Roman philosophers names. Philosophy of Ancient Rome. See what "Roman philosophy" is in other dictionaries

The philosophy of Ancient Rome was heavily influenced by Greek tradition. Actually, the ideas of ancient philosophy were subsequently perceived by Europeans in the Roman transcription.

The history of the Roman Empire can be interpreted as "the struggle of all against all": slaves and slave owners, patricians and plebeians, emperors and republicans. All this took place against the background of continuous external military-political expansion and the struggle against the invasions of the barbarians. General philosophical issues here fades into the background (similar to the philosophical thought of other China). The priorities are the task of uniting Roman society.

Roman philosophy, like the philosophy of Hellenism, was predominantly ethical in nature and directly influenced the political life of society. In the center of her attention were constantly the problems of reconciling the interests of various groups, the issues of achieving the highest good, the development of life rules, etc. Under these conditions, the most widespread and influential was the philosophy of the Stoics (the so-called younger flock). Developing questions about the rights and obligations of the individual, about the nature of the relationship between the individual and the state, about legal and moral norms, the Roman flock sought to contribute to the education of a disciplined soldier and citizen. The largest representative of the Stoic school was Seneca (5 BC - 65 AD) - a thinker, statesman, mentor of the Emperor Nero (for whom a treatise "On Mercy" was even written). By recommending to the emperor to adhere to moderation and a republican spirit in government, Seneca achieved only that he was "ordered to die." Following his philosophical principles, the philosopher opened his veins and died, surrounded by admirers.

The main task of the formation of personality, Seneca considers the achievement of virtue. The study of philosophy means not only theoretical studies, but also the actual implementation of virtue. According to the thinker, philosophy is not a cunning undertaking for the crowd, it is not in words, but in deeds (the meaning of philosophy is not to kill boredom), it forms and shapes the spirit, organizes life, controls actions, indicates what is needed to do and what not to do ...

The world is dominated by necessity. Fate is not a blind element. She has a mind, a particle of which is present in every person. One should live according to nature and its inherent subordinating necessity (the fate leads the one who wants, and drags the one who does not want). Any misfortune, Seneca believes, is a reason for virtuous self-improvement. However, “the worse life is, it's better to die” (of course, we are not talking about the financial situation). But Seneca does not praise suicide either; in his opinion, resorting to death is as shameful as avoiding it. As a result, the philosopher suggests striving for high courage, steadfastly enduring everything that fate sends us, and surrendering to the will of the laws of nature.

For a long time, it was believed that the ancient Roman philosophers were not self-sufficient, eclectic, and not as large-scale as their Hellenic forerunners. This is not entirely true. Suffice it to recall the poem of Lucretius Kara (c. 99-55 BC) "On the nature of things" and a number of other brilliant thinkers, which is not possible to talk about here. Let's dwell on the ideas of Cicero (106-43 BC), better known as an orator and politician. If Cicero was an eclectic, it was not at all from creative helplessness, but because of deep conviction. He considered it quite legitimate to combine separate, from his point of view, the most correct features of various philosophical systems. This is convinced by his treatises "On the Nature of the Gods", "On Foresight", etc. In addition, Cicero in his writings constantly polemicizes with the ideas of the greatest ancient philosophers. So, he sympathizes with the ideas of Plato, but, at the same time, sharply opposes his "fictional" state. Making fun of Stoicism and Epicureanism, Cicero speaks positively of the new Academy. He considers it his task to work in that direction so that his fellow citizens "expand their education" (a similar idea is pursued by the followers of Plato - the new Academy).

Cicero set out the main provisions of the ancient philosophical schools in a living and accessible language, created Latin scientific and philosophical terminology, and finally instilled in the Romans an interest in philosophy. All this deserves attention, but at the same time leaves aside the main merit of the thinker. We are talking about "thoughtfulness", consistency and harmony and, especially, the breadth of coverage of problems in the work of the thinker, about a wonderful attempt to give fellow citizens an integral idea of \u200b\u200bphilosophy. Thus, based on the example of the philosophical work of Cicero, the thesis about the allegedly indifferent attitude of practical Romans to abstract philosophizing loses its evidence.

Summing up briefly, we can state that the philosophy that was formed in the era of Antiquity, for more than a millennium preserved and multiplied theoretical knowledge, served as a regulator of social life, explained the laws of society and nature, created the preconditions for further development philosophical knowledge. However, after Christianity began to spread on the territory of the Roman Empire, ancient philosophy underwent a serious revision. In symbiosis with the Christian provisions of the Old and New Testaments, the ideas of ancient philosophy (Platonism, Aristotelianism, etc.) laid the foundations of medieval philosophical thought, which developed over the next 10 centuries.

Much has already been said about the Hellenic philosophers, whose power is undeniable. The contribution of the nearby ancient Romans, no less weight. Representatives of different cultures contradicted each other, but at the same time constituted a single philosophical array of the ancient European period, which became the foundation for the development of modern society. In its basic principles, the philosophy of Ancient Rome became an amazingly logical legal system. She, being the successor of the ancient Greek teachings, hewn away the uncut "Hellenic diamond" and gave it practical significance.

Virtues are the foundation of teaching

When the Greek state collapsed, Hellenic Stoicism, as a direction that promotes conscious self-control over weaknesses, impulses, submission to common sense, was further developed in the Roman Stoic teaching.

Lucius Annea Seneca (4 BC - 65 AD) is considered the most prominent stoic of Roman philosophical thought. The young man was born in the middle class, received a good education.

Seneca followed strict laws of abstinence. But, despite his ascetic views, Lucius made a successful political career, was known as an orator, poet, and writer.

The Stoic's reasoning had a patriotic essence in many ways - he talked about the Motherland, the foreign land, came to the conclusion that there is no foreign land, all of it is native. Seneca often wondered about public life - a personal duty to the state and to himself. His treatise "On the brevity of life" is devoted to these considerations.

As a grown man, Lucius was honored with the great honor of being the educator of the future Roman tyrant emperor Nero, who was known for his special cruelty. Especially for him, the Stoic wrote a treatise "On Benefits", which he urged to listen to his own conscience. Seneca said "that knowledge of kindness is not enough, you still need to be able to do good." But the teacher did not manage to defeat the pupil's evil inclination. Nero forced Lucius to commit suicide.

The philosophy of the doctrine spread to noble circles. Emperor Marcus Aurelius is considered the last Stoic of ancient Stoicism. For the then slave-owning Rome, it was extremely important that at such a high state level (in the person of Emperor Aurelius), the makings of democracy appeared.

In classifying virtues, the Stoics divided them into two groups.

Personal virtues: mercy, honor, purposefulness, friendliness, culture, thoughtfulness. And also thrift, hard work, wisdom, health, endurance, honesty.

Social virtues: wealth, justice, mercy, prosperity, trust, luck. Also - joy, fun, freedom, nobility. And patience, generosity, faith in God, security, masculinity, fertility, hope.

Stoicism as a school of humility, moderation

The direction of Stoicism became so close for the ancient Roman, Greek citizens that philosophical thought continued to develop it until the end of the ancient period.

Epictetus was an outstanding follower of the Stoic school. By origin, the thinker was a slave, which was reflected in his philosophical views. Epictetus proposed to abolish slavery, to equalize all people. He believed that people were equal by birth, castes were invented to support future generations of noble families. A person must independently achieve respect, and not inherit it. Moreover, not to inherit the absence of any rights. This ideology was not characteristic of the philosophy of ancient Greece.

Epictetus considered the philosophy of equality, humility and moderation to be a way of life, even a science, with the help of which a person acquires self-control, does not pursue the achievement of worldly pleasures, is fearless before death. The Stoic reduced the meaning of his reasoning to contentment with what is, and not by wanting more. This lifestyle will never lead to disappointment. In short, Epictetus called his life motto apathy or obedience to God. Humility, acceptance of fate as it is, is the highest spiritual freedom.

Skepticism of the ancient Roman philosophers

Skepticism is a phenomenal manifestation of philosophical thought. It is characteristic of the sages of both the Greek and Roman ancient world, which once again proves the intertwining of two opposing philosophies of that era. The similarity is especially pronounced in the period of late antiquity, when there is a social, political decline, the collapse of great civilizations.

The main idea of \u200b\u200bskepticism is the denial of any statements, ultimate dogmas, rejection of theories of other philosophical movements. Adepts argued that disciplines are contradictory, they exclude themselves, each other. Only the teaching of skeptics has an original peculiarity - it simultaneously accepts other opinions and doubts them.

Ancient Rome is known for such skeptics: Enesidemus, Agrippa, Empiricus.

Epicureanism - the path of adaptation to the world

The philosophical concept of ethics again unites two rival camps - the Greeks, the Romans.

Initially, the Hellenistic thinker Epicurus (342-270 BC) founded a philosophical trend, the goal of which was to achieve a happy, carefree life, devoid of sorrows. Epicurus taught not to modify reality, but to adapt to it. For this, the philosopher has developed three essential principles:

Ethical - through ethics, a person achieves happiness.
Physical - with the help of physics, a person comprehends the natural world, which allows him not to feel fear of him. He helps the first principle.
Canonical - with the help of the methodology of scientific knowledge, the implementation of the first principles of Epicureanism is available.

Epicurus believed that the organization of the happy requires not the unhindered manifestation of knowledge, but their implementation in practice, but within predetermined boundaries.

Paradoxically, the ancient Roman thinker Lucretius became a figurative follower of Epicurus. He was radical in his statements, which at the same time aroused the delight and anger of his contemporaries. Discussing with opponents (especially skeptics), the Epicurean relied on science, arguing the importance of its existence: “If there is no science, then every day we observe the rise of a new sun. But we know it is only one. " Criticized the Platonic theory of transmigration of souls: "If a person ever dies anyway, it doesn't matter where his soul goes." Lucretius was puzzled by the emergence of civilizations: “At first, humanity was wild, everything changed with the appearance of fire. The formation of society can be attributed to the period when people learned to negotiate with each other. "

Lucretius became a representative of the Hellenism of Epicurus, criticizing the perverted customs of the Romans.

Rhetoric of Ancient Rome

The brightest rhetorician ancient Roman philosophy was Mark Tullius Cicero. He considered rhetoric to be the basis of the thought process. The activist wanted to "make friends" the Roman thirst for virtue with the Greek skillful philosophizing. As a born orator and active politician, Mark called for the creation of a just state.

Cicero believed that it was available when the three only correct forms of government were mixed: monarchy, democracy, aristocracy. Compliance with a mixed constitution will ensure the so-called "great equality" by the sage.

It was Cicero who introduced society to the concept of "humanitus", which means "humanity, humanity, philosophy of common sense." The thinker said that the concept is based on moral norms, capable of making every person a full member of society.

His knowledge in the scientific field is so great that Mark was recognized as an encyclopedic philosopher of antiquity.

The philosopher's opinion on ethics and morality was as follows: “Every science comprehends virtue in its own extraordinary way. Therefore, every educated person should familiarize himself with various methods of cognition, test them. Any everyday problems are solved by willpower. "

Philosophical and religious movements

Ancient Roman traditional philosophers in antiquity actively continued their activities. The doctrine of Plato was very popular. But the philosophical and religious schools became a newfangled trend of that time, a connecting bridge between the West and the East. The teachings asked a global question about the relationship, opposition of matter and spirit.

The most interesting trend was neopythagoreanism, whose representatives philosophized about the contradictory nature of the world, the unity of God. The Neopythagoreans studied numbers from the mystical point of view, created a whole doctrine of the magic of numbers. Apollonius of Tyana became an outstanding follower of this philosophical school.

Intellectual personalities clung to the teachings of Philo of Alexandria. The sage's main idea was to merge Platonism with Judaism. Philo explained that Jehovah created the Logos, who then created the world.

Religious worldviews were distinguished by primitive superstitious polytheism, where every phenomenon had a double.

The cult of Vestal priestesses, the chaste guardians of the state, was highly respected.

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Topic of the article:	THE PHILOSOPHY OF ANCIENT ROME
Category (thematic category)	Regilia

Roman philosophy arose in the 2nd - 1st centuries. BC. with what the Greek ends at the same time - with eclecticism (ᴛ.ᴇ. philosophical current, ĸᴏᴛᴏᴩᴏᴇ does not create its own philosophical system. Based on a single principle, and does not join the views of any one philosopher, but takes from various systems what it considers correct, and all this compares into one more or less complete whole).

The deep consistency in the development of certain philosophical positions, inherent in the Greek thinkers of the "classical" era, is replaced by a superficial reconciliation of various principles, the convergence of warring schools and trends. The materialistic school of Epicurus finds numerous followers in the late Hellenistic period and penetrates into Rome. Its remarkable representative on Roman soil was the poet Lucretius Carus.
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One of the directions of the Aristotle school associated with the study of nature was also inclined to the views of the materialists. These were the followers of Straton, nicknamed the "physicist".

Although Greece was enslaved by Rome, Rome was conquered spiritually by Greece.

Roman philosophy splits into Latin-speaking and Greek-speaking. In addition to the rich Latin-language Roman philosophical literature, the Greek language was considered respected and revered in Rome, the knowledge of which was a sign of culture and education.

At the root of the Roman - Latin artistic - mythological and religious worldview lay primitive superpolitheism. In the naive view of the superstitious Roman, every object and every phenomenon had its own counterpart - a spirit, its own deity (penates, laras and mana).

In ancient Rome, the cult of ancestors was developed - manism. The role of magic was great. Knowledge of magical actions and spells was the work of a special Roman class - the priests, who were united in a college, and enjoyed greater influence than the priests in Greece. The college of pontiffs was especially influential. Its chairman was considered the high priest of Rome (high pontiff). Fortune-telling priests played an important role in Roman life:

Priests - augurs (predicted the future by the flight of birds);

Priests - haruspics (predicted the future by the insides of sacrificial animals).

The classical Roman pantheon was influenced by the classical Greek pantheon. At the same time, many gods of Rome are identified and adopt the features of the gods of Greece, for example: Jupiter - Zeus, Juno - Hera, Minerva - Athena, Venus - Aphrodite, etc.

The traditional foundations of the Roman community were:

Courage, perseverance, honesty, loyalty, dignity, moderation, obedience to military discipline, law; age-old customs, veneration of family and national gods.

Rome rested on four cornerstones:

Ø Libertas -the independence of the individual and his freedom to defend his interests within the framework of the law.

Ø Justitia- a set of legal provisions protecting the dignity of a person in accordance with his social status.

Ø Fides -loyalty to duty, which is a moral guarantee of the implementation of laws.

Ø Pietas - a reverent duty to the gods, homeland and fellow citizens, requiring always to give preference to their interests, and not to our own.

In order to become the ruler of the world, the Romans, relying on the values \u200b\u200blisted above, developed the main value, albeit severe, but sublime: virtus - civic valor and courage to be, no matter what.

The political decline of Greece, and then of the Hellenistic states, led to the fact that Greek philosophical thought began to increasingly focus on Rome. An educated Greek becomes a frequent visitor to the chambers of influential and wealthy Romans. Greek education plays an important role in the education of future statesmen of the Roman Republic.

It is in Greek philosophy that the ideas of the historical role of Rome, the signs of its all-world domination, are nurtured, as an extremely important rationale that must be submitted to. The Stoic school, which provided a philosophical foundation for this view, had many followers among the Roman aristocracy.

The success of this school is due to the fact. What is she. Not caring too much about the contradictions that arose, eclectically 1 combined various popular motives of Greek philosophy into one whole. In the II - I centuries. BC (Middle Stoi period) this doctrine borrows a number of provisions from the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle.

PANETIUS (Rhodes) (180-110 BC) - moved to Rome, where he brought the old man's ideal of the sage closer to the political interests of the Roman aristocracy. He emphasized the importance of practical wisdom and virtue, and did not require the sage to renounce the surrounding life and, in particular, from state activities.

Eclectic -one who does not create his own philosophical system based on a single principle, and does not join the views of any one philosopher, but takes from various systems what he finds correct, and connects all of this into one more or less complete whole.

The highest good is ϶ᴛᴏ life in accordance with nature; man's natural tendencies lead him to virtue.

For Panethi, fate (tikhe) is only a useful regulator of human life, an educator of overly unbridled and passionate natures.
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He expressed doubts about the immortality of the soul and had a negative attitude towards belief in astrology and the possibility of predicting the future.

POSIDONIUM FROM ALAMEA(135-50 BC) - a student of Panethius, for a long time headed the philosophical school on about. Rhodes. He returned to the views of the old school - about the impending destruction of the world in fire, to the belief in the immortality of the soul and the existence of demons, to the doctrine of the dependence of human life and fate on the location of the stars, etc. Ethical views of Posidonius are closely related to Plato's concept of the human soul. The soul is the arena of struggle between two principles - spiritual and bodily. Everything that comes from the body deserves condemnation, for the flesh is the prison of the soul, its fetters. He believes in the mystical pre-existence of the soul prior to its incarnation in the body.

Posidonius continued to develop, coming from Aristotle and the peripatetics, the doctrine of the state system (as a mixed form), based on a combination of the principles of monarchy, aristocracy and democracy.

CICERON MARK TULLIUS(106 - 43 BC) - outlined the foundations of various philosophical systems and developed Latin philosophical terminology.

q The human ideal of Cicero -“The first man of the republic”, “conciliator”, “guardian and guardian” in the era of crises, combining Greek philosophical theory and Roman political (oratory) practice. He considered himself an example of such a figure.

q Philosophical ideal of Cicero -the combination of theoretical skepticism, which does not know the truth, admitting only probability, with practical stoicism, which strictly follows a moral duty that coincides with the public good and the world law.

q The oratorical ideal of Cicero is“Abundance”, conscious possession of all means capable of both interest, and convince, and captivate the listener; these funds are folded into three styles - high, medium and simple. Each style has its own degree of lexicon purity and syntax harmony.

q Cicero's political ideal -A "mixed state structure" (a state combining elements of monarchy, aristocracy and democracy; the model of which he considered the Roman Republic of the 3rd - 2nd centuries BC), supported by the "consent of the estates", "like-mindedness of all worthy".

Key thoughts:

Ø To each his own.

Ø Probabilistic knowledge is the limit of human understanding.

Ø Everyone tends to err, but only the unreasonable persists in delusions.

Ø Friends are known in trouble.

Ø Paper will endure everything.

Ø For me my conscience means more than the speech of everyone.

Ø The welfare of the people is the highest law.

Ø Where it is good, there is the fatherland.

Ø Oh, the times! Oh, morals!

Ø Life is short, but glory must be eternal.

Ø As a person is, such is his speech.

Ø Eloquence - ϶ᴛᴏ light that brightens the mind.

Ø It is not enough to master wisdom, one must also be able to use it.

Ø Some opposites give birth to others.

Ø Habit is second nature.

Ø Labor dulls pain.

TITUS LUCREZIUS CAR (98-55 BC) - ancient Roman philosopher, poet; continuer of the teachings of Epicurus; introduced the concept of "matter".

Ø In the poem "On the Nature of Things" he developed and promoted the materialistic teaching of Epicurus, seeking to rid people of religious superstitions and fear of gods and the afterlife generated by ignorance. Denying any interference of the gods in the lives of people, he gave a natural explanation for the origin and development of the universe and humanity.

Ø He argued that everything consists of indivisible "beginnings", .ᴇ. atoms that are not created or destroyed. They have a certain shape, weight and motion inseparable from matter.

Moving in the void surrounding them, like dust particles in a sunbeam, and spontaneously deviating from the direct direction, the atoms, according to a certain law, unite and form everything that exists - from stars to human souls, which Lucretius also considered material and, therefore, dying simultaneously with the body.

Having disintegrated in one place, the atoms combine in another, forming new worlds and new living beings. For this reason, all things are eternal and infinite.

Ø He tried to give a natural scientific explanation of the origin of man and society, developing without the intervention of the gods.

After the formation of the earth, plants arose from dampness and warmth, then animals, many of which were imperfect and died out, and, finally, man. At first, people were wild as animals, but gradually, thanks to experience and observation, they learned how to make fire, build dwellings, and cultivate the land.

People began to unite in families, and families began to unite for mutual support in society. This made it possible to develop language, sciences, arts, crafts, ideas of law and justice. But kings appeared, the most powerful began to seize and divide the land; property and a thirst for wealth arose, leading to wars and crimes.

Key thoughts:

Ø Out of nothing (without nothing) nothing happens.

Ø Nowadays, not with the bright arrows of the day and not with the rays of the sun, one should dispel the horrors and darkening of the spirit, but by studying and interpreting the laws of nature.

Ø The spirit is strong with joy.

Ø Together with the passage of time, the meaning of things changes.

Ø If the feelings are not true, then our whole mind will be false.

Ø After true death there will be no second you.

Ø The soul is born together with the body.

Ø Knowledge of the truth is generated in us by feelings.

Ø Whatever a patient with jaundice looks at, everything seems yellowish to him.

Ø Something bitter emanates from the source of pleasure.

Ø My science is ϶ᴛᴏ to live and be well.

Leading philosophical direction in Rome in the 1st - 2nd centuries. BC. was stoicism (New Standing) presented by Seneca, Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius. Late Stoicism dealt mainly with issues of ethics, and this ethics could not be more suited to the conditions of a world empire.

The Stoics tirelessly preached that each person is only a part of a huge organism, the good of which is much more important than the good of its members. For this reason, everyone should, without struggle and protest, meet everything sent to him by fate. Since external circumstances - wealth, position, health, freedom and life itself - do not depend on a person, he should consider them indifferent to himself and accept them with complete indifference. The only duty of a person is to improve in wisdom and virtue, fulfillment of duty to society and maintain peace of mind in any position. Stoicism did not open any other perspectives to its followers. Everything moves in closed cycles, there is nothing new in the world and cannot be. The immortality of the soul was also denied in essence - the soul after death decays like a body, and its elements are drawn again into the endless cycle of nature.

LUCIUS ANNEY SENEKA(4 - 65 years) - Roman philosopher, poet and statesman; teacher of Nero. He had extensive knowledge, the ability to penetrate deeply into nature and man, and was an excellent stylist.

Philosophy is a moral and religious guide in life. Proceeding from the moral weaknesses of man, Seneca demanded moral strictness in relation to himself and reasonable, compassionate indulgence towards his neighbor.

The highest virtue is loyalty to oneself.

The personality and works of Seneca contributed to the fact that the influence of Stoicism on the social and literary life of Rome, on legislation, legal duties and government, even on Christianity was extremely strong and lasting.

Key thoughts:

Ø Philosophy is both healing and pleasant at the same time.

Ø There is no slavery more shameful than slavery of the spirit.

Ø The fate of the one who agrees with it leads, the one who resists - drags.

Ø Reason - ϶ᴛᴏ is nothing but a part of the divine spirit immersed in the body of people.

Ø Soul - ϶ᴛᴏ God who found shelter in the human body.

Ø The first hour of life reduced life by an hour.

Ø It is better to learn too much than not learn anything.

Ø Caesar is not allowed much precisely because everything is allowed to him.

Ø Before you say anything to others, say it to yourself.

Ø Great destiny - great slavery.

Ø The shortest path to wealth is through contempt for wealth.

Ø Drunkenness - ϶ᴛᴏ voluntary madness.

Ø After death, everything stops, even herself.

EPICTET (about 50 - 138 AD) - an ancient Greek philosopher; slave in Rome, then a freedman; founded a philosophical school in Nikopol. He preached the ideas of stoicism: the main task of philosophy is to teach to distinguish between what is in our power to do and what is not. We are not subject to everything that is outside of us, the bodily, the external world.
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It is not these things themselves, but only our ideas about them that make us happy or unhappy; but our thoughts, aspirations, and, consequently, our happiness are subject to us.

All people are children of one God, and a person's whole life must be in connection with God, which makes a person able to courageously resist the vicissitudes of life.

Key thoughts:

Ø Earthly man - ϶ᴛᴏ a weak soul burdened with a corpse.

Ø The sadness of another - ϶ᴛᴏ someone else's ...

Ø It should always be remembered that we cannot control events, but must adapt to them.

Ø In no case call yourself a Philosopher and do not talk about philosophical rules and laws in front of the ignorant.

MARCUS AURELIUS ANTONINUS (121-180) - Roman emperor from the Antonine dynasty, philosopher, representative of late Stoicism, follower of Epictetus.

The author of the well-known philosophical essay "To oneself". At the center of his antimaterialistic doctrine is the partial possession of a person's body, spirit and soul, the wearer, which is a pious, courageous and reasoned person - the mistress, educator of a sense of duty and the abode of a testing conscience.

Through the spirit, all people take part in the divine and thereby create an ideological community that overcomes all limitations.

Key thoughts:

Ø Do not rush to agree with the talkers.

Ø Look inside yourself.

Ø People exist for each other.

Ø Everything human is smoke, nothing.

Ø Do not be content with a superficial glance.

Ø “Soon you will forget about everything, and everyone, in turn, will forget about you”.

PHILOSOPHY OF ANCIENT ROME - concept and types. Classification and features of the category "PHILOSOPHY OF ANCIENT ROME" 2017, 2018.

Roman philosophy begins where Greek ends - eclecticism. its beginning dates back to the end of the 2nd - 1st century. BC. It is secondary to the Greek one (“Rome was spiritually conquered by Greece.”) Hence, in fact, the duality of Roman philosophy, Latin linguistic and Greek-speaking, and substantial contradictions: a complex inner drama, attachment to imitation, interpretation and commenting.

This is especially characteristic of the work of Cicero (106 - 43 BC), who in his historical and socio-political works expressed a number of opinions and ideas of socio-philosophical content. The most productive was the thought about the origin of the state, the forms of its government and their rebirth. The idea of \u200b\u200bthe need to separate powers "for mixing them" was also quite valuable. In his opinion, the success of Rome lay in the combination of three powers: the power of the consuls (imperial), the power of the senators (aristocrats) and the power of the demos (people). It was recognized as necessary "to leave a little power to the people" - only under this condition peace and tranquility can reign in society and the state.

The most prominent philosopher of the ancient Roman era was Lucretius Carus (about 99 - 55 BC), a representative of materialism, atomistic pantheism. Marx highly valued the philosophy of the thinker, and his work "On the Nature of Things" called the greatest document of materialist philosophy of all times and peoples.

Lucretius saw his task in freeing the human spirit from the fetters (nets) of superstition. He was convinced that in order to drive fear out of human souls, it is enough to show nature only as it is, and she "by her appearance, internal order drive away fear. "

In relation to religion, Lucretius acts as its main enemy. He deliberately rejects religion, considers it to be the cause of many troubles, generates fear, prejudice, and meanness. Qualifies her as "an abomination". Denies that without religion people will be immoral, will take the path of crimes and the like. He was convinced that "religion gave rise to many criminal actions", pushed a person on this path.

Lucretius strove to form a worldview that would come out of nature itself, its laws. He believed that everything happens according to the laws, "without help from above," and nothing happens with God's will. He denied that the world was created by the gods for people. He admitted that he is imperfect, and nature exists by itself. Man is a part of the world, not its master and goal. And therefore she herself is also subject to the laws of nature.

The Thinker recognized the infinity of the Universe, believing that the gods could not control it (huge and diverse). they cannot do it, and besides, they have too many of their own affairs and worries. Denying religion, Lucretius still recognized the existence of gods. In his opinion, they are immortal, although passive, and therefore do not interfere in the affairs of people and the world, they own everything, they have no need for anything, since they are not aware of strength and anger.

Lucretius contrasts the carefree gods with Man, ordinary people who are looking for a way of life and are quite seriously mistaken. They are always in care, working day and night to achieve greatness and be the owners of the world. The main value of a person is reason. It contains the integral strength of man. Only reason is able to disperse superstition and fear of death. Man needs common sense, reason, in order to cognize nature. Attaching great importance to intuition, he sees their limitations in the process of cognition. Incompleteness of sensory perception can only be compensated by an opinion. The universe cannot be given completely in sensory perception. Its infinity can be comprehended only by thought (reason).

Lucretius critically analyzes the philosophical tradition of Heraclitus, respects Empedocles, bypasses the silence of the sophists, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, stoics, skeptics. He reproaches Anaxagoras for terminological over-empowerment, and praises Epicurus too much - as a wise one, one who knows the truth and causes "divine joy".

The main truth "nothing happens with anything" lies at the heart of Lucretius's worldview. That is, the law of the preservation of being manifests itself in the universe. He recognizes eternity and non-dissolution of matter, its non-poverty. He believes that if there was no matter, then every thing or world would be completely and completely destroyed. In his opinion, even "death does not kill matter."

Solving the problem of the structure of matter, Lucretius affirms the idea of \u200b\u200bthe infinity of the universe. He calls the source "generic bodies", "family of things", "primordial bodies", "first genus", "primary principle". They are inseparable, so they can be classified as atoms. At the same time, they are eternal and unchanging, elementary and solid. Along with atoms, there is a void that allows them to move, and its mixing with solid atoms gives rise to soft things (things, objects, etc.). All atoms differ from each other in their movement, weight, impacts, combinations, position, and intervals between themselves. their various combinations form things. Indicates that time does not exist "outside the movement of bodies and rest". Bodies move because the source of their motion are atoms, which are "in perpetual motion." The reason for the movement is explained by the infinity of space. Atoms (bodies) move under the influence of weight, but their speed is the same, regardless of body weight. In their motion, atoms can deviate from the trajectory.

Lucretius refutes the opinion about the transmigration of souls, seeks to consider the structure of the soul, examines the relationship between soul, spirit and mind, and the like. Rejects the fear of death, since the latter is a natural occurrence.

Seneca Lucius Anae (4 BC - 65 AD) was a widely erudite philosopher. In the philosophical teachings of his predecessors, he was interested in their practical (moral) side, less in their idea of \u200b\u200bthoughts, and even less in the world. In philosophy, Seneca distinguishes between the contemplative and applied parts, since philosophy "both contemplates and acts." The entire philosophy of Seneca is an applied science, because, in his opinion, knowledge interferes with wisdom, therefore, one should limit oneself in knowledge. For wisdom, you need to have a lot of free space in your head, and knowledge clogs your head with nonsense. No science other than philosophy investigates good and evil. The divide between wisdom and knowledge is that knowledge makes a person smarter, but not better. "Being smarter," he believed, does not mean being the best. " Therefore, wisdom is not a means to get to heaven, but to survive in this world.

The thinker believed that it was a shame to learn from textbooks ... "Get something out of yourself", because "one thing to remember, and another thing to know." Truth is open to everyone, but no one has mastered It. To remember, for Seneca, is to remember what you were instructed to, and to know is to do and act in your own way, not paying attention to the model, and not looking back at the teacher. Philosophy, in his opinion, forms character and the ability to withstand all the blows of fate, "educates and hardens the soul, subordinates life to order, controls actions and indicates what should be done ...".

Seneca's reflections on knowledge (science) and wisdom are highly relevant. He divided philosophy into ethics, logic, physics, distinguishing morality, reason and nature as its objective content. Nature (matter) is inert, motionless. She is ready for anything, but remains inert until the mind sets her in motion. "The mind returns (twists) the matter as it wants, gives it a shape and sculpts all sorts of objects." However, the first (matter) and the second (mind) are corporeal. In Seneca - everything bodily: both gods and souls, and at the same time - everything animate, rational and divine.

Seneca is a pantheist when he claims that "there can be no nature without God and God without nature." God is understood by him as an internal force, which directly all processes of nature, "world mind" as the harmony and beauty of nature. Do you want to name it by fate and you won't be mistaken. He is the cause of all causes, he is providence. If you want to call God nature, it won't be a mistake.

At the same time, he claims that God rules the world (the universe). Negatively refers to those who call to honor the gods by making sacrifices to them. The gods, according to Seneca, are virtuous, doing good by nature. Hence - the true religion - the cult of charity. "God is not qualitatively, but quantitatively virtuous than man, since he is free, and therefore charitable for a longer time." Seneca, in the doctrine of the corporeality of the soul, interprets It as "finer than fire". He believed that the main striving of an intelligent soul is rather liberation from the body. The thinker constantly talks about the struggle between body and soul, about the immortality of the latter. He also has thoughts about the possibility of "transmigration" of souls to the gods, that if life is not important, an argument is made in favor of death. "Life is like a play, and it doesn't matter if it's long or not, what matters is how good it is." He recognizes the possibility of voluntarily ending life if the body is not fit for service.

Seneca does not condemn slavery as a social phenomenon. He believed that a slave becomes one who does not have the courage to die. Distinguishes between voluntary and involuntary slavery. Condemns voluntary slavery: lust, greed, cowardice, ambition, etc. On social slavery, he argued that only the slave's body belongs to the slave owner, and not his soul. Preaches a tolerant attitude towards slaves, humanity, declaring that slaves are people too, and they demand a good attitude towards themselves. He expressed the opinion that all people, in their essence, are equal, and therefore pointed out the accident of slavery. He appealed to the interchangeability of a slave and a slave owner, since a slave could be born a slave owner, and vice versa.

In ethics, Seneca preached pessimism, urged to heroically and sustainably overcome all the difficulties of life, since nothing can be changed in him. The person is passive, and the share is active. You should direct your desires, and not be in bondage to them. It is better to leave everything as it is, endure what you cannot change, and "not whine" to follow God. Obvious fatalism is also traced in it, but not absolute inactivity. Common sense and reason, courage and energetic spirit, endurance and readiness for any turn of fate are approved. In essence, this is pessimistic-optimistic fatalism. Life becomes happy when it is consistent with nature, when "peace and harmony of spirit" is achieved, "greatness is combined with humility." This should be taught by philosophy, wisdom. This is her main and only purpose.

Epictetus(about 50 - 135 AD) a follower of Stoicism, opened his own philosophical and educational school in Nikopolis.

The main question of his philosophy: how to become internally free with external slavery Implements a conscious substitution of moral social slavery. In his philosophy, there is a closeness, and possibly an identity with the position of Seneca.

The main theoretical position of Epictetus is that the existing order of things cannot be changed, since it does not depend on people. Of all the things in the world, some are subject to us, others are not. The fear of death, illness or hunger brings anxiety and bondage to a person, and hence - "desire what depends on you." Do you want to be free - Do not desire "what depends on others",

Epictetus compares life to a theater, and people to actors who are forced to play one role or another. Gives instructions to the philosopher, warns him to talk about the rules and philosophical laws to the ignorant. "Never talk to the ignorant about wisdom (philosophy)." Like stoicism, he divided philosophy into physics, logic and ethics. He believed that logic should serve physics and ethics. Logic helps to distinguish truth from error, but cannot distinguish truth from falsehood. People, knowing the logic - lie, having studied it - continue to lie. Logic can wean people from lying. Therefore, for a person, society, it is not logic that is more important, but ethics.

With regard to nature (physics), Epictetus proceeded from the principle of benefit. It didn't matter to him what matter is made of: atoms, homeomerism or earth. For philosophy, and actually for him, it is useful to study physics (nature) in the sense of coordinating their desires with the course of things. In order to obtain the necessary "knowledge" about the gods and nature, the necessary knowledge of physics. He is inclined to think that the world, nature are smart, permeated with the world mind (logos), which brings order and regularity into them.

Epictetus considers man to be a rational being. her essence lies in her mind, which is part of the world (cosmic). He does not alienate the mind from man. In his opinion, to take away the mind means to destroy a person. A person is not only smart, but also endowed with freedom of thought and free will. These qualities are inalienable from her, and no one is able to take away, even removing property, family and the body itself. This is, in fact, a fatalistic worldview conciliating from reality.

Marcus Aurelius (121 - 180 AD) - Stoic. In the work, To myself "or" Alone with myself "he set forth his philosophical thoughts.

The worldview of Marcus Aurelius is controversial - it combines the awareness of the past, frailty and lethargy of life with the preaching of being an active, active and just government ruler. It reveals an acute contradiction between philosophical reflections on the world and the very realities of reality, the discrepancy between one friend, between the philosophical over-the-clock and practical immersion in this temporality.

He sharply feels the passage of time, the moment of worldly life and the mortality of a person in an endless stream of time. He considers time to be immeasurable and limitless, and before this infinity, equally insignificant and longer and short lives.

The thinker was pessimistically aware of reality, the life of everyone. In his opinion, everything is transient, and therefore it is useless to remain in the memory of descendants: the very glory of the deceased is preserved only for several generations. Eternal glory is sheer vanity. During his life he has nothing new (“our descendants will not see anything new.”) Both in the past and in the present, and even more so in the future, there are no qualitative changes, the stories are quite homogeneous.

The pessimism of Marcus Aurelius is not the despair of disappointed people, but the reason for the appeal (actualization) to moral values. The Emperor says that the best things in life are "justice, truth, courage, common sense" and others. At the same time, it recognizes the existence of gods who exercise "care for people". Thoughts about human freedom and the will of the gods are resolved in a compromise. The problem arises of reconciling the freedom of the individual (person) and the providence of God. "It depends on the person himself whether to fall or not to fall into true evil." But neither Marcus Aurelius, nor the emperor call for an active struggle against evil, but offer to accept life and death as they are. It is necessary to live as if it were the last day or the last thing. And this means to spend this moment in harmony with nature, to observe the truth in all actions. Only philosophy can help to find such a path.

Lukin (120 - 180). F. Engels "christened" him "Voltaire of classical antiquity", and believed that he directed the spearhead of his criticism against religion and the gods. He also ridiculed philosophers: the Epicureans are "greedy for pleasures", the peripatetics are greedy and big "debaters", the Platonists are "arrogant and ambitious", and the Stoics are "mean and evil." He ridiculed Aristotle, portraying him as a jester, a comedian, who only thinks about gifts. Sharply and negatively related to Socrates, ridiculed him "like a crybaby." In his opinion, in hell everyone, except the cynic philosophers, is bad. In order to become what he was on earth, you need to be rude, harsh, scold everyone (both kings and ordinary people). Then they will look at you with respect, consider you courageous. In conclusion, Lucian says that philosophers love not only philosophy, but also the popularity that it gives them, and also the desire for profit.

Philo of Alexandria (25 BC - 50 AD) sought to rethink Jewish monotheism from an idealistic position. At the same time, he relied on Greek philosophy, in particular, Platonism and skepticism. For this purpose, he applied the method of allegory, introducing in his philosophy an explicit and hidden terminological meaning. God Yahweh, is reinterpreted by him into a higher spiritual, abstract beginning, which lacks anthropomorphic features.

Philo interprets God as incorporeal, the only one, always equal and similar to himself. God is simple, there is no confusion in him. Yahweh is self-sufficient - it is pure mind, goodness and beauty. For an ordinary person, 2 feelings and mind, he is inaccessible, since he cannot be expressed either in feelings or in concepts. Man only knows that God (Yahweh) exists. If anyone recognizes Yahweh, it is he himself. Being outside the World, the God Yahweh creates this world, therefore he is the Creator God. God is good, he creates the world freely and according to plan. The transcendence of Yahweh in the creation of the world requires appropriate mediation. Such are the Logos and ideas. Logos, as an attribute of God and ideas, exists eternally in God. The ideas themselves are not only prototypes, but also what actually creates things. The world of pure Logos and pure ideas is secondary, and dependent on God. They are, as it were, prototypes of the sensible world, where ideas are the essence of things, and the Logos is an eternal law, but one that does not limit Yahweh himself. God is higher than the Logos, therefore he can violate the laws of nature and perform miracles.

The Logos is theologically rethought as the "firstborn son" of God, the "teacher" of people - "poraklet". He is the word of God, and this is the word to God and it is God. At the same time, Philo introduces into his philosophical concept a somewhat formless, chaotic, passive and idle - unknown: it was created to exist forever - the source of world evil (a kind of matter), fundamentally opposite to God. It should be noted that the creation of light by God is not a temporary act, not something that happened in time, but from age, the world created by God has existed since the existence of God.

God created incorporeal intelligent souls of varying degrees of purity. Pure souls appeared with the finest bodies and became angels, less pure souls became human souls. Souls are active in sensory cognition and in thinking. They have some free will that they can oppose to God. The soul is immortal and after the death of the body it can ascend to a higher sphere and enjoy peace surrounded by angels. She (the soul) can enter the world of the Logos, as well as God himself. One can also attain God in earthly conditions, at the moment of religious ecstasy, at the peak of fanatical faith, when there is a liberation from attachment to everything earthly. This is the goal (goal) of the world ~ liberation of the Logos - from the low (material) beginning to the return of the Lotus to God. This is achieved not so much by material sacrifices as by the achievement of a special state of the soul - a state of repentance and ecstatic experience, faith and piety, holiness and prayer.

Ancient Roman philosophy is an interesting, to some extent original and at the same time, complex and rich layer of ancient culture, organically combined traditions and the best examples of Greek spirituality and developed its own style of reading Greek philosophy and philosophizing. This epochal culture, which is, and summed up the Greco-Roman civilization, became a kind of bridge of spirituality, which connected the ancient and Western European cultures and thus made a smooth transition to the era of the Christian Middle Ages.

Test questions:

1. The place and role of religion and mythology in the philosophy of the Ancient East.

2. What are the main schools of ancient Indian philosophy.

3. Describe the philosophical schools of idealism in ancient India.

4. Buddhism - philosophy or religion?

5. What philosophical schools of ancient China do you know, describe them?

6. Name the representatives of ancient Chinese philosophy, adhered to the materialistic position.

7. Which of the philosophical schools put forward a guess about the contractual origin of the state?

8. Who do you know from the representatives of the Milesian school? Describe their views.

9. Who do you know of the representatives of atomistic philosophy?

10. Which of the ancient philosophers developed the problems of formal logic? Describe his achievement.

11. What role does number play in the philosophy of Pythagoras?

12. What is the essence of Plato's concept of "ideal state"?

13. What are the main schools (directions) of ancient Roman philosophy do you know? Describe them.

Abstract topics:

1. Principles of periodization of the historical and philosophical process.

2. Features of the philosophy of Ancient India.

3. Features of the philosophy of Ancient China.

4. Buddhism: philosophy or religion?

5. Problems of morality in ancient Chinese philosophy.

6. Objective idealism of Ancient Greece.

7. Atomistic materialism of Ancient Greece and Rome.

8. The problem of dialectics in the philosophy of Ancient Greece.

9. Political and legal ideas in ancient Greek philosophy.

10. Philosophical achievements of Aristotle.

1. Antachnye Philosophers - Testimonies, fragments, texts. -

2. Anthology of World Philosophy: In 4 volumes - M 1969 - T1

3. Aristotle. Cit .: In 4 volumes - M., 1973 - in 1983 "

4. Asmus VF Antique philosophy. - M 1976

5. Blinnikov L.V. Great philosophers. -M 1998

6. Bogomolov AS. Attnshftosofiya.-M. 1985

8. Bogomolov AC, Oizerman T.I. Foundations of the theory of the historical and philosophical process. - M., 1983.

9. Tao and Taoism in China. - M., 1982.

10. Diogenes Laertius. About the life, teachings and sayings of great philosophers. - M., 1979.

11. Ancient Chinese philosophy. Collected texts: In 2 volumes - M., 1972 - one thousand nine hundred seventy three.

12. Confucius. Lessons in wisdom. - M. - Kharkov, 2002.

13. Kostyuchenko BC Classical Vedanta and Neo-Vedantism. - M., 1983.

14. Kumanetsky K. History of culture of Ancient Greece and Rome. - M., 1990.

15. Materialists of Ancient Greece. Collection of texts of Heraclitus, Democritus and Epicurus. - M., 1955.

16. Mythological dictionary. - M., 1990.

17. Pavlenko Yu.V. The origin of philosophy (historical and cultural essay) // Philosophical and sociological thought. - 1989. - No. 11.

18. Plato. Cit .: In 3 volumes - M., 1968 - one thousand nine hundred and seventy-two.

19. The problem of man in traditional Chinese teachings. - M., 1988.

20. Tatarkevich V. History of philosophy. - T. 1. - Lviv, 1997 ..

21. Chatterjee S., Dutta D. Indian philosophy. - M., 1994.

22. Scherbatsky F.I. Selected Works on Buddhism. - M., 1988.

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Option 10.

Topic: Philosophy of Ancient Rome

Savelicheva Irina

Introduction

The importance of ancient philosophy

Conclusion

Introduction

The philosophy of Ancient Rome, like the philosophy of Hellenism, is mainly ethical in nature. It directly affects the political life of society. In its very center of attention are the problems of reconciling the interests of various groups, as well as issues of achieving the highest good, not to mention the development of life rules and so on. In all these conditions, the philosophy of the so-called "Stoics" received the greatest distribution and influence. They developed questions about the rights and duties of the individual, as well as the nature of the relationship between the individual and the state, adding legal and moral norms to their conclusions, while the Roman flock sought to contribute not only to the education of a disciplined soldier, but also, of course, a citizen. The largest representative of the Stoic school is Seneca, who lived from 5 BC to 65 AD. Seneca was not only a thinker and statesman, he was also a mentor to Emperor Nero himself. It was he who recommended the emperor to adhere rather to moderation and a republican spirit in his reign. Thanks to this, Seneca achieved that he was "ordered to die", so he, fully following all his philosophical principles, surrounded by his admirers, and opened his veins.

At the same time main task the formation of personality, according to Seneca, is considered the achievement of virtue. But the study of philosophy is not only theoretical pursuits, it is also the actual realization of virtue. Seneca was convinced that philosophy is not in words, but precisely in deeds, since it forms and shapes the spirit, orders life, controls actions, and also indicates what should and should not be done.

Specificity and significance of ancient Roman philosophy

The significance of ancient Roman philosophy should be seen, first of all, in the fact that it served as a link between ancient Greek and medieval European philosophies. This happened because during the period of its development, ancient Roman philosophy borrowed ideas and concepts from Greek thought and adapted them to philosophizing in Latin. Western European philosophy of the Middle Ages and subsequent eras was built on the foundation of predominantly ancient Roman philosophy, which preserved, even in an impoverished and distorted form, the content of the highest achievements of Greek philosophy. As you know, the Latin language became for many centuries the European language of philosophizing, and the philosophical terminology expressed in it acquired a universal character. antique philosophy ethics

Similarities and Differences Between Roman Stoics and Epicureans

The similarities between the Roman Stoics and the Epicureans lay in their orientation towards life by nature, isolation and autarchy, serenity and apathy, in their ideas about the materiality of gods and souls, human mortality and his return to the world whole. But the Epicureans' understanding of nature as the material universe remained, and the Stoics - as the mind; justice as a social contract - by the Epicureans, and as a duty to the whole world - by the Stoics; recognition of free will by the Epicureans and a higher order and predetermination by the Stoics; the idea of \u200b\u200bthe linear development of the world among the Epicureans and the cyclical development of the Stoics; orientation towards personal friendship among the Epicureans and participation in public affairs among the Stoics. For the Stoics, the source of happiness is reason, and the basic concept is virtue; for the Epicureans, respectively, feelings and pleasure.

Man is an integral part of the universe, therefore the main ethical principle in Stoicism is the idea of \u200b\u200bobedience to the world law, to fate. From this position, the Stoics criticized the Epicureans for their doctrine of human freedom, believing that all human actions obey the world law, which is absolutely inevitable and opposing it is a waste of energy.

Compared to the Epicureans, the Stoics were generally quite pessimistic about our ability to control external goods. Therefore, they recommended that each person make himself independent from external circumstances. If we want to ensure our personal happiness, then we must learn to be as independent as possible from uncontrollable external factors and learn to live within our inner world, which we can control.

The importance of ancient philosophy

Philosophy, which was formed in the era of Antiquity, preserved and multiplied theoretical knowledge for more than a millennium, and also served as a regulator of social life. She explained the laws of society and nature, while creating the prerequisites for the further development of philosophical knowledge. Nevertheless, after Christianity began to spread on the territory of the Roman Empire, ancient philosophy underwent a rather serious reworking.

The term "antiquity" comes from the Latin word antiquus - ancient. It is customary to call them a special period in the development of ancient Greece and Rome, as well as those lands and peoples that were under their cultural influence. The chronological framework of this period, like any other cultural and historical phenomenon, cannot be precisely determined, but they largely coincide with the time of existence of the ancient states themselves: from the 11th-9th centuries. BC, the time of the formation of the ancient society in Greece and BC. - the death of the Roman Empire under the blows of the barbarians.

The common paths for the ancient states were social development and a special form of ownership - ancient slavery, as well as the form of production based on it. Their civilization was common with a common historical and cultural complex. This does not deny, of course, the existence of indisputable features and differences in the life of ancient societies. The main, pivotal in ancient culture were religion and mythology. For the ancient Greeks, mythology was the content and form of their worldview, their perception of the world, it was inseparable from the life of this society. Then - the ancient slavery. It was not only the basis of the economy and social life, it was also the basis of the worldview of the people of that time. Further, it is necessary to single out science and art culture as the pivotal phenomena in ancient culture. When studying the culture of ancient Greece and Rome, it is necessary first of all to concentrate on these dominants of ancient culture.

Ancient culture is a unique phenomenon that has given general cultural values \u200b\u200bliterally in all areas of spiritual and material activity. Only three generations of cultural figures, whose life practically fits into the classical period of the history of Ancient Greece, laid the foundations of European civilization and created role models for millennia to come. Distinctive features of ancient Greek culture: spiritual diversity, mobility and freedom - allowed the Greeks to reach unprecedented heights before peoples to imitate the Greeks, to build a culture according to the models they created.

The main postulates of ancient ethics

Ethics was considered the main philosophical discipline; consideration of the issues of "physics" and "logic" was subordinate to ethical problems. On the whole, this coincided with the general trends in the development of Hellenistic philosophy. After all, philosophy was then considered not so much as a doctrine of causes and principles, but as an instruction in the art of life, in achieving happiness and equanimity. In general, we can talk about some simplification, a vulgarization of ancient philosophy in the Roman period.

In the early writings of ancient scholars, ethics was inextricably linked with philosophy. These works gave greater preference to the problems of the structure of the world, the cosmic nature of man, his place in this cosmos. Then, when many Greek cities became independent city-states, in which a democratic system was established, scientists began to pay attention to the moral and ethical problems of human behavior in society and gradually antique ethics began to be defined as an independent science. It happened around the 4th century. BC e.

The sophists became the founders of ethical teachings. These were the teachers of philosophy who proclaimed man to be the measure of good and evil. According to the sophists, there are no laws in nature that limit the will of man, all moral and ethical values \u200b\u200bproceed from the interests of him. Protagoras became a prominent representative of the sophists.

Socrates criticized the sophists, who believed that moral laws exist, and a person's duty to correlate his system of values \u200b\u200bwith them. Socrates believed that morality is directly related to knowledge, he became the founder of ethical rationalism.

Plato founded a systemic ethical teaching, relying on the postulate that the human soul resides in an ideal world with high values \u200b\u200buntil it enters the physical body. Each person is born with a soul endowed with 3 properties - will, feelings and reason, and one property is always predominant. And if a person is engaged in a business corresponding to the predominant quality of the soul, then he will be happy, and society as a whole is ideal. According to Plato, justice should also be inherent in society, when its layers do not interfere in each other's life.

For the first time the term "ethics" is introduced by Aristotle. In contrast to Plato, he believed that the moral and ethical qualities of a person are formed not in the other world, but under the influence of real social life. Happiness can be achieved by comprehending the basic principles of ethics. In every person there is an unreasonable and reasonable component, it balances their mind and its development gives the right direction to these components. Ethics according to Aristotle is an experience of social life.

The turning point of ethical teachings, directed to the social life of man, was the appearance of the works of the ancient Greek materialist Epicurus. He substantiated a teaching aimed at the person himself. He considered the main thing in life to be the achievement of happiness through bodily pleasures, knowledge and wisdom. All this, according to Epicurus, should be balanced in a person.

Almost simultaneously with the works of Epicurus, Stoicism appears, a teaching developed by Seneca and Marcus Aurelius. The Stoics believed that man should not break away from nature. He is not able to change the laws of nature, and everyone's happiness depends on an internal attitude to what is happening. By developing the inner world, a person can come to harmony with nature and happiness.

Conclusion

Ancient Greek and Roman philosophy had a decisive influence on the entire history of Western and partly even world philosophy up to the present day. We owe the very term "philosophy" precisely to antiquity. The heyday of ancient Greek philosophy falls on the 5th - 4th centuries. BC e., and its echoes died away for another millennium. In Byzantium and the countries of Islam, the dominant influence of Greek philosophy persisted throughout the next millennium; then, during the Renaissance and humanism, and in Europe there was a revival of Greek philosophy, which led to creative new formations, ranging from Platonism and Aristotelianism of the Renaissance and ending with the influence of Greek philosophy on the entire development of European philosophical thought.

German philosopher I.G. Fichte stated: “Man is destined for life in society; he is not completely human and contradicts his essence if he lives as a hermit. "

Do you agree with this statement? Give a detailed justification of your position.

I agree with this statement. Since a person should live in society, and not be renounced from it. Man is created with a need for communication. It can be fully revealed only in society. Living as a hermit, he buries his essence. A hermit man is not a man, and not even an animal, even animals live in flocks, groups, etc. They do not live for themselves, not to mention people! And man, by nature, is supposed to think not only about himself, but also about his environment, since he is the most intelligent creature on the planet.

Test tasks

1.This ancient thinker considered "man to be the measure of all things":

a) Protagoras

2. Indicate a thinker in whose opinion collective ideas play a leading role in the development of society:

c) E. Durkheim

3. Plato wrote his works in the form:

c) dialogues

a) empiricism

5. The unique originality of any phenomenon, being, person, in which it acts as a characteristic that acts as a counterweight to the general, typical

c) individuality.

Literature

1. Skirbekk G., Guilier N. History of philosophy.

Internet resources:

1.www.studfiles.ru/dir/cat10/subj171/file16320/view156439.html

2.www.domowner.ru/5.htm

3. www. domowner. ru/2. htm

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Roman philosophers names. Philosophy of Ancient Rome. See what "Roman philosophy" is in other dictionaries

Virtues are the foundation of teaching

Stoicism as a school of humility, moderation

Skepticism of the ancient Roman philosophers

Rhetoric of Ancient Rome

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