Ancient Greek-Roman philosophy

Ancient Greek and then Roman Mythology and Philosophy covers the period of 11-12 centuries BC. till 5-6 centuries AD.

It originated in ancient Greek city states of democratic orientation. Its methods of philosophy distinguished from the ancient Oriental ways of philosophizing with mythological explanation of the world, in the beginning in the works of Homer and Hesiod’s writings.

Of course, the early Greek philosophy is closely linked with the mythology, with sensuous imagery and metaphorical language. However, it immediately search to consider relation of sensual images of the world and world as the infinite cosmos.

For myth as non-reflexive forms of consciousness the image of the world and the real world are indistinguishable and therefore are not com’patible (несовместимы).

Being associated with a variety of elements that are in continuous change, and consciousness associated with a limited number of concepts, denied these elements in a stationary constant form.

Investigation for first principles of fixity (тұрақтылық) in the changing cycle of events of the i’mmense (шексіз) space was the main object for the first thinkers. Philosophy, therefore, appears as the doctrine of “first principles and causes” (Aristotle).

Development of ancient philosophy can be divided into three main periods:

1. Pre-Socratic covers the period from 7^th till 5^th BC.

2. Classical (Hellenistic) covers the period from 5^th till 2^th BC.

3. Post-Socratic ( Roman- Hellenistic ) covers the period from 1^th till 5-6^th AD.

Criterion of such division is the basic problems, which were put in the certain period.

The basic problem of before Socratic was an outlook issue on essence of the world. A very first question was “What is beginning of all things”?

The first school, which tried to answer this question, was the Milesian school. The founder was Thales. He considered that there is water in the basis of the world. It meant life is there, where water is.

His follower Anaximenes of Miletus considered, that firstprimary (негізгі) cause is air, because all exists in the space of air.

His other follower Anaximander considered as a basis a certain substation, which he named apeiron.

Next school was Pythagoras’ school. He taught, that all consists of numbers, because anything develops through another one.

The following doctrine was the doctrine of Heraclitus, who put in the basis of universe the concept of movement. “It’s impossible to enter the same river”. Image of movement is fire.

All things come into being by conflict of opposites, and the sum of things (ta hola, “the whole”) flows like a stream.

“The idea that all things come to pass in accordance with Logos ”

Heraclitus’ philosophy developed in ideological struggle with the Eley School doctrine. The most famous representatives of this school are Parmenides and Zeno of Elea.

They considered that there is no such phenomenon, as fundamental movement. Movement it only aggregate of fragments. Basis is emptiness

Zeno's paradoxes (aporia) are a set of problems generally thought to have been doctrine that “all is one”.

Дата добавления: 2014-01-11