ancient philosophy
TagNew Writings by Empedocles Discovered
The ideas of 5th Century BCE philosopher Empedocles have reached us mostly* through paraphrases or fragmentary quotes of his work by later authors, but a new set of his own writings have now been found. (more…)
What’s in a Name? “Philosophy” in Non-European Traditions (guest post)
If certain cultures didn’t have the word “philosophy,” or a word that can directly be translated with “philosophy,” is it illegitimate, maybe culturally imperialist, to impose it on them? (more…)
Further Progress on Vesuvius Scrolls
“Epicureanism says hi, with a text full of music, food, senses, and pleasure!” (more…)
Ancient Scrolls of Philodemus, Carbonized by Vesuvius, Now Readable
Using a technique known as x-ray phase-contrast tomography (XPCT), a research team in Italy has figured out a way to read the text of ancient rolled-up scrolls that had been blackened, warped, and embrittled in the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D. The scrolls were found in 1752 during excavations in Pompeii. Most of the approximately 1,800 (!) scrolls found so fa..