О СООТНОШЕНИИ КАТЕГОРИЙ TO LEKTON В ФИЛОСОФИИ СТОИКОВ И SINN В СЕМАНТИЧЕСКОЙ ТЕОРИИ Г. ФРЕГЕ

Author(s): Valery Surovtsev / Language(s): Russian Issue: 2/2015

The article deals with the Stoic category to lekton and G. Frege’s category of Sinn. I explicate some formal features of these categories, which demonstrate the similarity of the Stoic and the Fregean logical theories, and develop some ideas related to this matter, previously expressed by B. Mates (1961). In particular, I demonstrate that the concept of “complete lekton” (axiōma) in the Stoic doctrine has the same structure as the concept of thought (Gedanke) in Frege’s semantic theory. However, the formal structural similarity between to lekton and Sinn does not presupposes the ontological, epistemological and logical doctrinal similarities in these theories.

FURTHER CONSIDERATIONS ON POSSIBLE ARAMAIC ETYMOLOGIES OF THE DESIGNATION OF THE JUDAEAN SECT OF ESSENES (Ἐσσαῖοι/Ἐσσηνοί) IN THE LIGHT OF THE ANCIENT AUTHORS’ ACCOUNTS OF THEM AND THE QUMRAN COMMUNITY’S WORLD-VIEW

Author(s): Igor Tantlevskij / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2016

The author considers three possible Aramaic etymologies of the designation Ἐσσαῖοι/Ἐσσηνοί: (1) Since, according to reiterated Josephus Flavius’ accounts and the Dead Sea scrolls’ evidences, the Essenes and the Qumranites, closely associated with them, believed in predestination and foretold the future, they could be called: those, who believe in predestination, sc. the “fatalists”, “determinists”; or: those, who predict fate, i.e. the “foretellers”. This hypothetical etymology is derived from the Aramaic word ḥaššayyā᾿ (m. pl. in st. det.; resp. ḥš(᾿)(y)yn in st. abs.) reconstructed by the author from the term ḥšy/ḥš᾿ (“what man has to suffer, predestination, fortune”) after the model: C1aC2C2aC3. (2) In the present author’s opinion, the Qumran community held itself allegorically to be the “root(s)” and “stock” of Jesse, giving life to the “holy" Davidic “Shoot” (see: Isa. 11:1); or, in other words, the Qumranites appear to have considered their Yaḥaḏ (lit. “Unity/Oneness”) the personification of a new Jesse, who would “beget” and “bring up” a new David. (Cf., e.g., 1QSa, II, 11–12: “When [God] begets (yôlîḏ) the Messiah with them (᾿ittām; i.e. the sectarians. — I. T.)...”.) Proceeding from this doctrine, one can assume the etymology of the designation Ἐσσαῖοι/Ἐσσηνοί from the Aramaic-Syriac spelling of King David father’s name Jesse — ᾿Κ(š)ay. (3) The Essenes’ and the Qumranites’ aloofness from this world and their striving for interrelations with the other world could be a reason, by which they came to be regarded as “liminal” personalities and nicknamed (probably, with a tinge of irony) after the name of “rephaites” (the original vocalization seems to have been: rōfĕ᾿îm, lit. “healers”, sc. “benefactors”) of former times, whom they really recalled in some key aspects of their outlook and religious practice. In this case, the designation θεραπευταί, “healers”, — applied in Jewish Hellenized circles, primarily, in Egypt, to the members of the (ex hypothesi) Essenean communities of mystic-“gnostic” trend — could be in fact a Greek translation of the Hebrew term rōfĕ᾿îm. It also seems natural to assume that this designation of the sectarians could be interpreted/translated by the uninitiated by the word ᾿āsayyā᾿/᾿āsên, meaning “healers”, “physicians”, in the Aramaic-speaking milieu of the region of Syria-Palestine.

АРИАНСКИЕ СПОРЫ ВТОРОЙ ПОЛОВИНЫ IV В.: НАЧАЛО ПОЛЕМИКИ ОБ УНИВЕРСАЛИЯХ В ВИЗАНТИЙСКОЙ БОГОСЛОВСКО-ФИЛОСОФСКОЙ МЫСЛИ И ЕГО КОНТЕКСТ ЧАСТЬ ВТОРАЯ: ИСТОРИКО-ФИЛОСОФСКИЙ КОНТЕКСТ

Author(s): Dmitry Biryukov / Language(s): Russian Issue: 1/2016

The article reconstructs philosophical context of polemics on the status of commonness in the Arian controversy. I suggest that this doctrine of Eunomius according to which the higher we go up the hierarchy of beings, the lesser the horizontal commonness in the nature of individual beings we see, may have been closely related to the Middle- and Neoplatonic interpretation of Aristotle’s Categories which implied that categories and especially the category of the second substance (corresponding to species and genera) could be applied only to the corporeal realm. Keeping it in mind, I demonstrate connection between the argumentation of Eunomius and the philosophical teaching of Iamblichus. I point out the opposite accounts on status of the universal between Eunomius and Gregory of Nyssa, who created treatise “Against Eunomius” refuting Eunomius’s “Apology for Apology”. Two strategies of the hierarchy of beings can be identified in Gregory’s “Against Eunomius”. I think that each of them is connected with the Tree of Porphyry. One of these strategies is opposite to the doctrine of Eunomius, since for Gregory the most common is placed at the summit of the hierarchy, and measure of commonness decreases when we go down the hierarchy. I suggest that it was a specific doctrine of Eunomius on the universal which triggered a philosophical reaction manifested in the doctrine of Gregory of Nyssa on the hierarchy of beings.

НЕОПЛАТОНИЧЕСКИЙ АСКЛЕПИЙ

Author(s): Anna Afonasina,Eugene Afonasin / Language(s): Russian Issue: 1/2016

In general, Proclus had intimate relations with gods, but Asclepius seems to assist him all his life: the young Proclus miraculously recovered when the son of Asclepius, Telesphorus, appeared to him in a dream; in a more advanced age the patron of medicine saved him again, this time from arthritis; and it was Asclepius who appeared to him as a serpent “in his final illness” (Vita Procli 7 and 31). The philosopher speaks about a vision of Asclepius in his Commentary to Alcibiades 166. Besides, he was probably involved in the process of establishing an Asclepian cult in his home country. It is against this background that one may look at the Neoplatonic attitude to medicine. Having discussed first the principal philosophical interpretations of Asclepius found in Apuleus, Aelianus, Macrobius, Julian, Porphyry, Iamblichus, Proclus, Damascius, etc., we turn to Proclus’ attitude to Athena and Asclepius as reflected in Marinus’ Vita Procli and then discuss the figure of Eshmun as found in Damascius. The textual data are supported by arheological evidence from the “House of Proclus” in Athens.

ЗРЕНИЕ И ЗНАНИЕ В ФИЛОСОФИИ АРИСТОТЕЛЯ

Author(s): Sergey Avanesov / Language(s): Russian Issue: 2/2016

In this article, I continue to study the problem of vision in connection with philosophical comprehension of truth in antiquity. I analyze the topic of the relation between knowledge and vision in the philosophical thought of Aristotle. I come to the conclusion that in Aristotle’s philosophy there is an obvious trend of optical understanding of the process of comprehension of the essence of being as a sight of its essence; the idea of knowledge as a vision of the truth and the notion of a knowledgeable person as the one who sees the real state of affairs; the doctrine of practical orientation of a good action as a contemplation of the ultimate goal by “eye of the soul”.

НАТУРАЛИСТИЧЕСКИЕ И АНТИНАТУРАЛИСТИЧЕСКИЕ АСПЕКТЫ АРИСТОТЕЛЕВСКОГО ПОНИМАНИЯ ВРЕМЕНИ

Author(s): Sergey Kulikov / Language(s): Russian Issue: 2/2016

In the article, I discuss the Heideggerian criticism of the Aristotelian concept of time. Heidegger thought that it was Aristotle who is to be blamed for so-called “ordinary” interpretation of time. Later on, Augustine developed this interpretation, while Kant and Hegel brought it to a logical end. The author observes that even if the post-Aristotelian thought and Hegel as its embodiment understood time in many respects naturalistically, we might trace both naturalistic and anti-naturalistic ways of interpretation of time in Aristotle. It appears therefore that Aristotle had also laid the foundations of existential comprehension of time, having influenced thereby the formation of the European rationality in all variety of its forms and manifestations.

СТОИЧЕСКИЙ ОПТИМИЗМ МАРКА АВРЕЛИЯ

Author(s): Sergey Kocherov / Language(s): Russian Issue: 2/2016

The article is aimed to confute the belief held about the nature of the worldview of Marcus Aurelius as pessimistic. The analysis of the “Meditations” demonstrates that the text represents a dialogue between a Stoic sage and an ordinary man, Marcus Aurelius being in the guise of both. The article proves that the guidance of the philosopher king is positive in its nature, calling one to fulfill manfully his duties aimed at the welfare of the World and Rome while manifesting love to people and showing no fear of failure, suffering or death. I conclude that a comprehensive analysis of the “Meditations” of the Roman emperor, which contains both the historical and existential background of his personality, is still necessary.

Aristoteles in Nietzsches Rhetorik-Vorlesungen: Eine kritische Rückkehr zu antiken Quellen

Author(s): Kamila Najdek / Language(s): German Issue: 61/2016

The paper’s point of departure are Nietzsche’s lectures prepared for the students of classical philology. While scrutinizying them I am trying to demonstrate that Nietzsche drew far more from the ancient philosophy than we usually assume. I believe he had a good reason to be concerned with rhetoric, even if the subject was considered of lesser importance in his days and downplayed. By asking about the importance of rhetoric he could, in anexemplary manner, realize the program delineated in his „Untimely Meditations” – he showed certain historical phenomenon, firmly rooted in the past, and confronted it with the contemporary situation; his lectures on the history of rhetoric are used to confront the modernity, as evidenced in his criticism of Victor’s Hugo left -wing demagoguery. Preserved notes and lectures show how young professor worked and the list of those subjectshe was focusing on and those he omits clearly illustrate his philosophical and aesthetic preferences. Fragments of translations of Rhetoric of Aristotle, his way of reasoning and peculiar lack of dispute with the Sophists prove that Nietzsche „enters”, so to speak, in the language of Stagirite, thus taking over his valuation of rhetorical enthymem. Consistent with the intuitions of Aristotle is Nietzsche’s assessment of the social role of the rhetoric itself. In the ideal case it is intended to establish consensus in the situations where it is impossible to know something for certain, in the case of abuse – rhetoric boils down to plain cheating. Nietzsche develops the issue of working out decision by asking about the talk itself and more precisely – about the cognitive status of the language. Lectures also shed new light on Nietzsche’s style, or, if you want, Nietzsche’s styles. On the one hand, they reveal his appreciation for the simplicity and clarity (as evidenced by the attic style preference), on the other hand – they demonstrate his knowledge of the classic figures of thought which means that the so-called „great”, bombastic style was for him a sign of irony. If you follow this path of interpretation, „Zoroaster” would be a reflection of his teachings i.e. as ironic, it would instruct to keep the distance.

LEKCJA ALKIBIADESA. RZECZ O PLATOŃSKIEJ KONCEPCJI UMIARKOWANIA

Author(s): Misza Tomaszewski / Language(s): Polish Issue: 22/2013

In this essay I aim to analyse and reconstruct the concept of σωφρο-σύνη presented in First Alcibiades as well as to place it against the background of the entire Platonic thought related to this term. 1. The problem of „taking care of oneself” (ἐπιμέλεια ἑαυτοῦ) is a central theme in the middle part of the dialogue. Its relation to σωφροσύνη can be presented using the term τέχνη. A man who takes care of himself, takes care of the “place” in a soul related to cognition and thinking. Such type of care is identical with the virtue of “sound mind”. 2. Second key problem is the one of ruling and being ruled by what is appetitive in man. Simple psychology of the author of the dialogue takes the existence of two agonistic elements in the soul: one connected with thinking and one connected with lust. By σωφροσύνη one should understand the mastery of the first over the latter. 3. Identifying two skills — knowing one’s own matters and knowing the matters of the state — with each other makes us interpret σωφροσύνη in such a way that one’s mastery over himself is a condition of his mastery over the others. Simultaneously σωφροσύνη gets very close to the border of being identified with justice (δικαιοσύνη).

SOME REMARKS ON LAGHU-TATTVA-SPHOTA XXI.9-24

Author(s): Małgorzata Glinicka / Language(s): English Issue: 29/2015

The article is aimed at analysis of 9–24 stanzas of XXI chapter of philosophical poem Laghu-tattva-sphoṭa, i.e. A Light Bursting of the Reality, authored by Amṛtachandra-sūri (10th c. A.D.), the Jain thinker. Chapter XXI is dedicated to the problem of universals and particulars, meaningful and influential subject of Indian, as well as Western philosophy.

Demokryt i zasada nieokreśloności

Author(s): Piotr Skalski / Language(s): Polish Issue: 21/2016

This article enters into dialog with Heinz Wismann’s interpretation of the Democritean atomism presented in the book Les Avatars du Vide. Ever since Barbara Cassin referred to Wismann’s work to defend her thesis of the radically non-Aristotelian character of Lacan’s thought, Wismann’s interpretation began to play a vital role in understanding Lacanian philosophy. Cassin has been followed by members of the “Slovenian group,” who used a new reading of Democritus to modify their theory.

Filozofia receptą na przetrwanie. „Potrzeba nam powrotu do via communis!” – wywiad z dr hab. prof. UR Krzysztofem Bochenkiem

Author(s): Krzysztof Bochenek,Bartłomiej Krzysztof Krzych,Kamil Olechowski / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1/2017

Mito Pasaulis Kaip Saikingumo, Moralumo Ir Būtiškumo Skleidimosi Vieta Kinikų Filosofijoje

Author(s): Vytis Valatka / Language(s): Lithuanian Issue: 75/2013

The Antique cynical philosophy earned it‘s fame by the first total anti-civilizational insurrection within the frames of history of Western culture. According to cynics, the concept of morals established by civilization destroys temperance as the fundamental principle of human being and nature, thus precluding every possibility of human happiness. Therefore human race needs to return to primordial temperance. The perfect examples of the latter were traced by cynics in the reality constructed by myths, namely, in lives of ancient Greek heroes and mythological barbarian sages and warriors as well as in equivalent of Thomas More’s Utopia – remote imaginary island “Pera”. The cases of sanctions following violation of natural temperance are also taken from mythical world. The best pattern for that is an interpretation of Prometheus’ fate. According to cynics, this titan, so honored and worshiped in Ancient Greece, nevertheless was rightly hammered to a rock, since the fire he brought was the first reversion of mankind from primordial temperance and, eventually, the first step to civilization, which brought with itself effeminacy, laxity and surplus of pleasures. Although patterns of natural temperance were found in mythical world, cynics believed that this world may and should be translated into reality. Continual askesis – practice of temperance for both body and soul – was regarded as the only instrument for such a realization. According to cynics, body must be strengthened by gymnastics, exercises of endurance and manual work whereas soul must be fortified by education.

Plotino „Mąstymo Gyvenimo (Ζωή)“ Ir „Mąstymo Kaip Aktualaus Veikimo (ἐνέργεια)“ Koncepcijų Lyginamoji Analizė

Author(s): Rasius Makselis / Language(s): Lithuanian Issue: 74/2013

The article presents a comparative analysis of the Plotinian concepts of the Life of Intellect and the Intellect as energeia. Analysis identifies their interrelations, similarities of argumentation, and the ways in which they support and compliment each other. Plotinus attributes qualities of self-sufficiency, self-containment, and constant self-subsistence without any external influence to the noetic activity of Intellect and to its ontological aspect (Intellect as Being). The concept of Intellect as energeia appears to be the key element in attempts to understand the way in which the doctrine of the Life of Intellect combines apparently opposed static and dynamic aspects.

Plotino „Mąstymo Gyvenimo“ Koncepcijos Ištakos Ir Termino „Ζωή“ Vartojimo Eneadose Aspektai

Author(s): Rasius Makselis / Language(s): Lithuanian Issue: 73/2012

This article is devoted to an analysis of Plotinus’ concept of „Life of the Intellect“. Scholarly discussion about this concept reveals the apparent contradictions between its eternal static state of rest and its emphatically dynamic vitalism. The article attemtps to demonstrate that a number of ambivalent elements of Plotinius‘s concept of „Life of the Intellect“ are caused by relevant theories of his predesesors, most notably, Plato and Aristotle. An analysis of the usage of terms ζωή and βίος in the Enneads shows that Plotinus is using them in a systematic and consistent manner. It seems obvious that Plotinus is himself aware of the ambiquity of his doctrine of the „Life of the intellect“ and difficulties caused by attempts to speak about „life“ in different levels of his metaphysical universe.

Faidonas: Filosofavimas Kaip „Antrasis Plaukimas“

Author(s): Skirmantas Jankauskas / Language(s): Lithuanian Issue: 72/2012

This article continues my analysis and interpretation of Phaedo’s arguments for the soul’s immortality. However, the article begins with the analysis of a counterargument, i.e. with the analysis of Platonic criticism of the view that the soul is a harmony. While the criticism stands in disarray with the overall context of the dialogue, it is assumed that Plato’s tries to discredit an aspect of the traditional concept of the soul, which is not consistent with his concept of the soul as the subject of ethical thinking. It shown in the analysis of the ontological argument for the soul’s immortality that Plato takes into account a new cognitive pattern of the previously modified subject of philosophizing and identifies ontological entities which are alternative to those that are supposed by the ontology of daily thinking. The new ontological items – invisible entities – are then used as underlying assumptions of the axiological argument for the soul’s immortality. It is supposed that the main goal of this argument is to shape the new way of philosophizing that is presupposed by the modified concept of the soul. Plato criticizes a previous spontaneous or uncontrolled way of philosophizing and offers an alternative to it – the so called „second voyage”, which presumes the possibility of managing the direction of thinking by way of a conscious choice of initial assumptions and by the consequent logical reasoning of their conclusions. It is demonstrated that the “second voyage” or “vertical” cognitive strategy exploits mathematical thinking skills and that it should be treated as a way to isolate philosophizing from the contents of daily thinking and as the way to concentrate on the formal aspect of philosophizing, namely, on theoretical thinking. Whereas Phaedo ends with Plato’s rephrased myth about Hades, the article concludes with the consideration of the ethical intentions of the dialogue. It is shown that inevitable court procedure and the hierarchical topology of Hades are the guarantees of Justice, which in turn is one of the obligatory assumptions of ethical behavior.

Faidonas: Filosofavimo Subjekto Demarkavimo Problema

Author(s): Skirmantas Jankauskas / Language(s): Lithuanian Issue: 71/2012

In the Phaedo, Plato discussed the soul. It was Socrates who included the soul on the agenda of philosophy. In his ardent polemics with sophists, Socrates promoted an alternative man measure. Socrates spoke of the need to take care of the soul by making it better. Plato attempted to reconstruct theoretically the practical philosophizing of Socrates. So Plato was compelled to define the subject of the imperative as well as the preconditions that make sense of the imperative. Sensual soul or body, which already has been defined by sophists as the anonymous subject of pragmatic or daily thinking, was taken as the starting point for the definition of the soul as a subject of ethically specified philosophizing. Following Heraclitus, daily thinking and its subject were related to death. In opposition to them, philosophical thinking and its subject were marked with a meaning of immortality. Therefore, the definition of the subject of ethically modified philosophizing turned into theoretical arguments for the soul’s immortality. This article attempts to reconstruct those aspects of the new subject of philosophizing which became apparent in the dialectical and gnoseological arguments for the soul’s immortality. The dialectical argument for the soul’s immortality rests on the ambiguity of speech that in synoptical thinking is ontologically interpreted as an ambiguity of reality. The latter assumption presupposes an alternative to daily thinking and demarcates the traditional image of the soul from the area of daily thinking. The gnoseological argument for the soul’s immortality departs from the gnoseology of daily thinking and constructs a theory of recollection as a specific cognitive feature of the ethically specified soul.

Stoicizmo Vaidmuo Legitimuojant Helenisti Nę Monarchiją

Author(s): Raimondas Kazlauskas / Language(s): Lithuanian Issue: 69/2011

The article considers the development of judicial awareness in Ancient Greece. Plato and Aristotle believed that the polis can is subdue strength to the control of reason. However, contradictions between the polis and prominent personalities make that an illusion. The stoic conception of natural law (nomos physeos), generated the theoretical basis for the concept of Hellenistic monarch as the law incarnated (nomos empsychos). The emergence of mass society and of collective awareness necessitated the origination of a new political decision center capable of meeting effectively the new political challenges in new circumstances. The pivotal idea of the center is nomos empsychos (law incarnated), namely, the monarch who, inspired by god, represents paideia and the new principle of justice and order. The person of the Hellenistic monarch becomes the natural prototype of the concept of man.

Jėgos Teisė Ir Teisės Jėga Formuojantis Helenistinei Autokratijai

Author(s): Raimondas Kazlauskas / Language(s): Lithuanian Issue: 68/2011

The article considers the development of judicial awareness in Ancient Greece. It focuses on the two relatively autonomous elements of Greek civilization – might and right – and on their historical interdependence. An almost permanent state of war, the pursuit of practical efficiency, and the specialization of race fragmented the social solidarity of Greek city-states. During the classical and post-classical period, the forms of governance continued to develop in Greek city-states. Hellenism was a dominant form of political regime. It was autocratic; it was legitimized by the new principle of of order and justice prevalent at that time – the fortune of the charismatic monarch (tyche). Under the influence of political and religious demagogues, democracy gradually, but quickly enough, degenerated into autocracy based upon the religious philanthropy and political handouts by some influential and rich people.

Antikos Kinikų Iššūkis Šiuolaikiniam Pasauliui: Vaistai Chroniškai Civilizacijos Ligai Gydyti

Author(s): Vytis Valatka / Language(s): Lithuanian Issue: 66/2011

This article analyses one of the most important and interesting aspects of ancient Greek cynicism. Namely, the diagnosis of the main disease of ancient Greek civilization – the chase of surplus of pleasures – is investigated. The author of the article also explores radical temperance as the only remedy prescribed for that malignant malady together with askesis – the recipe for production of that remedy. The relevance of such a remedy to the modern form of above mentioned malady is as well analyzed. The article comes to conclusion that radical temperance once proposed by cynics is simply an overbitter and overtough tablet for unduly squeamish stomach of contemporary man. Meanwhile, the milder and softer variant of that tablet could contribute to mitigation of eternal malaise of civilization. That is, not radical but considerably milder form of temperance, which could be entitled the sense of proportion in everything; not ultimate constraint on human needs but just a reduction of consummation, could become contemporary means of prophylaxis. Similarly, askesis of ancient Greek cynics deprived of its radical dimension could become one of possible ways to achieve above mentioned sense of proportion.