The Major Philosophers of the Hellenistic and How the Differed from Those of Classical Greece.

THE MAJOR PHILOSOPHERS OF THE HELLENISTIC AND HOW THE DIFFERED FROM THOSE OF CLASSICAL GREECE.

RONALD THOMPSON

COLUMBIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY  

Some of the major philosophers of the Hellenistic period were Zeno, Antisthenes, and Epicurus. During this period, philosophers broke down philosophy into three different disciplines: Logic or the study of abstract reasoning, ethics; the study of how one should conduct one’s self, and physics, the study of the natural world (Levack, Muir, and Veldman 2011). Ethics was one of the major contributions of philosophy during this time. The common goal was to teach inner peace and peace of mind. The three break- out groups were the Epicureans, the Stoics, and the Cynics. The Epicureans was a school t hat was open to women, slaves and free men. This school followed the belief that all people were in pain and needed to find peace through choice. The Stoic school of thought was all human beings have an element of divinity in them. The Cynics gained peace of mind through the rejection of all needs and desires (Levack, Muir, and Veldman 2011).

The philosophers of the Hellenistic age differed from the philosophers of classical Greece in several ways. During the Hellenistic period philosophers focused on the individual and his personal welfare. In general, Hellenistic philosophy recommended that the individual, in order to attain happiness, attempt to manage only what was for him personally manageable, his own character and thoughts. Man must become self-sufficient and not rely on anyone or anything outside himself for his well-being. So the philosophers during the Hellenistic times devoted less attention to the philosophy of the creating of an ideal state that would create a happy life, but to the life of the individual which was separated from society. This school of thought taught that no matter the circumstances your character and actions would all you to live well. In contrast, classic Greece philosophy centered on an...