History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps HoP 012 - Malcolm Schofield on the Presocratics
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Dec 20, 2010 AI Snips
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Milesians Bridge Myth and Science
- The Milesians seek natural explanations of the cosmos, moving beyond mythology into early forms of science.
- They combine practical invention with a drive to understand the physical world in naturalistic terms.
Xenophanes' Theological Critique
- Xenophanes combines natural philosophy with theological critique, rejecting traditional anthropomorphic gods.
- He uses satire and poetic performance to question established religious beliefs and practices.
Presocratics as Public Intellectuals
- Presocratics were mostly public intellectuals, presenting their ideas orally to a broad audience rather than just private scholars.
- Philosophers like Heraclitus and Parmenides likely used oral performance and riddles to engage listeners.