Classical Cynicism

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Classical Cynicism

Author : Luis Navia
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN 13 : 0313029709
Total Pages : 241 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (13 download)

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Book Synopsis Classical Cynicism by : Luis Navia

Download or read book Classical Cynicism written by Luis Navia and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 1996-10-11 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: More than a school of philosophy with a defined set of beliefs and convictions, classical Cynicism represents an unconventional sect of philosophers and a way of life. This is a complete account of classical Cynicism from its beginnings in the Socratic circle to its extinction in late Roman times. In this thoroughly documented study, Navia explores various issues related to the sources of information about the Cynics, the development of Cynicism, and the principal representatives of classical Cynicism. Exploring the relationship between classical Cynicism and cynicism as understood in its ordinary modern sense, the author argues that despite their common designation, they represent significantly different philosophical attitudes. This book explicates the main ideas associated with classical Cynicism and argues that, its shortcomings notwithstanding, classical Cynicism furnishes us with a wealthy source of philosophical enlightenment. Individual chapters are devoted to Antisthenes, Diogenes, and Crates, the three principal classical Cynics. Attention is given to the development and application of certain fundamental Cynic ideas and to the transformation of these ideas throughout the eight centuries during which Cynicism was an influential philosophical movement. The book provides abundant references to primary and secondary sources and includes a bibliography of over five hundred entries.

Cynics

Author : William Desmond
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1317492862
Total Pages : 297 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (174 download)

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Book Synopsis Cynics by : William Desmond

Download or read book Cynics written by William Desmond and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-12-05 with total page 297 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Once regarded as a minor Socratic school, Cynicism is now admired as one of the more creative and influential philosophical movements in antiquity. First arising in the city-states of late classical Greece, Cynicism thrived through the Hellenistic and Roman periods, until the triumph of Christianity and the very end of pagan antiquity. In every age down to the present, its ideals of radical simplicity and freedom have alternately inspired and disturbed onlookers. This book offers a survey of Cynicism, its varied representatives and ideas, and the many contexts in which it operated. William Desmond introduces important ancient Cynics and their times, from Diogenes 'the Dog' in the fourth century BC to Sallustius in the fifth century AD. He details the Cynics' rejection of various traditional customs and the rebellious life-style for which they are notorious.The central chapters locate major Cynic themes (nature and the natural life, Fortune, self-sufficiency, cosmopolitanism) within the rich matrix of ideas debated by the ancient schools. The final chapter reviews some moments in the diverse legacy of Cynicism, from Jesus to Nietzsche.

The Function of Cynicism at the Present Time

Author : Helen Small
Publisher : Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN 13 : 0198861931
Total Pages : 281 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (988 download)

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Book Synopsis The Function of Cynicism at the Present Time by : Helen Small

Download or read book The Function of Cynicism at the Present Time written by Helen Small and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2020-06-29 with total page 281 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cynicism is usually seen as a provocative mode of dissent from conventional moral thought, casting doubt on the motives that guide right conduct. When critics today complain that it is ubiquitous but lacks the serious bite of classical Cynicism, they express concern that it can now only be corrosively negative. The Function of Cynicism at the Present Time takes a more balanced view. Re-evaluating the role of cynicism in literature, cultural criticism, and philosophy from 1840 to the present, it treats cynic confrontationalism as a widely-employed credibility-check on the promotion of moral ideals--with roots in human psychology. Helen Small investigates how writers have engaged with Cynic traditions of thought, and later more gestural styles of cynicism, to re-calibrate dominant moral values, judgements of taste, and political agreements. The argument develops through a series of cynic challenges to accepted moral thinking: Friedrich Nietzsche on morality; Thomas Carlyle v. J. S. Mill on the permissible limits of moral provocation; Arnold on the freedom of criticism; George Eliot and Ford Madox Ford on cosmopolitanism; Bertrand Russell, John Dewey, and Laura Kipnis on the conditions of work in the university. The Function of Cynicism treats topics of present-day public concern: abrasive styles of public argument; debasing challenges to conventional morality; free speech, moral controversialism; the authority of reason and the limits of that authority; nationalism and resistance to nationalism; and liberty of expression as a core principle of the university.

The Greek Praise of Poverty

Author : William D. Desmond
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 264 pages
Book Rating : 4.F/5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis The Greek Praise of Poverty by : William D. Desmond

Download or read book The Greek Praise of Poverty written by William D. Desmond and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: William Desmond, taking issue with common popular and scholarlyviews of the ancient Greek Cynics, contends that early Cynics likeAntisthenes and Diogenes were not cultural outcasts or marginal voicesin classical culture; rather, the Cynic movement through the fourthcentury B.C. had deep and significant roots in what Desmond calls theGreek praise of poverty. Desmond demonstrates that classical views ofwealth were complex and allowed for the admiration of poverty and thevirtues it could inspire. He explains Cynicism's rise in popularity in theancient world by exploring the set of attitudes that collectively formedthe Greek praise of poverty. Desmond argues that in the fifth and fourthcenturies B.C., economic, political, military, and philosophical thoughtcontained explicit criticisms of wealth and praise of poverty.

Cynicism and Christianity in Antiquity

Author : Marie-Odile Goulet-Caze
Publisher : William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
ISBN 13 : 9780802875556
Total Pages : 272 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (755 download)

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Book Synopsis Cynicism and Christianity in Antiquity by : Marie-Odile Goulet-Caze

Download or read book Cynicism and Christianity in Antiquity written by Marie-Odile Goulet-Caze and published by William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. This book was released on 2019-08-15 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A literary tour de force that analyzes and refutes the hypothesis that Jesus was a Cynic Was Jesus really a Cynic? This book examines the arguments submitted by some New Testament scholars who believe that Jesus and his disciples were influenced by the ethics and social behaviors of Cynic preachers in Galilee. In examining the "Cynic Jesus hypothesis," Marie-Odile Goulet-Cazé offers a reliable, accessible, and fully documented summary of Cynicism and its ideas, from Diogenes to the Imperial Period, and she investigates the extent and nature of contact between Cynics and Jewish people, especially in the first century BCE and CE. While recognizing similarities between the ideas and morals of ancient Cynicism and those evident in early Christian movements, Goulet-Cazé identifies more significant, fundamental differences between them in terms of culture, theology, and worldview.

The Cynic Philosophers

Author : Diogenes of Sinope
Publisher : Penguin UK
ISBN 13 : 0141939303
Total Pages : 281 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (419 download)

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Book Synopsis The Cynic Philosophers by : Diogenes of Sinope

Download or read book The Cynic Philosophers written by Diogenes of Sinope and published by Penguin UK. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 281 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Poverty does not consist in the want of money,' I answered, 'nor is begging to be deplored. Poverty consists in the desire to have everything, and through violent means if necessary' From their founding in the fifth century BC and for over 800 years, the Cynic philosophers sought to cure humanity of greed and vice with their proposal of living simply. They guaranteed happiness to their adherents through freedom of speech, poverty, self-sufficiency and physical hardiness. In this fascinating and completely new collection of Cynic writing through the centuries, from Diogenes and Hipparchia, to Lucian and the Roman emperor Julian, the history and experiences of the Cynic philosophers are explored to the full. Robert Dobbin's introduction examines the public image of the Cynics through the ages, as well as the philosophy's contradictions and how their views on women were centuries ahead of their time. This edition also includes notes on the text, chronology, glossary and suggested further reading. Translated, edited and with an introduction by Robert Dobbin

Cynicism

Author : Ansgar Allen
Publisher : MIT Press
ISBN 13 : 0262537885
Total Pages : 282 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (625 download)

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Book Synopsis Cynicism by : Ansgar Allen

Download or read book Cynicism written by Ansgar Allen and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2020-05-05 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A short history of cynicism, from the fearless speech of the ancient Greeks to the jaded negativity of the present. Everyone's a cynic, yet few will admit it. Today's cynics excuse themselves half-heartedly—“I hate to be a cynic, but..."—before making their pronouncements. Narrowly opportunistic, always on the take, contemporary cynicism has nothing positive to contribute. The Cynicism of the ancient Greeks, however, was very different. This Cynicism was a marginal philosophy practiced by a small band of eccentrics. Bold and shameless, it was committed to transforming the values on which civilization depends. In this volume of the MIT Press Essential Knowledge series, Ansgar Allen charts the long history of cynicism, from the “fearless speech” of Greek Cynics in the fourth century BCE to the contemporary cynic's lack of social and political convictions. Allen describes ancient Cynicism as an improvised philosophy and a way of life disposed to scandalize contemporaries, subjecting their cultural commitments to derision. He chronicles the subsequent “purification” of Cynicism by the Stoics; Renaissance and Enlightenment appropriations of Cynicism, drawing on the writings of Shakespeare, Rabelais, Rousseau, de Sade, and others; and the transition from Cynicism (the philosophy) to cynicism (the modern attitude), exploring contemporary cynicism from the perspectives of its leftist, liberal, and conservative critics. Finally, he considers the possibility of a radical cynicism that admits and affirms the danger it poses to contemporary society.

The Cynics

Author : R. Bracht Branham
Publisher : Univ of California Press
ISBN 13 : 0520921984
Total Pages : 474 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (29 download)

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Book Synopsis The Cynics by : R. Bracht Branham

Download or read book The Cynics written by R. Bracht Branham and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2023-07-28 with total page 474 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This collection of essays—the first of its kind in English—brings together the work of an international group of scholars examining the entire tradition associated with the ancient Cynics. The essays give a history of the movement as well as a state-of-the-art account of the literary, philosophical and cultural significance of Cynicism from antiquity to the present. Arguably the most original and influential branch of the Socratic tradition, Cynicism has become the focus of renewed scholarly interest in recent years, thanks to the work of Sloterdijk, Foucault, and Bakhtin, among others. The contributors to this volume—classicists, comparatists, and philosophers—draw on a variety of methodologies to explore the ethical, social and cultural practices inspired by the Cynics. The volume also includes an introduction, appendices, and an annotated bibliography, making it a valuable resource for a broad audience.

Overcoming Cynicism,

Author : Megan Mustain
Publisher : A&C Black
ISBN 13 : 1441115226
Total Pages : 196 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (411 download)

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Book Synopsis Overcoming Cynicism, by : Megan Mustain

Download or read book Overcoming Cynicism, written by Megan Mustain and published by A&C Black. This book was released on 2011-01-13 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: >

The Cynic Enlightenment

Author : Louisa Shea
Publisher : JHU Press
ISBN 13 : 0801897068
Total Pages : 285 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (18 download)

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Book Synopsis The Cynic Enlightenment by : Louisa Shea

Download or read book The Cynic Enlightenment written by Louisa Shea and published by JHU Press. This book was released on 2010-01-01 with total page 285 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This original study reveals the importance of ancient Cynicism in defining the Enlightenment and its legacy. Louisa Shea explores modernity's debt to Cynicism by examining the works of thinkers who turned to the ancient Cynics as a model for reinventing philosophy and dared to imagine an alliance between a socially engaged Enlightenment and the least respectable of early Greek philosophies. While Cynicism has always resided on the fringes of philosophy, Shea argues, it remained a vital touchstone for writers committed to social change and helped define the emerging figure of the public intellectual in the 18th century. Shea's study brings to light the rich legacy of ancient Cynicism in modern intellectual, philosophical, and literary life, both in the 18th-century works of Diderot, Rousseau, Wieland, and Sade, and in recent writings by Michel Foucault and Peter Sloterdijk. Featuring an important new perspective on both Enlightenment thought and its current scholarly reception, The Cynic Enlightenment will interest students and scholars of the Enlightenment and its intellectual legacy, 18th-century studies, literature, and philosophy.

The Making of Modern Cynicism

Author : David Mazella
Publisher : University of Virginia Press
ISBN 13 : 9780813926155
Total Pages : 326 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (261 download)

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Book Synopsis The Making of Modern Cynicism by : David Mazella

Download or read book The Making of Modern Cynicism written by David Mazella and published by University of Virginia Press. This book was released on 2007 with total page 326 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Asks: how did ancient Cynic philosophy come to provide a name for its modern, unphilosophical counterpart, and what events caused such a dramatic reversal of cynicism's former meanings? This work traces the concept of cynicism from its origins as a philosophical way of life in Greek antiquity.

Sayings and Anecdotes

Author : Diogenes
Publisher : Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN 13 : 0199589240
Total Pages : 308 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (995 download)

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Book Synopsis Sayings and Anecdotes by : Diogenes

Download or read book Sayings and Anecdotes written by Diogenes and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2012-05-10 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A unique edition of the sayings of Diogenes, whose biting wit and eccentricity inspired the anecdotes that express his Cynic philosophy. It includes the accounts of his immediate successors, such as Crates and Hipparchia, and the witty moral preacher Bion. The contrasting teachings of the Cyrenaics and the hedonistic Aristippos complete the volume.

A History of Cynicism - From Diogenes to the 6th Century A.D.

Author : Donald R. Dudley
Publisher : Mayo Press
ISBN 13 : 144372176X
Total Pages : 244 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (437 download)

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Book Synopsis A History of Cynicism - From Diogenes to the 6th Century A.D. by : Donald R. Dudley

Download or read book A History of Cynicism - From Diogenes to the 6th Century A.D. written by Donald R. Dudley and published by Mayo Press. This book was released on 2008-11 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A HISTORY OF CYNICISM- From Diogenes to the 6 th Century A. D. by DONALD R. DUDLEY. Contents include: INTRODUCTION ix I ANTISTHENES. NO DIRECT CONNEXION WITH CYNICS. HIS ETHICS I II DIOGENES AND HIS ASSOCIATES 17 a DIOGENES IN LITERARY TRADITIONLIFE THOUGHT b ONESICRATUS 39 c MONIMUS 40 d CRATES LIFE WRITINGS CRATES AND HIPPARCHIA 42 III 9 CYNICISM IN THE THIRD CENTURY B. C. 59 a BION 62 b MENIPPUS 69 c CERCIDAS 74 d TELES 84 e CYNIC EDUCATIONAL THEORY, ETC. 87 IV CYNICISM AND THE PHILOSOPHICAL SCHOOLS IN THE THIRD CENTURY 95 a THE MEGARIANS 95 b ZENO 96 c ARISTON IOO d HEDONISTS IO3 e EPICUREANS I O6 TIMON 107 V CYNIC INFLUENCE ON HELLENISTIC LITERATURE IIO VI CYNICISM IN THE SECOND AND FIRST CENTURIES B. C. 117 VII DEMETRIUS. THE PHILOSOPHIC OPPOSITION IN THE FIRST CENTURY A. D. 125 vii viii A HISTORY OF CYNICISM CHAP. PAGf VIII CYNICISM IN THE SECOND CENTURY A. D. 143 a GENERAL CHARACTER 143 b DIG CHRYSOSTOM 148 c DEMONAX 158 d OENOMAUS l62 e PEREGRINUS 170 MINOR FIGURES 1 82 IX CYNICISM AND THE PHILOSOPHIC SCHOOLS IN THE FIRST AND SECOND CENTURIES A. D. 1 86 a PHILO b CYNICS AND STOICS OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE c FAVORINUS d MAXIMUS X CYNICISM FROM THE THIRD TO THE SIXTH CENTURIES A. D. 2, Q2 a JULIAN AND THE CYNICS b MAXIMUS c ASTERIUS d SALLUSTIUS EPILOGUE 209 APPENDICES 215 INDEX 223. INTRODUCTION: THE Emperor Julian, speaking of the Cynic philosophy, says that it has been practised in all ages ... it does not need any special study, one need only hearken to the god of Delphi when he enjoins the precepts know thyself and alter the currency . In claiming the Delphic god as the founder of Cynicism Julian is guilty of an obvious anachronism for Cynicism cannot be shown to antedate Diogenes of Sinope. But from the fourth century B. C. Cynicism endured to the last days of the ancient world Cynics were common in the days of Augustine they may have been known in the Empire of Byzantium. Long life is not of itself a criterion of worth and it cannot be denied that Cynicism survived when much of immeasurably greater intellectual value perished. To the student of ancient philosophy there is in Cynicism scarcely more than a rudimentary and debased version of the ethics of Socrates, which exaggerates his austerity to a fanatic asceticism, hardens his irony to sardonic laughter at the follies of man kind, and affords no parallel to his genuine love of knowledge. Well might Plato have said of the first and greatest Cynic, That man is Socrates gone mad. But to the student of social history, and of ancient thought as distinct from philosophy, there is much of interest in Cynicism...

Diogenes the Cynic

Author : Luis E. Navia
Publisher : Prometheus Books
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 264 pages
Book Rating : 4.F/5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis Diogenes the Cynic by : Luis E. Navia

Download or read book Diogenes the Cynic written by Luis E. Navia and published by Prometheus Books. This book was released on 2005 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For over eight hundred years, philosophers--men and women--who called themselves Cynics, literally "dogs" in their language, roamed the streets and byways of the Hellenistic world, teaching strange ideas and practicing a bizarre way of life. Among them, the most important and distinctive was Diogenes of Sinope, who became the archetype of Classical Cynicism. In this comprehensive, thoroughly researched, and engaging book, philosopher Luis E. Navia undertakes the task of reconstructing Diogenes' life and extracting from him lessons that are valuable in our time. The book is divided into five chapters. Chapter 1 provides a biographical sketch of Diogenes constructed on the basis of ancient testimonies. In Chapter 2, the practice of Cynicism, as exemplified by Diogenes, is elucidated. This "war against the world," as Navia describes it, especially the rhetoric of Cynicism, was the primary medium used by the Cynics to convey their message. Chapter 3 clarifies the roots and basis of the Cynic metamorphosis, that is, the process by which Diogenes transformed himself into a dog. This process involves complex psychological, sociological, and philosophical factors, chief among which was Socrates' influence on Diogenes through the agency of Antisthenes. Chapter 4 reconstructs the philosophy of Diogenes by identifying twelve principles of his thought. In Chapter 5, the influence of Diogenes is discussed. Navia emphasizes the vast difference between Diogenes' ideas and style of life on the one hand and, on the other, what is nowadays called cynicism. The book provides abundant references to ancient testimonies and modern scholarship. It includes an extensively annotated translation of Diogenes Laertius's biography of Diogenes and a comprehensive bibliography.

Anecdotes of the Cynics

Author :
Publisher : Penguin UK
ISBN 13 : 0241251486
Total Pages : 64 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (412 download)

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Download or read book Anecdotes of the Cynics written by and published by Penguin UK. This book was released on 2016-03-03 with total page 64 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'It's you who are the dogs...' What makes us happy? For over 800 years the Cynic philosophers of ancient Greece and Rome argued that the answer lay in a simple, self-sufficient life. One of 46 new books in the bestselling Little Black Classics series, to celebrate the first ever Penguin Classic in 1946. Each book gives readers a taste of the Classics' huge range and diversity, with works from around the world and across the centuries - including fables, decadence, heartbreak, tall tales, satire, ghosts, battles and elephants.

Artful Immorality - Variants of Cynicism

Author : Daniel Scott Mayfield
Publisher : ISSN
ISBN 13 : 9783110438482
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (384 download)

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Book Synopsis Artful Immorality - Variants of Cynicism by : Daniel Scott Mayfield

Download or read book Artful Immorality - Variants of Cynicism written by Daniel Scott Mayfield and published by ISSN. This book was released on 2015 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When a term is overused, it tends to fall out of fashion. Cynicism seems to be an exception. Its polytropic versatility apparently prevents any discontinuation of its application. Everyone knows that cynicism denotes that which is deemed deleterious at a given time; and every time will specify its toxicities - the apparent result being the term's non-specificity. This study describes the cynical stance and statement so as to render the term's use scholarly expedient. Close readings of textual sources commonly deemed cynical provide a legible starting point. A rhetorical analysis of aphorisms ascribed to the arch-Cynic Diogenes facilitates describing the design of cynical statements, as well as the characteristic features of the cynical stance. These patterns are identifiable in later texts generally labeled cynical - above all in Machiavelli's Principe. With recourse to the Diogenical archetype, cynicism is likewise rendered describable in Graci n's Or culo manual, Diderot's Le neveu de Rameau, and Nietzsche's Posthumous Fragments. This study's description of cynicism provides a phenomenon otherwise considered amorphous with distinct contours, renders transparent its workings, and tenders a dependable basis for further analyses.

Antisthenes of Athens

Author : Susan Prince
Publisher : University of Michigan Press
ISBN 13 : 0472119346
Total Pages : 785 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (721 download)

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Book Synopsis Antisthenes of Athens by : Susan Prince

Download or read book Antisthenes of Athens written by Susan Prince and published by University of Michigan Press. This book was released on 2015-12-03 with total page 785 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Antisthenes was famous in antiquity for his studies of Homer's poems, his affiliation with Gorgias and the sophistic movement, his pure Attic writing style, and his inspiration of Diogenes of Sinope, who founded the Cynic philosophical movement. Antisthenes stands at two of the greatest turning points in ancient intellectual history: from pre-Socraticism to Socraticism, and from classical Athens to the Hellenistic period. Antisthenes' works form the path to a better understanding of the intellectual culture of Athens that shaped Plato and laid the foundations for Hellenistic philosophy and literature. Antisthenes of Athens keeps in mind the goals and polemics framing each philosophical and textual discussion. The volume considers the ancient traditions about Antisthenes' rejection of Plato's "Theory of Forms," his assertion of the paradox, "It is impossible to gainsay," and his denial that definition of essence is possible, as well as the plausible intentions of Antisthenes. In cases where these questions are not easily settled, and where modern interpretation has varied, Susan H. Prince identifies the roots of the disagreements. The goal and meaning of Antisthenes' other famous ancient paradox, "I would rather go mad than have pleasure," is illuminated by comparison with other evidence showing that pleasure does have a place in his ideology. Evidence for his relationship to Diogenes of Sinope, and for his receptions by the Cynics, Stoics, Skeptics, Christians, and Neo-Pagans is examined for both its historical value and its distorting tendencies.