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Questions and Answers
What did Plato refer to as 'eidos'?
What is the 'essence' better known as in nature?
What term was used in ancient Sanskrit to refer to the 'essence'?
Which philosophy has grown out of the background of the concept of 'essence'?
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Why was it a dilemma that the 'essence' had a fixed structure but also changed?
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How did two schools of thought explain the dilemma of a fixed structure and change in the universe?
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What philosophical period followed Pythagoras in ancient Greece?
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Why did Pyrrhon of Elis believe in being skeptical of all philosophy?
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What was the consequence of the Skeptical philosophy on the perception of reality?
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Which ancient philosophical work from India is mentioned as having traces of Skeptical thoughts?
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What does the term 'sophist' mean in Greek philosophy?
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Which ancient naturalist philosopher employed some methods and philosophies similar to Sophist philosophy?
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Study Notes
Skeptical Philosophy
- Period of Skeptical philosophy started by Pyrrhon of Elis (360-272 BC)
- Pyrrhon believed that skepticism of all philosophy leads to peace of mind
- Followers of Pyrrhon known as the Eleatic school
Characteristics of Skeptical Philosophy
- Doubt that truth behind reality can be revealed through observation and experimentation
- Belief that all philosophies should be questioned on their basis, evidence, and certainty
- Skeptical thoughts can be traced back to the Upanishads (1000-600 BC)
Sophist Philosophy
- Partly skeptical, especially in attitude to natural philosophy or science
- Term "sophist" comes from the Greek word "sophos" meaning wise or "sophia" meaning wisdom
- Not a naturalist, but employed some of their methods and philosophies
Greek Naturalists and the Atomists
- The last of the Greek naturalists were the Atomists
- The Atomists attempted to seek the ultimate cause of things
The Dilemma of Fixed Structures
- The Greeks believed that things have a "true fixed nature" (eidos or essence)
- This "essence" was believed to be definable and unchanging
- Similar sentiments expressed in ancient Sanskrit where the "essence" was known as "samanya"
- Christian church embraced this philosophy because it supported their belief in special creation
- Conflict with evolutionary theory due to the unchanging nature of essence
Essentialism
- Modern philosophy that grew out of the concept of essence
- Essentialists believe that by observing nature, the truth can be discerned or abstracted from it
- Dilemma of fixed structure vs. changing nature of the universe
- Two schools of thought arose to explain this dilemma
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Description
Test your knowledge on the period of Skeptical philosophy following Pythagoras, initiated by Pyrrhon of Elis and his followers known as the Eleatic school. Explore the beliefs of skepticism towards all philosophies and the doubts regarding revealing truth through observation and experimentation.
