Potamo of Alexandria and the emergence of eclecticism in late Hellenistic philosophy

Bibliographic Information

Potamo of Alexandria and the emergence of eclecticism in late Hellenistic philosophy

Myrto Hatzimichali

Cambridge University Press, 2011

  • : hbk

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Note

Includes bibliographical references (p. 184-191) and index

Description and Table of Contents

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.

Table of Contents

  • Introduction
  • 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.

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Details

  • NCID
    BB07511530
  • ISBN
    • 9780521197281
  • Country Code
    uk
  • Title Language Code
    eng
  • Text Language Code
    eng
  • Place of Publication
    Cambridge
  • Pages/Volumes
    ix, 198 p.
  • Size
    23 cm
  • Classification
  • Subject Headings
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