De otio

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Seneca statue in Cordoba

De Otio , in German about leisure , is a philosophical dialogue by the ancient author Seneca . In it, Seneca expresses his views on the otium , although the translation of this term is already controversial (literally, for example: "leisure", "leisure", "rest" ...). In Seneca's writing, for example, the following definition can be used: “a state of life without political activities”.

content

The ancient text has only partially survived in a larger, coherent section; The beginning and end of the dialogue are missing. The traditional part is usually divided into eight sections.

Seneca lists some of the usual positions of the great ancient schools of philosophy - the Epicureans and the Stoics - in relation to the otium and weighs up which of these positions he would most likely represent personally. In doing so, he deviates from the Stoic philosophy that he actually followed in some places - although this is exactly what he tries to refute - and reinterprets their positions or develops them further.

Above all, Seneca is concerned here with the dispute as to when a philosopher can devote himself to leisure time. The Epicurean philosophy takes the position that the philosopher has basically nothing to do with politics, unless it is urgently necessary; Stoic philosophy, on the other hand, takes the view that the philosopher must fundamentally be active in politics, unless he - z. B. because of the form of government - refused.

Finally, Seneca tries to prove that the otium is actually not “leisure” in the sense that it is, but merely a preoccupation with non-political matters such as B. natural science, which, however, are also defended as "natural" and decent activities, which in themselves should not represent an activity inferior to political activity.

expenditure

  • L. Annaei Senecae Philosophi Opera Omnia. Ad optimorum librorum fidem accurate edita. Ed. stereotype. C. Tauchnitiana. 4 vols. Lipsiae Holtze 1911.
  • L. Annaeus Seneca. Philosophical writings. Edited by Manfred Rosenbach. First volume. 5th edition Darmstadt 1995.
  • L. Annaeus Seneca. Philosophical writings. Edited by Manfred Rosenbach. Second volume. 4th edition Darmstadt 1993.
  • Lucius Annaeus Seneca. Philosophical writings. First volume. Dialogues. Dialogues I – VI. Translated, with introductions and notes by Otto Apelt. Meiner, Hamburg 1993, ISBN 3-7873-1129-7 .
  • Lucius Annaeus Seneca. Philosophical writings. Second volume. Dialogues. Dialogues VII – XII. Translated, with introductions and notes by Otto Apelt. Meiner, Hamburg 1993, ISBN 3-7873-1129-7 .

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