Ancient Cynicism
Sep 22, 2013今天,“愤世嫉俗者”这个词会让人想起那些对人类的善良几乎或根本不相信的人。
Sunday's program is about Diogenes the Cynic. Diogenes was born about 413 BCE and died in 323 BCE, the same year, and, at least according to legend, the same day as Alexander the Great, who had an unrequited admiration for Diogenes. Cynicism was a School of Philosophy that was founded in Athens by Antisthenes (455—366 BCE), a student of Socrates. The School lasted about 800 years after Diogenes, and was a major influence on Stoicism. Our modern words "cynic" and "cynicism" are historically connected to this School, but their meanings are only tangentially related to Diogenes views. These are known only by the testimony of later writers. If Diogenes did write anything, it hasn't survived.
After Diogenes, the school split into two streams, one emphasizing Diogenes-like behavior, the other, which led to Stoicism, developing his ideas. Bizarre behavior is what most people have heard about Diogenes. He walked backwards through Athens, holding a lantern in daylight, looking for a real human being. He lived in a "tub" (a large earthenware barrel). Hemasturbated, urinated, defecated, and had intercourse in public, basically having no use whatsoever for social conventions and rules. He said the cure to Oedipus’ problems would be to legalize incest. He begged for food. He rejected offers of friendship. Once he asked Plato for some wine and figs. Plato sent a whole jug of wine. Diogenes complained scathingly, accusing Plato of having no sense whatsoever, to send more than he needed or asked for. Asked by Alexander what he could do for him, Diogenes said, “Move so you don’t block the sun."
However, according to our guest, Luis E. Navia, this bizarre behavior was based on philosophical principles. (Navia is author ofDiogenes the Cynic(人文学科,2005)以及其他一些关于第欧根尼和其他古典哲学主题的著作。)Navia provides us with the twelve main tenets of Diogenes philosophy:
1. The one and only object of philosophy is human existence, and any other object can only be a source of distraction and an inconsequential way to satisfy the unhealthy sense of curiosity that afflicts human beings.
2. In our endeavor to make sense of human existence, we must direct our attention primarily to the physical world because we are primarily physical beings.
3. Live each moment as if it were the only moment of life; life is short and ephemeral.
4. Happiness cannot be attained as long as we fail to understand its nature; so the aim of philosophy must be the correct understanding happiness.
5. Happiness (eudaemonia) cannot be defined in terms of possessions, pleasures, comfort, power, fame, erudition, long life and such, as people tend to think.
6. Happiness is living in accordance with nature.
7. Reason, or clarity of mind, is what must determine what is and what is not in accordance with human nature. That is, not desire, nor emotion, or the other ingrained foolishness humans.
8. The possibility of a return to nature, understood as a return to true humanity, exists for every human being, no matter how distant he or she may be from living in accordance with nature.
9. Through discipline (askesis) we cleanse the mind of confusion and obfuscation, detrimental substances, and unnatural habits, and succeed in strengthening the will.
10. If a happy, natural and virtuous life is what we must pursue, given the social context in which we are condemned to live, it is imperative that we aim at developing in us an imperturbable and total state of self-sufficiency (autarcheia). This entails a complete renunciation of the need to need the world, and the ability to bracket away the senseless imposition society places on us.
11. (Cosmopolitanism) The world belongs equally to all its inhabitants, human and otherwise, and we, as human beings, belong to the entire world.
12. Deface the currency (what the oracle at Delphi told Diogenes), in the sense of undermining and ridiculing social conventions and unnatural desires and values.
Diogenes is one of the great characters in the history of philosophy. It should be a lively and interesting program.
今天,“愤世嫉俗者”这个词会让人想起那些对人类的善良几乎或根本不相信的人。
看起来不受情绪影响的人通常被称为“禁欲主义者”。但禁欲主义不仅仅是不受影响。
If the Ancients found themselves transported to the modern world, they would have much to learn about science, technology, and human thinking.
Even in ancient Greek society, philosopher-scientists engaged in heated debate about the origin, composition, and structure of our universe.
From Plato and Sextus Empiricus to Wittgenstein, many important thinkers have thought of philosophy as a type of therapy.
今天,“愤世嫉俗者”这个词会让人想起那些对人类的善良几乎或根本不相信的人。
看起来不受情绪影响的人通常被称为“禁欲主义者”。但禁欲主义不仅仅是不受影响。
If the Ancients found themselves transported to the modern world, they would have much to learn about science, technology, and human thinking.
Even in ancient Greek society, philosopher-scientists engaged in heated debate about the origin, composition, and structure of our universe.
From Plato and Sextus Empiricus to Wittgenstein, many important thinkers have thought of philosophy as a type of therapy.
Comments(8)
Guest
Friday, September 20, 2013 -- 5:00 PM
It sounds like Diogenes andIt sounds like Diogenes and Christopher Hitchens would have gotten on famously. Diagnostically, he may have been bi-polar, schitzo-effective, or merely bonkers. We get a lot of that these days---no reason to think it was any different all those years ago. History is fairly consistent, and, uh, predictable---in case you haven't noticed.
Guest
Saturday, September 21, 2013 -- 5:00 PM
Well I'm sure that he went to我敢肯定,他为了获得幸福竭尽全力,用这种方式帮助别人,但大多数人并不需要幸福,或者基本上以其他方式享受生活。(Or already knew the essentials)
But there is something to be said for liberation, discipline, and the other qualities he practiced...and is a good starting point or anchor point for participating in society with, knowing a near total free mind but also choosing to do the other things as if only sipping the wine and not drinking it. I don't think he would have been looked at as so crazy, then.
Guest
Saturday, September 21, 2013 -- 5:00 PM
There is much to be said forThere is much to be said for cynicism, particularly in modern time. 1) If one is cynical, he or she is not easily incapacitated by disappointment. If you are not routinely affected by unrealistic expectations, life becomes vastly more satisfying and logarithmically less stressful. Item: Mark Twain was a life-long cynic, and, by most accounts, had a lot of fun. 2) Cynicism is a healthy outlook on the improbability of positioning. There are always at least three sides to every story: right side, left side, and truth. Truth almost invariably loses because the right and left are louder and care little for their less-vociferous cousin. (see also: modern political systems worldwide---I don't blame any one more than any other.) 3) My most trusted friends and confidants are cynics. They understand just how dysfunctional the world community has become; they know why this is so and accept their powerlessness to change it. They love intelligent discussion and debate but do not engage in the defense of useless ideology or resultant barroom brawls. They are the best people they can be. Not so bad, really.
Guest
Sunday, September 22, 2013 -- 5:00 PM
Looks like you cancelled outLooks like you cancelled out my comment on this post. If no, my misunderstanding; if yes, why?
I have always appreciated the relative objectivity of this blog and felt free to express my ideas, even when (often) they challenge conventional wisdom. Oh well. My views are not commonly accepted. Sobeit.
Devon
Monday, September 23, 2013 -- 5:00 PM
Dave: it may have beenDave: it may have been deleted accidentally in one of the periodic spam-clearings. If so, we apologize. This blog gets a LOT of spam.
MJA
Thursday, September 26, 2013 -- 5:00 PM
You can learn a lot from theYou can learn a lot from the old Greeks, but not everything.
到处都能找到东西。=
Guest
Monday, September 30, 2013 -- 5:00 PM
Everything is found到处都能找到东西。嗯。这应该是深刻的吗?现在让我们看看。如果我们说:“凡写在书上的,都写在书上了。”这是一个深刻的声明,还是仅仅是对既定事实的重新陈述?我就不做进一步的比较了。在我听来像是重复。不过,我确实在想,新一代的希腊人能提供些什么呢?
MJA
Tuesday, October 1, 2013 -- 5:00 PM
Truth Doctor, is profound.Truth Doctor, is profound.
一旦发现,就必须实践和分享。
That is what brings me here.
Beyond the old is the new,
From what is true?
To just true.
Be true too,
=
A true searcher tip:
If you are still searching for truth, and are looking for directions, find the answer to this question: is Nature measurable, am I, are you? What is you? =