Hegesias

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hegesias ( ancient Greek Ἡγησίας Hēgēsías , Latinized Hegesias , with the nickname Peisithanatos "persuasive to death") was an ancient Greek philosopher . He lived in the late 4th and early 3rd centuries BC. And belonged to the direction of the Cyrenaic .

His writings are lost; only a few testimonies have survived (ancient accounts of life and teaching).

Lore

The most important source is the ancient historian of philosophy Diogenes Laertios , further reports can be found in Cicero , Valerius Maximus , Plutarch and Epiphanius von Salamis .

Life

The dates of Hegesias' life are unknown. However, since Cicero and Maximus Valerius report that his teachings are said to have been forbidden by Ptolemy I (305–283 BC) because they would induce suicide, it can be assumed that he was in the 4th century BC. Born in BC and died in the 3rd. Because of this event, Hegesias has also been nicknamed "suicide preacher".

Possibly he was a student of the Cyrenaic Paraibates.

Teaching

Hegesias wrote at least one script; their title was Apokarterṓn (The Starvation Suicide ) . The writing is lost; Cicero reports on its content: “A person who is about to take his own life by refusing to eat is prevented from doing so by strangers. In return, he lists the inconveniences of human life. "

Hegesias largely agreed with the teachings of the Cyrenaics already represented by his predecessors . For him, too, sensual pleasure is the greatest good and physical pain is the greatest evil. What distinguished him from the older Cyrenaicists is his more pessimistic basic position, according to which pleasure to the desired extent is very difficult to achieve. He even considered a constant state of happiness ( eudaimonía ) to be impossible. Physical ailments, from which the soul also suffers, and coincidences stand in the way of eudaimonia.

A person who understands is not - as older Cyrenaics maintained - who is able to create pleasure, but who knows how to avoid painful sensations. The goal (télos) is to live free from physical and mental pain. In order to achieve this goal, Hegesias recommended showing indifference to things that cause pleasure. The pessimism of Hegesias shows itself in the assumption that life has no value, but is considered value-neutral to those who understand. Things are inherently neither pleasant nor unpleasant. The same things can cause opposite sensations in different people, depending on whether they seem rare and strange or whether they are already oversaturated.

Since this is irrelevant for gaining pleasure, it is generally irrelevant whether one is rich or poor, a suitor or a slave, noble, famous or nameless. Gratitude, friendship and charity would also only have a value insofar as they contribute to the gain in pleasure. The understanding person takes himself most importantly, since you have to create pleasure for yourself, however much others may benefit you.

People who make mistakes should not be hated, but taught, since they do not do this voluntarily, but under the compulsion of external things.

Source edition

literature

Remarks

  1. ^ Klaus Döring: Hegesias . In: Hellmut Flashar (ed.): Outline of the history of philosophy. The philosophy of antiquity . Volume 2/1. Schwabe, Basel 1998, pp. 257–258, here: p. 257.
  2. ↑ Cicero, Tusculanae Quaestiones 1.83.
  3. ↑ Maximus Valerius, Nine Books of Memorable Deeds and Proverbs 8,9 ext. 3.
  4. ^ Klaus Döring: Hegesias . In: Hellmut Flashar (ed.): Outline of the history of philosophy. The philosophy of antiquity . Volume 2/1. Schwabe, Basel 1998, pp. 257–258, here: p. 257.
  5. ↑ Diogenes Laertios, On the Lives and Teachings of Famous Philosophers, 2.86; Suda , Annikeri's article .
  6. ↑ Cicero, Tusculanae Quaestiones 1.84.
  7. ↑ The section on teaching follows Klaus Döring: Hegesias . In: Hellmut Flashar (ed.): Outline of the history of philosophy. The philosophy of antiquity . Volume 2/1. Schwabe, Basel 1998, pp. 257–258, here: pp. 257–258.
  8. ↑ Diogenes Laertios, On the Lives and Teachings of the Philosophers 2.93.
  9. ↑ Diogenes Laertios, On the Life and Teachings of the Philosophers 2.94.
  10. ↑ Diogenes Laertios, On the life and teachings of famous philosophers 2.95–96.
  11. ↑ Diogenes Laertios, On the Life and Teachings of Famous Philosophers 2.94–95.
  12. ↑ Diogenes Laertios, On the Lives and Teachings of Famous Philosophers, 2.94.
  13. ↑ Diogenes Laertios, On the Lives and Teachings of Famous Philosophers 2.93; Epiphanios of Salamis, De fide 9,29,3.
  14. ↑ Diogenes Laertios, On the Lives and Teachings of Famous Philosophers 2.95.
  15. ↑ Diogenes Laertios, On the Lives and Teachings of Famous Philosophers 2.95.
personal data
SURNAME Hegesias
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Hegesias Peisithanatos
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Greek ancient philosopher
DATE OF BIRTH 4th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 3rd century BC Chr.