First, this thesis outhnes part of the thought of some pre-Socratic thinkers, particularly Heraclitus. In doing this, I explore the historical provenance of certain ideas which came to be important in Stoicism. It then moves on to look at the Stoic view of 'physics', including some comparison with Epicurus and Aristotle, and with a focus on the concept of the continuum. The third chapter attempts to synthesise a common problem arising from a belief in the continuum, namely a problem of indeterminacy. In the fourth chapter, certain characterisations of Stoic epistemology are considered, along with an overview of recent interpretations of the Stoic theory of impressions. It concludes with the thought that at certain crucial points - such as whether impressions themselves are to be thought of as true and false - the Stoic position is underdetermined with respect to the evidence. Pursuing this thought into the fifth chapter, we see the evidence as being equivalently consistent with a 'two-tier’ theory of perception, where impressions themselves are understood as neither true nor false in any sense, but iu which 'the true' arises as a result of the transformative effect of reason. This theory is shown to connect with verbalisation through the 'rational impression'. This leads to the suggestion that the Stoics had a linguistic diagnosis for some problems in philosophy, arrived at by their reflections on ambiguity and etymology. In the final chapter, an account of intersubjectivity is explored, which preserves for the Stoics the claim that their truth has an objective character and is thus appropriate for a 'dogmatic' philosophy.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Guo li Taiwan da xue, 1977. / Cover title. On double leaves. Includes bibliographical references (leaf 184-188).

Thesis (M.A.)--Guo li Taiwan shi fan da xue guo wen yan jiu suo. / Cover title. Includes bibliographical references (p. 224-227)

Thesis (M.A.)--Guo li Taiwan da xue / Cover title. Mimeo. copy.

Thesis--Rostock. / Bibliography, p. 43-46.

This paper is a study of the pre-Socratic, Milesian philosopher Anaximander, in light of the question concerning the rise of philosophy and its relation to myth in the sixth century B.C. We are restricting our inquiry to Anaximander to make our consideration of the myth/philosophy relation more manageable. Thus we will assume that Anaximander's thought is indicative of the general status of this relationship in his time and milieu. We chose Anaximander also because of the great diversity of interpretations of his thought in current pre-Socratic scholarship. Differences in approach to Anaximander reflect differences concerning the nature of pre-Socratic thought in general. Differences with regard to the pre-Socratics in turn reflect ultimate assumptions as to the nature of philosophy and the historical circumstances in which it arose. Therefore, a considerable part of our study will concern itself with the major Anaximander-interpretations in the literature, their key assumptions and their relationships to existing traditions in pre-Socratic research. This part of the study will be carried out in preparation for our own interpretation of Anaximander and the relation between myth and philosophy visible in his thought. The latter will be conducted in dialogue with the other interpretations and with a conscious awareness of its own hermeneutical assumptions.

Thesis advisor: Vanessa P. Rumble / Friedrich Nietzsche is one of the most revolutionary and influential philosophers of post-Romantic Germany. He called into question ancient habits of mind and ingrained moral prejudices prevalent in European culture since the rise of Christendom. The intellectual and popular communities, in Germany and Europe at large, primarily disregarded Nietzsche's work until after his death. However, contemporary continental thinkers have been greatly influenced by Nietzsche and his provocative rhetoric. Nietzsche's work is particularly remarkable in light of his upbringing and childhood experiences. The scion of a long line of Lutheran ministers, Nietzsche mounted a critique of traditional piety and religious institutions that was unprecedented in its force and insight. Nietzsche came from an intellectual family and was inspired by the considerable efforts of earlier German thinkers. In general, the development and articulation of any philosopher's ideas are dependent on the environment in which he or she exists. For this reason, and to gain a better understanding of Nietzsche's personality, this study will place great emphasis on the biographical information pertaining to both Nietzsche and other German thinkers who influenced him. It is impossible to fully understand the position and concerns of philosophers like Nietzsche and Kant without first delving into their childhood and education. In the case of Nietzsche, a whole tradition of German intellectualism affected his view of the world and the ideas that he adopted and later reshaped into a penetrating examination of the foundations of Western European culture. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2003. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Philosophy. / Discipline: College Honors Program.

No description available.

No description available.

Like so many others before me, I have been drawn to the study of private letters. Time-bound, often highly stylized, yet they always remain personal writings, uncannily capturing our interest. (For complete abstract open document)