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Ancient Greek Philosophy - General & Miscellaneous
Cynics by William Desmond β€” book cover

Cynics

by William Desmond
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Overview

"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 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 presents the first general survey of Cynicism in antiquity for over fifty years. Drawing on a wealth of new research, William Desmond offers a comprehensive study of the most important ancient Cynics and their ideas, examining their rejection of various traditional customs and the rebellious life-style for which they were notorious. Desmond considers both the fragmentary ancient evidence on the Cynics and the historical interpretations that have shaped Cynic philosophy over later centuries.

Synopsis

"A clear and readily accessible introduction to Cynicism."—Margarethe Billerbeck, University of Fribourg

About the Author, William Desmond

William Desmond is Lecturer in Philosophy at the Milltown
Institute, Dublin, and author of The Greek Praise of Poverty: Origins of Ancient Cynicism.

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Book Details

Published
October 1, 2008
Publisher
University of California Press
Pages
296
Format
Paperback
ISBN
9780520258617

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