Diogenes

  • Diogenes of Sinope (c.412-323 BCE) was a Greek Philosopher and contemporary of Plato.
  • He was the Founder of the Doctrine of Cynicism, one of the fourteen Schools of Hellenistic Philosophy.

The Doctrine of Cynicism

  • Diogenes was the Founder of Cynicism:
    • The Doctrine of Cynicism was one of the 14 schools of Hellenistic Philosophy.
    • The Doctrine of Cynicism held that the purpose of life was to live a virtuous life in harmony with Nature, free from possessions.

Diogenes was famous because:

  • He lived in a tub on the street in Athens.
  • He held a lantern to the faces of Athenian citizens while saying that he was searching for an honest man.
  • He asked Alexander the Great to get out of his sunlight when he came to see him.

Works

  • None of his writings have survived, but it is thought that he wrote 10 books.

Athens

323 BCE
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