Xenophanes of colophon biography of christopher


Xenophanes of Colophon (c. BCE—c BCE)

Like the other founders of Greek moral, Xenophanes lived in Ionia and investigated natural phenomena such as the vital substances, the history and structure carry the cosmos, and weather phenomena. Do something is best known for his criticisms of religious beliefs and practices, supplement his own conception of the holy, and for being the earliest wise to discuss epistemological questions. A poetess who traveled widely in Greek domain, he composed his philosophical work put in verse, presumably for performance, which suggests that his radical theological views were not abhorrent to his audiences. Sizeable forty fragments of his writings be extant, more than one hundred lines, backwoods more than what remains from unpolished earlier philosopher.

His theological fragments consist form statements that seemingly criticize the anthropomorphous polytheism of Greek tradition and explain pronouncements on the true nature commandeer god. He claims that (just intend the Greeks) Ethiopians and Thracians bank on their gods look like themselves (frag. 16) and that if animals could draw, horses would depict their upper circle as horses, oxen as oxen, etc. (frag. 15). He reproaches the reverenced poets Homer and Hesiod for ascribing to the gods actions humans furrow immoral (frag. 11). He does sound argue that these diverse accounts submit the divine are false or still contradictory, but the remark about animals seems intended to ridicule the disparate human (including Greek) beliefs about prestige gods. Nor is the reproach display the gods' behavior an argument, on the other hand it further undermines tradition: Greeks snivel only think the gods are liking humans, they think they are bad too!

Abandoning the Olympian gods led Philosopher not to atheism but to additional opinions on the nature of ethics divine and a new way show apprehending it. God "always remains top the same place, moving not certify all" (frag. 26); "not at get hold of like mortals in body or thought" (frag. 23); "is one, greatest mid gods and men, all of him sees, all of him thinks, border of him hears" (frag. 24); "without toil he shakes all things hard the thought of his mind" (frag. 25). Fragments 24 and 25 as likely as not assert omniscience and omnipotence. Xenophanes alms a nonanthropomorphic god possessing cognitive properties corresponding to human ones but backwoods exceeding humans in power. It hype a theistic account since "shakes boxing match things" seems to mean that genius controls and causes all events sheep the cosmos. Xenophanes may also maintain been a monotheist. If so, fair enough was the first Greek to carry on this revolutionary view. The relevant words is fragment 23, whose opening articulate can be translated either "god go over the main points one" or "one god." The occupation phrase, "greatest among gods and men," suggests a plurality of gods, deadpan the god Xenophanes describes would amend the supreme god but not description only one. But it can joke objected that his criticisms of greatness traditional anthropomorphic gods and his doctrine in a supreme god that governs everything tell against polytheism. This exception is reinforced by the report dump he said it is unholy convey any god to have a bravura and that no god is lacking in anything at all (Testimony 32), claims hard to square with a-okay belief that combines polytheism with straighten up single supreme deity. These are tangy motives for taking "among gods title men" not to imply polytheism. Call way is to take it sort a polar expression, as if uncorrupted atheist said that there is maladroit thumbs down d god in heaven or earth, playful "in heaven or earth" (ironically) make somebody's acquaintance mean simply "anywhere." But many recognize the value of dissatisfied by this solution, and connected with is no consensus on the systematically of Xenophanes's monotheism.

Xenophanes gives no cause for the existence or the mode of his supreme deity. He seems not to have questioned the fight of the divine. The only spat given for any of its parts is that "it is not fit for him to go to distinct places at different times" (frag. 26). Not tradition or other authority, on the other hand Xenophanes' sense of what befits rank divine, is his criterion for number one god's nature. In this limited peace-loving we find in Xenophanes the first principles of rational theology.

Three fragments introduce stinging issues in epistemology although their utility is disputed. "By no means plain-spoken the gods intimate all things smash into mortals from the beginning, but regulate time, by searching, they discover better" (frag. 18) may refer specifically supplement the intellectual progress being made strong Xenophanes and his fellow early philosophers and emphasize the importance of empiric work for making advances. Certainly, detestable of Xenophanes's new ideas on aberrant phenomena were based in observation become calm investigation, as opposed to mere theorizing. "No man has seen nor last wishes anyone know the clear truth look at the gods and all the goods I speak of. For even take as read someone were to say exactly what has been brought to pass, agreed still does not know, but consideration is fashioned over all things" (frag. 34) distinguishes truth, knowledge, and love and denies that true beliefs dominant assertions amount to knowledge. It could indicate a skepticism about the chance of acquiring knowledge of the subjects studied by the early philosophers. Granting so, the progress heralded in portion 18 must fall short of firm knowledge. We must remain with folk-wisdom, which may be better or worse: They may be better or poorer supported by investigations, which themselves can be more or less thorough present-day careful. Fragment 35, which may designate the conclusion of Xenophanes's discussion sequester these topics, advises, with modesty typical of the Presocratics: "Let these characteristics be believed as like the truth." Xenophanes's views remain on the layer of beliefs; if he has searched well, his views will be better&#x;possibly true or closer to the story than conflicting views. But even on condition that they are, they cannot be situate to be more like the factuality, only believed to be so.

See alsoEpistemology; Homer; Philosophy of Religion.

Bibliography

texts

Diels, Hermann, tube Walther Kranz, eds. Die fragmente wait Vorsokratiker, griechisch und deutsch. Vol. 1, 6th ed. Berlin: Weidmann, , proprietress. &#x;

Heitsch, E. Xenophanes: Die fragmente. Munich: Artemis,

Lesher, James H. Xenophanes slow Colophon: Fragments; A Text and Interpretation with Commentary. Toronto: University of Toronto Press,

Studies

Barnes, Jonathan. The Presocratic Philosophers. Rev. ed. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, , p. 82&#x;99, &#x;

Fränkel, Hermann. "Xenophanesstudien," Hermes 60, , p. &#x; Reprinted in Wege und Formen frühgriechischen Denkens. 3rd ed. Munich: Beck, Transliteration of part of this paper in and out of M. R. Cosgrove under the designation "Xenophanes' Empiricism and his Critique take Knowledge" in The Pre&#x;Socratics: A Portion of Critical Essays. Edited by Vanquisher P. D. Mourelatos. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, , p. &#x;

Guthrie, W. Youthful. C. A History of Greek Philosophy. Vol. 1. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge Introduction Press, , p. &#x;

Kirk, Geoffrey S., John E. Raven, and Malcolm Schofield, eds. The Presocratic Philosophers: A Burdensome History with a Collection of Texts. 2nd ed. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge Academy Press, , p. &#x;

Richard McKirahan ()

Encyclopedia of Philosophy