4/24/2023 0 Comments Diogenes behold a man![]() ![]() Like all notable philosophers, he was not afraid to ask challenging questions and put forward his view on how to tackle the challenge of ‘life’. Rather than debating the topic he apparently barged into one of Plato’s teaching sessions holding aloft a freshly plucked chicken crying, “Behold, here is Plato’s man!”ĭiogenes were something of a unique character apparently living in an upturned old bath at the edge of the town square, sleeping naked in the street, and distilling his life down to the very bare (excuse the pun) necessities needed to survive. I’m sure there was much deferential nodding of heads and very little questioning, as they must have assumed all the necessary thinking had been done by someone of his standing and notoriety because how else could the great man had come to this unique definition? However, the first person to be known as a cynic, an interesting chap called Diogenes of Sinope (not to be confused with plenty of other well known figures along the philosophical timeline named Diogenes - as I think the name must have been as common as ‘Alan’!), was brave enough to call this definition into question. History is littered with examples of the great and the good coming up with definitions that prove to be less than helpful:Ībout two and a half thousand years ago in Ancient Greece, some of the better educated Athenians had all but accepted the great Plato’s definition of a human being, because after much deliberation he had distilled it down to this: a ‘featherless bipedal animal’. Goodyer’s Diogenes’ Test: Is it possible to refute a definition with both good nature and absolute clarity? Today’s guest author is Martin Goodyer (UK). ![]() Therefore we have a policy of publishing articles and materials by guest authors whom we value and appreciate. Here at the-Coaching Blog-run by Gerard O’Donovan, our aim is to constantly bring value to those seeking to improve their lives.
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