Hellenistic Philosophy

• Hellenistic Philosophy describes the Period of Greek Philosophy between Aristotle and NeoPlatonism.

The Two Great Opposing Schools of Logic

1. Platonism:
   • Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.
2. Stoicism:
   • Zeno of Citium and Chrysippus.

The Platonist Philosophers

Socrates was tutor to Plato who then tutored Aristotle.

1. Socrates (470-399 BCE)
   • Socrates did not write his ideas down but these were preserved by Plato in the 29 ‘Socratic Dialogues’.
2. Plato (c.428-347 BCE) wrote the following Works:
   • Meno
   • The Republic
   • Socratic Dialogues: Total of 29
   • Plato’s Laws – 12 books (one of the dialogues)
   • Critias: discusses the Myth of Atlantis
3. Aristotle (384-322 BCE)
   • Founder of the Peripatetic School at Athens.
   • Poetics

The Stoic Philosophers

• Zeno of Citium (335-264 BCE)
  • He was the Founder of the School of Stoicism in Athens, Greece.
• Chrysippus (c.290-207 BCE)
  • He was the third Master of the Stoa after Zeno.

The 14 Schools of Hellenistic Philosophy in date order:

1. Pythagoreanism:
   • Pythagoras of Croton (570-495 BCE)
2. Sophism:
   • Protagorus (490-420 BCE) Gorgias, Antiphon
3. Cynicism:
   • Antisthenes
   • Diogenes (412-323 BCE)
4. Cyrenaicism:
   • Aristippus of Cyrene (435-360 BCE)
5. Platonism:
   • Plato (424-347 BCE)
6. Peripateticism:
   • Aristotle (384-322 BCE)
7. Pyrrhonism:
   • Pyrrho (365-275 BCE)
8. Epicureanism:
   • Epicurus (431-270 BCE)
9. Stoicism:
   • Zeno of Citium: (333-263 BCE)
10. Eclecticism:
    • Cicero (106-43 BCE)
11. Hellenistic Judaism:
    • Philo of Alexandria (30 BCE-45 CE)
12. Neopythagoreanism:
    • Nigidius Figulus (98-45 BCE)
13. Hellenistic Christianity:
    • Clement of Alexandria (150-215 CE)
14. Neoplatonism:
    • Plotinus (205-270 BCE)