Ataumasia

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Athaumasie (Greek compound from a-privativum and thaumazein: wonder, amazement; German: serenity , serenity ) denotes in practical philosophy v. a. in antiquity the quality of a person not to be astonished or to be amazed at anything - especially not about those "greats, of life, by which everyday man is impressed and amazed: be it the fables of gods and Hades that frighten him Wealth, honor and power that arouse his greed and envy ”.

Concept history

Zeno and Democritus understand this as a quality of the wise. Pythagoras is said to have already stated that the goal of his reflection was to achieve this. The amazement is based only on ignorance and the unsolved problem of thinking. But if you know the reasons and causes through the philosophical concept (logos), leave this behind. Even Horace makes it his own. In the background there is a general practical orientation towards calmness as a striving goal. With Cicero , the theoretical claim is lower, “nil admirari” only means not to be upset by any event.

Thus, these theorists take a contrary position, especially to Plato . He understood amazement (Greek thaumazein, Latin admirari) as the beginning of philosophy. Aristotle also speaks of this . In Epikureismus a relationship with wonder and religion is described. Even Descartes discussed the amazement elongated.

Madame de Staël comments on athaumasia: "tout comprendre c'est tout pardonner" ( all understanding means all apologies , therefore: not being upset about anything ).

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Wilhelm Nestle : Die Vorsokratiker , Diederichs 1922 (and various reprints, most recently BiblioBazaar 2009, ISBN 1110438451 ), p. 64; there with reference initially to Democritus, Fr. 44-47.
  2. ↑ Diogenes Laertius , 7, § 12f.
  3. ↑ Cf. 68 A 168.
  4. ↑ Cf. Plutarch , De rect. Rat. audiendi 13, 44b
  5. ↑ See Epist. 1, 6, 1: "Nil admirari prope res est una, Numici, solaque, quae possit facere et servare beatum."
  6. ↑ See Tusc. Disp. 3, 14, 30
  7. ↑ See Theait. 155d.
  8. ↑ See Met. I, 2, 982b11-12.
  9. ↑ Cf. Lucretius 5, 83
  10. ↑ See Les passions de l'âme, Art. 70