The Academic Questions, Treatise De Finibus, and Tusculan Disputations, of M.T. Cicero, With a Sketch of the Greek Philosophers Mentioned by CiceroCicero, Marcus Tullius
Philosophy
The Academic Questions, Treatise De Finibus, and Tusculan Disputations, of M.T. Cicero, With a Sketch of the Greek Philosophers Mentioned by Cicero
Cicero, Marcus Tullius
Ethics -- Early works to 1800; Happiness -- Early works to 1800
For if every atom diverges equally, still none will ever meet with one
another so as to cohere; but if some diverge, and others are borne
straight down by their natural inclination, in the first place this will
be distributing provinces as it were among the atoms, and dividing them so
that some are borne down straight, and others obliquely; and in the next
place, this turbulent concourse of atoms, which is a blunder of Democritus
also, will never be able to produce this beautifully ornamented world
which we see around us. Even this, too, is inconsistent with the
principles of natural philosophy, to believe that there is such a thing as
a minimum; a thing which he indeed never would have fancied, if he had
been willing to learn geometry from his friend Polyænus,(24) instead of
seeking to persuade him to give it up himself.
The sun appears to Democritus to be of vast size, as he is a man of
learning and of a profound knowledge of geometry. Epicurus perhaps thinks
that it is two feet across, for he thinks it of just that size which it
appears to be, or perhaps a little larger or smaller. So what he changes
he spoils; what he accepts comes entirely from Democritus,—the atoms, the
vacuum, the appearances, which they call εἴδωλα, to the inroads of which
it is owing not only that we see, but also that we think; and all that
infiniteness, which they call ἀπειρία, is borrowed from Democritus; and
also the innumerable worlds which are produced and perish every day. And
although I cannot possibly agree myself with all those fancies, still I
should not like to see Democritus, who is praised by every one else,
blamed by this man who has followed him alone.
VII. And as for the second part of philosophy, which belongs to
investigating and discussing, and which is called λογικὴ, there your
master as it seems to me is wholly unarmed and defenceless. He abolishes
definitions; he lays down no rules for division and partition; he gives no
method for drawing conclusions or establishing principles; he does not
point out how captious objections may be refuted, or ambiguous terms
explained. He places all our judgments of things in our senses; and if
they are once led to approve of anything false as if it were true, then he
thinks that there is an end to all our power of distinguishing between
truth and falsehood.
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