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The Cambridge Companion to Early Greek Philosophy
The Western tradition of philosophy began in Greece with a cluster of thinkers often called the Presocratics, whose influence has been incalculable. All these thinkers are discussed in this volume both as individuals and collectively in chapters on rational theology, epistemology, psychology, rhetoric and relativism, justice, and poetics. Assuming no knowledge of Greek or prior knowledge of the subject, this volume provides new readers with the most convenient and accessible guide to early Greek philosophy available. Advanced students and specialists will find a conspectus of recent developments in the interpretation of early Greek thought.
427 pages, Paperback
First published September 15, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 16, 2020
The fragmentary remains of Greek philosophers before Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle offer tantalizing bursts of insight into the origins of Western philosophy. We call them the Presocratics: an informal and quarrelsome brotherhood of nobles, poets, mystics, bards, warriors, and travelers who were the first to grope for foundational truths of existence not through mystic experience or divine revelation, but through rudimentary deduction and induction. The inquiries they launched hit many a reef, but they began the journey that would lead through Plato and Aristotle to the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, and our modern world.
This collection of essays by leading scholars in Presocratic studies falls roughly into three sets. First, four essays explore background crucial for understanding these first philosophers: an overview of their general aims, the sources through which their fragments survive, a survey of early cosmology, and the widespread and mystical Pythagoreanism which both repelled and influenced so many early Greek philosophers.
The second set of five essays digs deep on specific philosophers or groups: Heraclitus, Parmenides, Melissus, Zeno, Empedocles, Anaxagoras, and the atomists. The final set of seven essays offers insights into topics such as the interplay of Greek rationality and religion, the tension between moral culpability and legal justice, the impact of the Sophists and rhetoric, and the role of poetry in Greek culture and philosophy.
This work is certainly a collection of academic treatises, and is neither a popular-level history nor a chronological introduction to its topic. On the other hand, it is written with the non-specialist in mind. For example, Greek words are used sparingly, transliterated into English, and explained. The reader will not need to know the Greek alphabet to get through these essays. This is a good book for a reader who has an elementary grasp of the contours of Presocratic philosophy and is ready to dig down one more level.
This collection of essays by leading scholars in Presocratic studies falls roughly into three sets. First, four essays explore background crucial for understanding these first philosophers: an overview of their general aims, the sources through which their fragments survive, a survey of early cosmology, and the widespread and mystical Pythagoreanism which both repelled and influenced so many early Greek philosophers.
The second set of five essays digs deep on specific philosophers or groups: Heraclitus, Parmenides, Melissus, Zeno, Empedocles, Anaxagoras, and the atomists. The final set of seven essays offers insights into topics such as the interplay of Greek rationality and religion, the tension between moral culpability and legal justice, the impact of the Sophists and rhetoric, and the role of poetry in Greek culture and philosophy.
This work is certainly a collection of academic treatises, and is neither a popular-level history nor a chronological introduction to its topic. On the other hand, it is written with the non-specialist in mind. For example, Greek words are used sparingly, transliterated into English, and explained. The reader will not need to know the Greek alphabet to get through these essays. This is a good book for a reader who has an elementary grasp of the contours of Presocratic philosophy and is ready to dig down one more level.
May 20, 2021
My reason for reading this book was only for a backdrop of the philosophy at the time before diving into Plato. If that is your reason for wanting to read this book, I recommend simply reading the Standford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry for the Presocratics: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/pr...
If, however, you have an interest in the presocratics for their own sake, this book is (or at least seems to be) a good fit for you. It has a fairly in-depth discussion on sources, gives notes as to different interpretations for various topics, and is all presented at what might be called a "neutral" perspective.
As stated earlier, it did have a bit more than what I personally was looking for, which caused it to be a bit of a dry read. I still will give it 5 stars because that information is necessary for someone interested in the classics, for instance.
If, however, you have an interest in the presocratics for their own sake, this book is (or at least seems to be) a good fit for you. It has a fairly in-depth discussion on sources, gives notes as to different interpretations for various topics, and is all presented at what might be called a "neutral" perspective.
As stated earlier, it did have a bit more than what I personally was looking for, which caused it to be a bit of a dry read. I still will give it 5 stars because that information is necessary for someone interested in the classics, for instance.
May 8, 2020
This book provided clear and concise background and analysis of pre-Socratic thought. Interesting interpretations where given that I have not seen elsewhere on individual philosophers and philosophical schools. This book also contained chapters on different topics which examined the work of the pre-Socratics as a group, including approaches to early rational theology, epistemology, poetics and rhetoric. Chapters were also devoted to the interplay of the early development and borrowing from medicine and historiographic writing. All in all, I would highly recommend this book to anyone reading pre-Socratic Greek philosophy.
September 5, 2021
A book that offers many (perhaps too many) valuable and useful information about the Presocratic philosophers.
It's always intriguing to read and learn about these ancient thinkers. Most of them lived before Socrates and their main area of thought was the cosmos and its origins.
Some of the chapters of this book are really good and interesting such as the first, introductory one by A.A. Long himself, the chapter about the beginnings of cosmology and the last one about the poetics of early Greek philosophy. Also noteworthy are the chapters about Pythagoras, Heraclitus (many of his fragments are so profound), Parmenides, Zeno (despite its difficulty, it demands a certain mathematical knowledge) and Empedocles and Anaxagoras.
Others chapters however weren't as interesting like the indifferent (but maybe necessary) segment about the sources. I also didn't particularly like the more generic chapters at the end of the book such as the chapters about the sophists, Protagoras and the rhetoric art.
The book isn't an easy reading and most of the analyses are quite hard to grasp, but if you try to stay focused you will at least get the gist of it.
It's always intriguing to read and learn about these ancient thinkers. Most of them lived before Socrates and their main area of thought was the cosmos and its origins.
Some of the chapters of this book are really good and interesting such as the first, introductory one by A.A. Long himself, the chapter about the beginnings of cosmology and the last one about the poetics of early Greek philosophy. Also noteworthy are the chapters about Pythagoras, Heraclitus (many of his fragments are so profound), Parmenides, Zeno (despite its difficulty, it demands a certain mathematical knowledge) and Empedocles and Anaxagoras.
Others chapters however weren't as interesting like the indifferent (but maybe necessary) segment about the sources. I also didn't particularly like the more generic chapters at the end of the book such as the chapters about the sophists, Protagoras and the rhetoric art.
The book isn't an easy reading and most of the analyses are quite hard to grasp, but if you try to stay focused you will at least get the gist of it.
June 19, 2012
Imagine living in a time when significant everyday concepts were up for definition: what is justice? What is truth? Before Plato and Aristotle, the Pre-Socratics were coming up with their arguments.
The book is a collection of scholarly essays ranging from the mundane, "Sources" and the problems with what we have to base our understanding of these early thinkers' ideas, to the more appealing "Early interest in knowledge" and "Soul, sensation and thought."
As Glenn W Most notes in the last chapter, "The poetics of early Greek philosophy" we no longer live in an age when philosophy is written for the average reader. As in this book, modern philosophy is scholarly, designed to be shared amongst academic peers. This book is, therefore, a dense dry read and only worth it if your interest level in the material is high.
The book is a collection of scholarly essays ranging from the mundane, "Sources" and the problems with what we have to base our understanding of these early thinkers' ideas, to the more appealing "Early interest in knowledge" and "Soul, sensation and thought."
As Glenn W Most notes in the last chapter, "The poetics of early Greek philosophy" we no longer live in an age when philosophy is written for the average reader. As in this book, modern philosophy is scholarly, designed to be shared amongst academic peers. This book is, therefore, a dense dry read and only worth it if your interest level in the material is high.
June 21, 2015
a great book！it may seem difficult to fledgelings like me， but it is really informative and provoking. it is interesting that different authors have different views about certain sentences of heraclitus，parmenides， and empedocles.
May 24, 2011
An Insightful collection of scholarly papers on all aspects of early Greek philosophy. Apart from introducing the major figures, it is an in-depth treatment of the subject.
April 5, 2016
Só li a primeira metade, direcionada à cada filósofo em particular.
A parte temática transversal ficará pra outra hora.
A parte temática transversal ficará pra outra hora.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews