La mente, l'anima, il corpo. Modelli greci

Revealing Antiquity

by Anthony A. Long, Mauro Bonazzi (Translator)

I greci hanno contribuito in modo sostanziale a formulare un linguaggio della mente e a svilupparne i concetti. Le nozioni greche di mente e identità umana - che da Omero e Platone giungono fino a Epitteto e Plotino - toccano questioni di interesse ricorrente e universale, riguardano il modo in cui descriviamo le nostre esperienze, reali o potenziali, e il modo in cui ci confrontiamo, o dovremmo confrontarci, con il mondo e con noi stessi. Cosa ci accade quando moriamo? Gli esseri umani sono mortali o hanno la possibilità di conseguire l'immortalità? Come sono legate la mente, l'anima e il corpo? Siamo responsabili per la nostra felicità? Perché si è giunti a pensare che la vita migliore è una vita governata dalla ragione, con i desideri e le emozioni subordinate al suo comando? Che cosa ha significato pensare all'intelletto umano nei termini di una facoltà divina? Anthony Long si chiede quando e come queste questioni siano emerse nella Grecia antica, e dimostra quanto i modelli di mente ereditati dai pensatori greci siano ancora efficaci nel cogliere e illuminare la nostra comprensione di noi stessi e delle nostre aspirazioni.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, Psychology, History, Classics, Ancient

168 pages, Paperback

First published November 17, 2014

Reviews

[withdrawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful, well-written book on Ancient Greece concepts of mind and self. A.A. Long is one of those dedicated academics who writes for the reader. His goal is to teach others what he has spent a lifetime learning.

In 'Greek Models of Mind and Self', Long takes through a small, but immensely important, part of his learning. Here we have the beginnings of the ongoing discussion of what it means to have a mind, a self, a soul. What is the constitution and role of these entities? Indeed, and I would answer a resounding "No!" To this question, "Do they exist?"

While Long does not enter the fray of the modern discussion on these issues, he superbly sets out how these concepts first developed and how they arose. Long's explanations are clear and concise. The book is written like an introductory course for superior students.

The reader is taken through the works ascribed to Homer through Plato, Aristotle to the stoics, represented ably by Epictetus. We start with Homer's 'psychosomatic' humans, made up of bodies and a psyche that is just a mindless, zombie like ghost which disappears at death leaving the person, the body behind.

Epictetus, on the other hand, presents a "mind in which autonomy, rationally, self-worth, integrity, and philanthropy can be fully integrated with one another."

A great introduction to an important topic in Western philosophy. For one and all.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb. Wonderfully concise and extremely readable (very little back ground needed) review of many of the ways in which the individual, the soul, rational faculty and reason have been "modeled" in Greek thought. From the psychosomatic heroes of a Homer, to the variously partitioned souls of the Platonic philosophers and finally "assenting" Stoics....this may be one of the best books on Greek philosophy I have read. Harvard's "Revealing Antiquity" series is excellent - see my review of Maurice Sarte's "Histories Grecques" and Aldo Shivon's "Spartacus" in the same series.

[jt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tony Long is a hero.

[August · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books written on nature of what it means to be human from the Western perspective. I highly recommend it for anyone who is curious about reading the evolution of the nature of Mind/Self in the West versus the Eastern notions of the mind! Engaging, accessible and easy to read for anyone who can read basic English!