Mortal and Divine in Early Greek Epistemology by Shaul Tor

Mortal and Divine in Early Greek Epistemology by Shaul Tor

This book demonstrates that we need not choose between seeing so-called Presocratic thinkers as rational philosophers or as religious sages. In particular, it rethinks fundamentally the emergence of systematic epistemology and reflection on speculative inquiry in Hesiod, Xenophanes and Parmenides. Shaul Tor argues that different forms of reasoning, and different models of divine disclosure, play equally integral, harmonious and mutually illuminating roles in early Greek epistemology. Throughout, the book relates these thinkers to their religious, literary and historical surroundings. It is thus also, and inseparably, a study of poetic inspiration, divination, mystery initiation, metempsychosis and other early Greek attitudes to the relations and interactions between mortal and divine. The engagements of early philosophers with such religious attitudes present us with complex combinations of criticisms and creative appropriations. Indeed, the early milestones of philosophical epistemology studied here themselves reflect an essentially theological enterprise and, as such, one aspect of Greek religion.

Shaul Tor is a Lecturer in Ancient Philosophy in the Departments of Classics and Philosophy at King's College London.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781009069847
ISBN 10	1009069845
Title	Mortal and Divine in Early Greek Epistemology
Author	Shaul Tor
Series	Cambridge Classical Studies
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Cambridge University Press
Year published	2021-07-22
Number of pages	420
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.