Aristippus the Younger

Aristippos the Younger ( ancient Greek Ἀρίστιππος ὁ Μητροδίδακτος Arístippos hò Mētrodídaktos , Latinized Aristippus Metrodidactus ; * probably in the 4th century BC; † probably in the 4th or 3rd century BC) was a Greek ancient philosopher . Within the history of philosophy he is one of the Cyrenaicists .

Life, Tradition, and Scriptures

If he wrote any, his writings are lost and the testimony (ancient accounts of life and doctrine) are extremely rare. In terms of biographical information, we only know that he was a grandson of the philosopher Aristippus of Cyrene and that he was taught by his mother, the philosopher Arete of Cyrene , which is why he was nicknamed Mētrodídaktos (German: “the one instructed by his mother ”). A pupil of Aristippus the Younger was possibly Theodorus of Cyrene .

Teaching

See: Doctrine of the Cyrenaists

The testimonies to the teaching of Aristippus the Younger are difficult to separate from those to the teaching of his grandfather of the same name; moreover, the reports mostly refer to the Cyrenaists in general, not to individual philosophers like Aristippus.

Source collection

Gabriele Giannantoni (Ed.): Socratis et Socraticorum Reliquiae , Volume 2, Bibliopolis, Naples 1990, Section IV-B ( online )

Individual evidence

↑ Klaus Döring: Aristipp the Elder. and his grandson of the same name . In: Hellmut Flashar (ed.): Outline of the history of philosophy. The philosophy of antiquity . Volume 2/1, Schwabe, Basel 1998, pp. 246–257, here: p. 250.
↑ Strabo, Geography 17.3, 22; Diogenes Laertios, On the Lives and Teachings of Famous Philosophers 2.86.
↑ Klaus Döring: Aristipp the Elder. and his grandson of the same name . In: Hellmut Flashar (ed.): Outline of the history of philosophy. The philosophy of antiquity . Volume 2/1, Schwabe, Basel 1998, pp. 246-257, here: pp. 246 and 250-252.

personal data
SURNAME	Aristippus the Younger
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Greek philosopher
DATE OF BIRTH	4th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH	4th century BC BC or 3rd century BC Chr.

[1] Klaus Döring: Aristipp the Elder. and his grandson of the same name . In: Hellmut Flashar (ed.): Outline of the history of philosophy. The philosophy of antiquity . Volume 2/1, Schwabe, Basel 1998, pp. 246–257, here: p. 250.

[2] Strabo, Geography 17.3, 22; Diogenes Laertios, On the Lives and Teachings of Famous Philosophers 2.86.

[3] Klaus Döring: Aristipp the Elder. and his grandson of the same name . In: Hellmut Flashar (ed.): Outline of the history of philosophy. The philosophy of antiquity . Volume 2/1, Schwabe, Basel 1998, pp. 246-257, here: pp. 246 and 250-252.