Potamo of Alexandria and the emergence of eclecticism in late Hellenistic philosophy
By: Myrto Hatzimichali
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 2011
Place of publication: Cambridge; New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 198
ISBN-13: 9780521197281
Subjects: PHILOSOPHY / History & Surveys / Ancient & Classical; Eclecticism; History
Description: "Eclecticism is a concept widely used in the history of ancient philosophy to describe the intellectual stance of diverse thinkers such as Plutarch, Cicero and Seneca. In this book the historical and interpretative problems associated with eclecticism are for the first time approached from the point of view of the only self-described eclectic philosopher from antiquity, Potamo of Alexandria. The evidence is examined in detail with reference to the philosophical and wider intellectual background of the period. Potamo's views are placed in the context of key debates at the forefront of late Hellenistic philosophical activity to which he contributed, such as the criterion of truth, the first principles in physics, the moral end and the interpretation of Aristotle's esoteric works. The emergence of eclecticism is thus treated in connection with the major shift in philosophical interests and methods that marked the passage from Hellenistic to Imperial philosophy"--
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Machine generated contents note: 1. Eclecticism in modern and ancient thought; 2. Eclecticism and Alexandria in the first century BC; 3. Potamo of Alexandria, life and work; 4. The eclectic system of Potamo's Elementary Teaching; 5. Potamo and Aristotle's On the Heavens; 6. Further references to Potamo; 7. Conclusions.