval philosopher, Boethius conducts a Platonic dialogue with Lady Philosophy, attempting to reconcile his Christian faith with the classical rationalist philosophy of Artistotle and Plato.What results is the first elucidation of "scholasticism" - and Boethius' conclusion that faith and reason are reconcilable.

Beyond the philosophical, I was struck by Boethius' resignation to his fate and his quiet confidence in the wrongs being righted."No one can doubt that God is almighty" Philosophy began."Certainly not, unless he is mad" I answered."But nothing is impossible for one who is almighty.""Nothing.""Then can God do evil?""No, of course not.""Then evil is nothing, since God, who can do all things, cannot do evil."

Both an excellent philosophical tract and a testament to the strength of human reason and belief, I highly recommend it.

When you find yourself in times of trouble....
The truly amazing thing about this work is that it was written in PRISON as Boethius awaited execution (following judgment and conviction based upon spurious charges). Bearing that in mind as I read "The Consolation of Philosophy" (if anyone ever needed consolation, it was an innocent man awaiting his own death; Christians should be able to relate to that idea) made it all the more remarkable. If you ever feel that life isn't fair, that others have it "in" for you, that it's tough to get an even break, maybe reading this will put things in better perspective. If not, it won't be due to Boethius' shortcomings.... ... Read more

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A concise selection from the standard philosophical works written after the death of Aristotle to the close of the third century, which includes the writings of seminal figures from early Christian thought. Eminent scholar Jason Saunders shows how philosophers from the Hellenistic Age greatly influenced early Christian teachings. ... Read more

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Ancient Greeks Still Relevant
As religious fanaticism makes a big comeback in the US it is important to remember that rational understanding has a longer tradition in the West than the popularity of the current most widespread organized supersitions. This book gathers under one cover most of the major philosophical systems of the Hellenistc Greeks-- the Epicureans, Stoics and the Skeptics (always valuable to read as an antidote to dogmatism). Neo-Platonists (from whom the Christians copped their theology) are also represented--i.e., Philo and Plotinus. There is also a section on early Chrisitan "thought"-- "With our faith, we desire no further belief"-- Tertullian ( of 'credo quia absurdum' fame). Having all this variety of philosophy and anti-philosophy in one book will give you a good mental workout.

A Handy Resource, Marred by Some Antique Translations
For people like me, books like this are a great benefit. I'm not a philosopher, but I frequently run across references to ancient philosophers in my reading. At the same time, reading pre-digested summaries or histories is usually not as interesting or challenging as reading extended, essential exerpts first-hand. "Geek and Roman Philosophers After Aristotle" covers Hellenistic philosophy from ca.322 BCE to ca.300 CE. The book is divided into six sections: I.Epicureanism, II.Stoicism, III.Skepticism, IV.Philo of Alexandria, V.Plotinus, and VI.Early Christian Thought. There is a 12-page general introduction, and a short introduction for each of the six sections. Jason Saunders lets the philosophers speak for themselves, sometimes at length, particularly Lucretius, Philo and Plotinus. The book may seem to some to be overly Christian, but that's at least partly why I wanted it. The translations vary from the classic (McKenna) to clunky antiques, but as noted above, it's a handy, concise, 360-page collection, so my thumb is up.

Needs greater philosophers
I gave this book a very condiscending review a couple of years ago, and I admit I was far too critical... It does have its flaws, but I reviewed it without a thorough enough reading of it, and the faults are not with the author, but with the simple fact that there just weren't any really forceful philosophers living in this age.I give it three stars instead.I offer my aplogies to the author, and anyone else who may have been mislead by my previous rview.I give it three stars. ... Read more

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The study of the ancient commentators has developed considerably over the past few decades, fueled by recent translations of their often daunting writings. This book offers the only concise, accessible general introduction currently available to the writings of the late ancient commentators on Aristotle and, to a lesser extent, Plato. Miira Tuominen provides a historical overview followed by a series of thematic chapters on epistemology, science and logic, physics, psychology, metaphysics, and ethics. In particular, she focuses on the writings of Alexander of Aphrodisias, Themistius, Porphyry, Proclus, Philoponus, and Simplicius. Until recently, the late ancient commentators have been understood mainly as sources of information concerning the masters upon whose works they comment. This book offers new insights into their way of doing philosophy in their own right. ... Read more

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Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy is a volume of original articles on all aspects of ancient philosophy. The articles may be of substantial length, and include critical notices of major books. OSAP is now published twice yearly, in both hardback and paperback.

'The serial Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy (OSAP) is fairly regarded as the leading venue for publication in ancient philosophy. It is where one looks to find the state-of-the-art. That the serial, which presents itself more as an anthology than as a journal, has traditionally allowed space for lengthier studies, has tended only to add to its prestige; it is as if OSAP thus declares that, since it allows as much space as the merits of the subject require, it can be more entirely devoted to the best and most serious scholarship.'
Michael Pakaluk, Bryn Mawr Classical Review ... Read more

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In this highly praised new translation of Boethius’s The Consolation of Philosophy, David R. Slavitt presents a graceful, accessible, and modern version for both longtime admirers of one of the great masterpieces of philosophical literature and those encountering it for the first time. Slavitt preserves the distinction between the alternating verse and prose sections in the Latin original, allowing us to appreciate the Menippian parallels between the discourses of literary and logical inquiry. His prose translations are lively and colloquial, conveying the argumentative, occasionally bantering tone of the original, while his verse translations restore the beauty and power of Boethius’s poetry. The result is a major contribution to the art of translation.

Those less familiar with Consolation may remember it was written under a death sentence. Boethius (c. 480–524), an Imperial official under Theodoric, Ostrogoth ruler of Rome, found himself, in a time of political paranoia, denounced, arrested, and then executed two years later without a trial. Composed while its author was imprisoned, cut off from family and friends, it remains one of Western literature’s most eloquent meditations on the transitory nature of earthly belongings, and the superiority of things of the mind. In an artful combination of verse and prose, Slavitt captures the energy and passion of the original. And in an introduction intended for the general reader, Seth Lerer places Boethius’s life and achievement in context.

Customer Reviews (3)

A worthy edition of a worthy book
I begin my comments with two disclaimers: (1) I would not presume to "review" Boethius, but I can offer a few superficial comments on this edition which may be of use to potential buyers; and (2) I do not know Latin, but can read Boethius only in translation.

There were many passages in this translation that I recognized as being definitely idiomatically modern. Those passages felt anachronistic to me and made me doubt to some extent that I was reading "the real thing", at least as much as one can ever read "the real thing" in translation. On the whole, though, allowing for that one not insignificant complaint, I recommend this translation for its fine, clear style.

The evident modernity of the translation made me want to read some other translation, so that when I was finished with this one, then just for something different, I chose Chaucer's Middle English translation, "Boece".I could not have successfully read "The Consolation of Philosophy" for the first time in Middle English, but I can read it in M.E. the second time.I am still chipping away at that, but so far Chaucer's translation seems distinctly more emotional to me than Slavitt's, and thus conveys a very different feeling.Maybe Chaucer and Slavitt have both impressed the emotional styles of their own ages onto the text? But how would I ever know?In any case, if the style of Slavitt's translation made me at once mostly happy, and yet needing to read another, then that is a sign of success for the translation.

As for Lerer's introduction, and also the physical quality of the book, I second the favorable comments of another reviewer, Mr. Allen Shull; see his review.

Verse and Prose in Philosophical Union
The Consolation of Philosophy is a divinely inspired work. Under the conditions of it's creation one has to feel Philosophy being utilized the way it should be- TO DIE WELL. Not necessarily in external comfort, but instead having the mind in balance with the rest of our bodily centers of feeling and action. So no matter what Providence or Fate may be, we are Being.

I enjoy this book very, very much! This is a contemplative piece worthy of reading and re-reading throughtout our life for many reasons. One being to remember and re-remember what we already know! What separates us from the One, the Beautiful and the Good? With the help of Lady Philosophy aiding us psychologically we can answer and destroy the recurring obstacles that we falsely create; because we think that these false creations are the Good. Probably because of wrong fundamental premises of outlook. Boethius is here to help with that. Moving with Platonic and Aristotelian swiftness. Mixing deduction and induction in the way it is suppose to work. Plato and Aristotle are compliments, a marriage, but so often they are divorced! Why!?

The translation of prose by David R. Slavitt is very good. The translated verse is excellent. I would buy it just for his translation of verses. Include very good prose- sold! I also have the penguin edition by Watts. The Harvard/Slavitt edition is superior.

A Good, Solid, Readable, Beautiful, Understandable Translation
I have not read this edition, but I own it and plan to this summer. Why am I reviewing it now? Because, well, nobody else has.

I've read the Consolation before, in several versions (Watts, James, Green), and this is the only one that I've seen that has a decent introduction by Seth Lerer, a must for readers unfamiliar with the text, with Boethius as a man, and with the time he lived in. Also, a short bibliography is given, which is always useful.

Additionally, for $15, this is a hardback. Hardback beats softcover any day of the week. The dust jacket has magnificent design by Tim Jones, showing almost the book being uncovered, revealed, out of the darkness of time--and as something precious and personal, something that was once often carried around for comfort and solace.

This edition mimics that. The pages are a nice ivory--not the harsh white of other editions, in a good readable serif font. The book is small and dignified, and the font is large enough to read easily and small enough to not be cloying.

Finally, as to the text--and again, I have finished reading this translation--the poetic sections of Boethius's work are translated _into poetry_. The poems are not translated into rhyming couplets, as some other translators have done, but have a good cadence of assonance and alliteration.

UPDATE:
I have now read this version, and teach out of it. Since my initial review, I've also seen the Oxford Walsh translation, but it sounds a little stuffy for my tastes, and oddly uses verse-style numbering in the prose passages. Aside from these issues, the quality of the paper and the book seems quite insufficient--pulpy and floppy, especially compared to the firm crispness of this edition. Of course, that translation is available on the Kindle, so if you're looking for a modern translation you can use digitally, that's your best bet. ... Read more

Product Description
All volumes of Professor Guthrie's great history of Greek philosophy have won their due acclaim. The most striking merits of Guthrie's work are his mastery of a tremendous range of ancient literature and modern scholarship, his fairness and balance of judgement and the lucidity and precision of his English prose. He has achieved clarity and comprehensiveness. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Readable study of 1/2 the Platonic dialogs
Guthrie covers all of the earlier Platonic dialogues in this volume, up to and including THE REPUBLIC.The next volume in the series (THE LATER PLATO AND THE ACADEMY) covers the rest.Each chapter covers one or two dialogues.Guthrie mentions work published by previous philosophers, and indicates where he agrees and disagrees.The book has a particular emphasis on the development of Plato's theory of the Forms and the influence of the Pythagoreans and Parmenides on Plato's thought.It's very reader-friendly yet packed with information.I can recommend both volumes to casual Plato fans. ... Read more

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The works translated here deal with two major themes in the thinking of St Augustine (354-430): free will and divine grace. On the one hand, free will enables human beings to make their own choices; on the other hand, God's grace is required for these choices to be efficacious. 'On the Free Choice of the Will', 'On Grace and Free Choice', 'On Reprimand and Grace' and 'On the Gift of Perseverance' set out Augustine's theory of human responsibility, and sketch a subtle reconciliation of will and grace. This volume is the first to bring together Augustine's early and later writings on these two themes, in a new translation by Peter King, enabling the reader to see what Augustine regarded as the crowning achievement of his work. The volume also includes a clear and accessible introduction that analyzes Augustine's key philosophical lines of thought. ... Read more

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Natural philosophy encompassed all natural phenomena of the physical world. It sought to discover the physical causes of all natural effects and was little concerned with mathematics. By contrast, the exact mathematical sciences were narrowly confined to various computations that did not involve physical causes, functioning totally independently of natural philosophy. Although this began slowly to change in the late Middle Ages, a much more thoroughgoing union of natural philosophy and mathematics occurred in the seventeenth century and thereby made the Scientific Revolution possible. The title of Isaac Newton's great work, The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy, perfectly reflects the new relationship. Natural philosophy became the 'Great Mother of the Sciences', which by the nineteenth century had nourished the manifold chemical, physical, and biological sciences to maturity, thus enabling them to leave the 'Great Mother' and emerge as the multiplicity of independent sciences we know today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A good historical overview, but has conceptual problems
Edward Grant notes explicitly that his history of natural philosophy will not cover the German Naturphilosophen, but he would have done well if he had spent some time studying Fichte, Schelling, and Hegel. For while his historical overview is quite useful in itself (I believe it's the only general history of natural philosopy available in English), Grant does sucumb to some serious conceptual failings in attempting to characterize natural philsophy. He begins the book, for example, by noting that "Natural philosophy may be said to have begun with the first efforts to understand the world by the earliest human beings in their fight for survival", a claim that is about as useful as stating "The automobile was invented when the first civilizations began to attach a wheel to a cart." He quickly corrects himself by quoting the great historian of Greek science Geoffrey Lloyd, "But to have the idea of the nature of some particular object is not to have the general conception of a domain of nature...", which is to say that one cannot have natural philosophy until a corresponding domain of thought has been explicitly conceptualized as natural philosophy. For this to happen an idea of nature must first be conceived, and of course there must be a discipline generally recognized as philosophy. Even the Greeks had no generalized idea of nature, with physis being only a very distant approximation. In other words, an automobile does not become an automobile until all the components are brought together to create a machine generally recognized--and known--as an automobile.Because of this equating natural philosophy with any kind of reflecting on nature, Grant misleadingly expands his narrative to include virtually all of world history, which is a far cry from the generally understood formal beginnings of natural philosophy with Jacopo Zabarella and his chair in natural philsophy at Padua in the 16th century (with direct roots going back to Aristotle). If Grant had spent some time with the ontological analysis of the Naturphilosophen (and not necessarily incorporating them explicitly into his history), his general study of natural philosophy would have been much better. As the only general history of natural philosophy in English, however, it does perform worthwhile service and is otherwise both interesting and useful. ... Read more

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Emotions are the focus of intense debate both in contemporary philosophy and psychology and increasingly also in the history of ideas. Simo Knuuttila's book is the first comprehensive survey of philosophical theories of emotions from Plato to Renaissance times, combining careful historical reconstruction with rigorous philosophical analysis. Philosophers, classicists, historians of philosophy, historians of psychology, and anyone interested in emotion will find much to stimulate them in this fascinating book. ... Read more

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Conceived originally as a serious presentation of the development of philosophy for Catholic seminary students, Frederick Copleston's nine-volume A History Of Philosophy has journeyed far beyond the modest purpose of its author to universal acclaim as the best history of philosophy in English. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

As always, excellent
One could almost say that volume 2 was a buildup to volume 3.In volume 2 Scholasticism and Neoplatonism was forged from Greek philosophy in order to create a Christian worldview.While there were changes made, like Aquinas modifying some of the conjectures of Aristotle and Augustine doing the same of Platonism, there was no real direct attack on these two thinkers.Aristotle's philosophy was almost synonymous with philosophy instead of a subset of philosophy.

Here some of the doors are burst wide open, lead mostly by William of Ockham.Here he tears apart much of Aquinas's proofs for the existence of God, attacked many of the traditional ideas concerning universals, and paved the way to the emphasis on empirical study.Whether one agrees or not with the man, his thought was a much needed critique of established wisdom that too often degraded to spurious conjecture.

There is some modified Scholasticism in the book by Suarez, who extends much of what Aquinas wrote, ans well as political philosophy developedmuch in part by the tension between Papal power and the powers of the State.Indeed, there is much here that paved the way for a new form of republic to emerge, as many of the philosophers states(rightly in my opinion), that political power was derived by God through the people, and a tyrant has no right of Authority.

Like always, Copleston treats everyone fairly, and most certainly seems to have done his research given the depth of knowledge and a staggering bibliography.If you have time to tackle Copleston, you'll be rewarded for doing so.

Very useful tool in any serious study od philosophy
Despite a lack in deep understanding of the subject itself, the work of Mr Copleston is a big contribution to the realm of philosophy. In his book we may always find detail historical facts often missing under similar titles in the books of other authors, however more prominent in their speculative backgrounds. Very interesting, particularly in this volume nr.3, which comprises the period of scholastic, is his own, less historical, views and standpoints toward the philosophy. If not a real philosophical deed, this book is indeed a challenge to every philosopher. ... Read more

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A two-volume history of western philosophy designed to serve as a core text which can easily be supplemented by original sources. Except for a few brief paragraphs, no original sources are included. Strong integration of philosophy and the scientific, political, religious, and social context of different periods. ... Read more

Product Description
All volumes of Professor Guthrie's great history of Greek philosophy have won their due acclaim. The most striking merits of Guthrie's work are his mastery of a tremendous range of ancient literature and modern scholarship, his fairness and balance of judgement and the lucidity and precision of his English prose. He has achieved clarity and comprehensiveness. ... Read more