The Lives and Opinions of Eminent PhilosophersDiogenes Laertius
Philosophy
The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers
Diogenes Laertius
Philosophers, Ancient -- Biography; Philosophy, Ancient
XII. Again, of philosophers some derived a surname from cities, as, the
Elians, and Megaric sect, the Eretrians, and the Cyrenaics. Some from
the places which they frequented, as the Academics and Stoics. Some
from accidental circumstances, as the Peripatetics; or, from jests, as
the Cynics. Some again from their dispositions, as the Eudæmonics; some
from an opinion, as the Elenctic, and Analogical schools. Some from
their masters, as the Socratic and Epicurean philosophers; and so on.
The Natural Philosophers were so called from their study of nature; the
Ethical philosophers from their investigation of questions of morals
(περὶ τὰ ἔθη). The Dialecticians are they who devote themselves to
quibbling on words.
XIII. Now there are three divisions of philosophy. Natural, Ethical, and
Dialectic. Natural philosophy occupies itself about the world and the
things in it; Ethical philosophy about life, and the things which concern
us; Dialectics are conversant with the arguments by which both the others
are supported.
Natural philosophy prevailed till the time of Archelaus; but after the
time of Socrates, Ethical philosophy was predominant; and after the time
of Zeno the Eleatic, Dialectic philosophy got the upper hand.
Ethical philosophy was subdivided into ten sects; the Academic, the
Cyrenaic, the Elian, the Megaric, the Cynic, the Eretrian, the Dialectic,
the Peripatetic, the Stoic, and the Epicurean. Of the old Academic school
Plato was the president; of the middle, Arcesilaus; and of the New,
Lacydes:—the Cyrenaic school was founded by Aristippus the Cyrenian; the
Elian, by Phædo, of Elis; the Megaric, by Euclid, of Megara; the Cynic,
by Antisthenes, the Athenian; the Eretrian, by Menedemus, of Eretria;
the Dialectic by Clitomachus, the Carthaginian; the Peripatetic, by
Aristotle, the Stagirite; the Stoic, by Zeno, the Cittiæan; the Epicurean
school derives its name from Epicurus, its founder.
But Hippobotus, in his Treatise on Sects, says that there are nine sects
and schools: first, the Megaric; secondly, the Eretrian; thirdly, the
Cyrenaic; fourthly, the Epicurean; fifthly, the Annicerean; sixthly, the
Theodorean; seventhly, the sect of Zeno and the Stoics; eighthly, that
of the Old Academy; and ninthly, the Peripatetic;—not counting either
the Cynic, or the Eliac, or the Dialectic school. That also which is
called the Pyrrhonean is repudiated by many writers, on account of the
obscurity of its principles. But others consider that in some particulars
it is a distinct sect, and in others not. For it does appear to be a
sect—for what we call a sect, say they, is one which follows, or appears
to follow, a principle which appears to it to be the true one; on which
principle we correctly call the Sceptics a sect. But if by the name sect
we understand those who incline to rules which are consistent with the
principles which they profess, then the Pyrrhonean cannot be called a
sect, for they have no rules or principles.
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