The scholarly tradition of the Presocratics is the beginning of the
"Greek Miracle," the remarkable flowering of arts and sciences in
ancient Greece from the 600s to 400s BC. Greek thought turned from pagan
religion and the mytho-poetic work of Hesiod and Homer, to inquiry into
the natures of things, to the world and our place in it. This tradition,
starting with Thales (b. 624 BC) and proceeding through Democritus (d.
370 BC), is the unifying theme of this volume. The contributors,
renowned experts in their various fields of philosophy, provide
introductions to the Presocratic philosophers and discuss how this
philosophical school was appropriated and treated by later philosophers.
Joe McCoy opens the volume with a survey of the historical developments
within Presocratic philosophy, as well as its subsequent reception. The
essays begin with Charles Kahn's account of the role of Presocractic
philosophy in classical philosophy. Individual philosophers are then
discussed, namely, Anaximander by Kurt Pritzl, Heraclitus by Kenneth
Dorter, and Pythagoreans by Carl A. Huffman. Next are chapters on
Xenophanes by James Lesher, Parmenides by Alexander P. D. Mourelatos,
Empedocles by Patricia Curd, and Anaxagoras by Daniel Graham. The
collection concludes with an examination of the reception of the
Presocratics in early modern and late modern philosophy by John C.
McCarthy and Richard Velkley, respectively.
The philosophy of the Presocratics still governs scholarly discussion
today. This important volume grapples with a host of philosophical
issues and philological and historical problems inherent in interpreting
Presocratic philosophers.
ABOUT THE EDITOR:
Joe McCoy is adjunct professor of philosophy at the University of
Nevada-Reno.
PRAISE FOR THE BOOK
"Digs deep into issues that will greatly interest scholars specializing
in early Greek thought . . .Recommended." --Choice
