Ancient Greek Philosophers

[Jerusalem]

2 Questions:

1.) Do we have the original writings of all or many of the Greek philosophers?
2.) Is there an anthology series with their original writings floating somewhere in the
library world?

This is a cite below with 118 total~do we have most of their original works or not

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Ancient_Greek_philosophers

 

[Areopagite]

1.) Do we have the original writings of all or many of the Greek philosophers?

We definitely do not have all of them. I believe a good chunk of Aristotle’s writings were lost (). We really only have quote from the Pre-Socratics thanks to other philosopher’s quoting them. But oftentimes these are just fragments.

Personally, I don’t know if anyone knows how many writings of the Greek philosophers have survived.

2.) Is there an anthology series with their original writings floating somewhere in the
library world?

That’s a good question. I’d like to know that too.

I would assume, though, pretty much everything of them could be found online now. But maybe not.

Honestly, though, there’s not too much philosophy worth reading after Aristotle. I’m pretty serious though.

 

[punkforchrist]

You can find a lot of the writings of the Stoics. I’m currently working my way through Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and Seneca, among others. I agree with Areopagite for the most part, though. Philosophy begins and ends with Aristotle* (and not Plato, contra popular opinion ).

A.H. Armstrong has a good overview of the ancient philosophers, including the Pre-Socratics. amazon.com/Introduction-Ancient-Philosophy-Littlefield-Paperback/dp/0822604183/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254763649&sr=1-1

Hericlitus provides some good reading, too. amazon.com/Heraclitus-Translation-Analysis-Dennis-Sweet/dp/0761833676/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254763864&sr=1-1

*Of course, philosophy ultimately begins and ends with God.

 

[Bluegoat]

You can find a lot of the writings of the Stoics. I’m currently working my way through Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and Seneca, among others. I agree with Areopagite for the most part, though. Philosophy begins and ends with Aristotle* (and not Plato, contra popular opinion ).

A.H. Armstrong has a good overview of the ancient philosophers, including the Pre-Socratics. amazon.com/Introduction-Ancient-Philosophy-Littlefield-Paperback/dp/0822604183/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254763649&sr=1-1

Hericlitus provides some good reading, too. amazon.com/Heraclitus-Translation-Analysis-Dennis-Sweet/dp/0761833676/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254763864&sr=1-1

*Of course, philosophy ultimately begins and ends with God.

I studied philosophy in the department A.H Armstrong had worked in, although he had died before I got there. But all the other profs had known him and we used that text for the introductory class. I agree it is an excellent book.

I’ll just agree with what the other posters have said - much of the pre-Socratic stuff is only fragmentary, though we have all of the poem by Parmenides, which is important in understanding Plato. We have lots of Plato. Most of Aristotle’s written works, which were apparently beautifully written, were lost. What we have is more like class notes students took, and reads like them too.

There is lots of neoplatonic material as well as Stoics, Epicureans, etc. But what you define as Greek gets more and more foggy as time goes on, especially once Rome comes into power.

 

[geometer]

Classic greek writng

 

[screwtape]

All the great philosophers where Catholic, Mortimer Adler, Thomas Aquinas,Sylvester Mazzolini, Frederick Neitzke, Aristotle, etc. etc …Screw

 

[thechristian]

I don’t believe in the philosphies of man…I think they were demon delusioned men and that in the chritian faith there is know room for it…and that it only brings on more demon delusion and seperates us from God.

God loves you…God bless

 

[LisaA]

The “Great Courses” series has many Greek philosophers historical classes on DVD/CD. I’ve purchased a number of these courses and have found them very well done. The website is www.teach12.com. They have sales so you can purchase them reasonably.

They also have many religiougs and philosophical courses. I learned a great deal from the series on Augustine, Paul and among my favorite modern philosophers, C.S. Lewis.

Lisa A

 

[tqualey]

Hi, Thechristian,

I am not sure it is a matter of ‘belief’ so much as a way of looking at the world in a logical manner. These ancient Greeks were ‘just starting out’ - and look at what they accomplished in establishing Western Thought. It was this same basis that allowed for the Early Chruch Fathers and Doctors to present their writings about God in a consistent and logical manner… and it was the people they were writing to (and part of that number would include us… ) to follow their writings in a logical and ordered manner.

I don’t believe in the philosphies of man…I think they were demon delusioned men and that in the chritian faith there is know room for it…and that it only brings on more demon delusion and seperates us from God.

God loves you…God bless

God has chosen to work through men - and God gave us a mind to use to know Him and to love Him and to serve Him. We really could not do this without a systematic manner of presenting and understanding ideas.

Look at how this List works: someone presents an idea. It may be a good idea poor stated, or a poor idea well stated. it goes out to the entire world to see who will find it and comment on it. For those that agree - great. For those who disagree, we are expected to place our ideas in an ordered and logical fashion (hopefully, I have do this…) and simply state what it is that is the cause of the disagreement. The basis for this type of dialogue comes from the Ancient Greeks.

Truly I think that lumping them all into ‘demon deluson’ misses the contribution made to Western Civilization and understates the Hand of God in guiding these pagans into searching for God in their own way as their fulfillment in their understanding of the beautiful of philosophy (God as we would see Him)

God bless

 

[PoliSciProf]

I would check out the Loeb Classical Library series as the most complete account of Greek and Roman writing available today. hup.harvard.edu/loeb/

 

[uscav_21]

No there is no grand collection from all the philosophers from the ancient Greeks. However, if you want a good book that includes many of these than you should check into a book called “Classics of Western Philosophy”. The book has a good collection from many big figures within Western Philosophy, starting with the ancient Greeks. Philosophy is often feared but should not be. I am a catholic who has studied Philosophy at a secular state university and found some things out. When I first started many told me that I would be in a major full of atheist professors and students. However why this was the case for some of them, I was not alone in my faith as a Christian. The ones that were atheist did not try and argue with us Christians on our views at all; in fact they were very respectful as we were to them as well. All arguments religious or secular, was examined in a very professional academic manner. It was a wonderful experience and we covered many philosophers from different backgrounds. The thought process behind philosophy is very amazing and clarity and logic are at the forefront of this method of thinking. If anything my studies of philosophy only made me more capable of defending my faith.

 

[Aaron_I]

Frederick Copleston, S.J. wrote an excellent 9 volume History of Philosophy. The first volume is on the Greeks. The work was actually intended by Copleston to be used in Catholic seminaries, meaning that Copleston brings out the development of different philosophical trends with respect to their pertinence to the Catholic faith, specifically Scholasticism. I’ve only read parts myself, but it’s supposed to be excellent (a consensus opinion of Catholics and non-Catholics alike).

 

[Bluegoat]

Frederick Copleston, S.J. wrote an excellent 9 volume History of Philosophy. The first volume is on the Greeks. The work was actually intended by Copleston to be used in Catholic seminaries, meaning that Copleston brings out the development of different philosophical trends with respect to their pertinence to the Catholic faith, specifically Scholasticism. I’ve only read parts myself, but it’s supposed to be excellent (a consensus opinion of Catholics and non-Catholics alike).

Yes, it is a very good history. You can often find it in used book stores, though you may have to hunt to get all the volumes.