Hellenistic philosophy

Hellenistic philosophy refers to the ideas and teachings of Ancient Greek thinkers during a special time called the Hellenistic period. This period began after the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE and lasted until the Battle of Actium in 31 BCE. It was a time when Greek culture spread far and wide because of Alexander's adventures.

During this time, three main groups of thinkers shared their ideas about how to live a good life. These groups were called the Stoics, the Epicureans, and the Skeptics. Each group had its own way of thinking about the world and how people should behave.

The Stoics believed in staying calm and not getting too upset by things outside our control. The Epicureans focused on finding happiness through simple pleasures and friendship. The Skeptics questioned whether we could really know anything for certain.

These ideas from Ancient Greece continued to influence many people for years and are still studied today because they help us think about important questions.

Background

The time before the Hellenistic period focused on Socrates, whose students started important schools of thinking. These schools looked at how to live a good life and what makes people happy.

The Hellenistic period started in 323 BC after the death of Alexander the Great. During this time, many thinkers moved from Athens to places like Rome and Alexandria. This change happened because of battles and new rulers. People used ideas from philosophy to help them feel safer and better in a world that was changing a lot.

Socratic schools

Many schools of thought from ancient Greece kept influencing ideas during the Hellenistic period. These included the Cynic, Cyrenaic, and Megarian schools.

The Cynics, starting with Diogenes and Crates of Thebes, believed in living a simple life with only what you need, following nature and rejecting extra comforts. They thought that true happiness came from basic, natural pleasures.

The Cyrenaics, beginning with Aristippus the Younger, believed that pleasure was good because it felt good from a young age, making it natural. They thought that enjoying the moment helped people feel peaceful, without worries about the future or regrets about the past. Some later Cyrenaics also believed that friendships and honor could add to happiness, while others thought it was best to rely only on oneself.

Stoicism

Stoicism began with Zeno of Citium in the 3rd century BC. It taught that the best way to live is by following nature and using self-control to manage strong feelings. The name comes from the "Stoa Poikile", a covered walkway in Athens where Zeno and others shared their ideas.

The Stoics believed that understanding reason and nature was key to a good life. They thought that true happiness comes from being free from troubling emotions by seeing things clearly and accepting what cannot be changed. A wise person, according to Stoicism, feels calm and balanced emotions, such as joy when something good happens, rather than being controlled by strong passions.

Epicureanism

Main article: Epicureanism

Epicureanism began with a man named Epicurus in the 3rd century BC. Epicureans thought the whole universe was made of two things: matter and space. Matter is made of tiny parts called atoms. These atoms never change because they are the building blocks of everything. Epicurus believed there were many atoms but only a few kinds, and lots of empty space.

Epicurus also thought atoms could change their path suddenly. This helped them come together to form the world and allowed people to make their own choices. Epicureans believed our senses—what we see, hear, and feel—come from tiny parts moving around. They thought pleasure was the most important part of life, but they suggested enjoying it in a balanced way to avoid too much pain. They also didn’t want people to worry about gods or death, as these could cause trouble.

Skepticism

Greek philosophical skepticism began with Pyrrho of Elis and Timon of Phlius in the 3rd century BC.

Academic skepticism started after the death of Timon of Phlius, with Arcesilaus leading the Platonic Academy around 266 BC until the mid-1st century BCE. These skeptics believed that true knowledge of things is impossible. They attacked the ideas of the Stoics, arguing that impressions might not lead to real knowledge. Important figures included Arcesilaus, Carneades, and Philo of Larissa. Cicero wrote about these ideas in his work Academica.

Pyrrhonism was revived by Aenesidemus in the 1st century BC. Its goal was to feel calm by not deciding about things that cannot be proven. Pyrrhonists argued that no one has found truth about matters that are not obvious. They used arguments for and against ideas to help people feel calmer by not deciding.

Later schools

Around 90 BC, a thinker named Antiochus of Ascalon decided to move away from skepticism. This led to a new period called Middle Platonism, where ideas from Platonism mixed with thoughts from Peripatetic and Stoic beliefs. In this time, the world was seen as a living being with a soul, and ideas were thought to live inside our minds.

Pythagorean ideas also made a comeback during this time, with new writings appearing. Later, in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, these ideas became known as Neopythagoreanism.