Lacydes of Cyrene

Lacydes (Greek Λακύδης, † probably 207 BC in Athens ) was an ancient Greek philosopher. He lived in Athens and was a member of the Platonic Academy, of which he 241/240 took over as the successor of his teacher Arcesilaus. After his native city, he is also called Lacydes of Cyrene.

Life

Little is known of the life of Lacydes. He came from a relatively poor family from Cyrene in Libya. When he came to Athens, is not known. He joined the Academy, which was run by Arcesilaus since 268/264, the founder of the later so- called " Younger ( skeptical ) Academy ". Arcesilaus had given the Academy a new direction by introducing skepticism. Lacydes was one of his many students. Even during his lifetime the Arkesilaos he took a prominent position and held courses. As Arkesilaos 241/240 died Lacydes took over the office of the headmaster ( Scholarchen ).

One somewhat unclear according to tradition, he was the previously " erratic " Academy grip. Therefore, it refers to the Diogenes Laertius Doxograph even as the founder of the "New Academy " (a really long time after his death, embossed, pejorative term intentioned ). What is meant is probably that he, the new alignment confirmed by producing the deep, severe restlessness change that had brought the introduction of skepticism under Arcesilaus and she knew to stabilize through a course of consolidation. This was done by - how Philodemus reports - 's "The School of the two ( directions) mixed ", that brought about a balance between the skeptical innovators and more conservative supporters of the tradition of the Old Academy.

To Lacydes ' friends and acquaintances included Timon of Phlius and Praylos, two representatives of Pyrrho of Elis, founded by the direction of the " Pyrrhonian skepticism ", which was similar to the " academic skepticism ". Over time, the two directions were approaching each other on.

Lacydes is described as very dignified, hard-working man since his youth and as a gracious and affable. Under his leadership, the Academy flourished despite the tremors that had caused Arcesilaus ' change of course; He was admired and had numerous pupils, some of whom are known by name. Among them was the poet and writer Euphorion. Even the Stoic Chrysippus, who emerged as a staunch opponent of academic skepticism, visited his lectures.

From his life, only a few events have survived. He is said to have owned a goose that followed him at every turn and he buried after her death, as a close relative. Caused offense, the fact that he dealt only in old age with geometry, because the study of mathematics was in Platonism as an indispensable propaedeutic preparation for a serious study of philosophy.

From the support provided by the family of the Attalids, the ruler of Pergamon, the younger Academy, Lacydes could benefit as its predecessor Arcesilaus. Just as had Eumenes I of Pergamon Arkesilaos generously supported, Eumenes ' successor Attalus I. set for a Lacydes. He founded the Academy a garden plot, on the Lacydes held its courses and was named after him " Lakydeion ". The exact location of Lakydeions is not known. An invitation to the court of Attalus I. did not follow Lacydes; for reasons he stated, still images are viewed from a distance.

Lacydes suffered from an illness that prevented him ten years in the performance of his duties. It is unclear whether this his last ten years of life are meant or more periods of ten years. Well 224 or 223, he gave up his status as sole principals and established a collegial a more broad-based, with his students Telecles and Evander from Phocaea played a prominent role. When he - probably in 207 - died, no new Scholarch was elected, but the collective leadership by the current governing body of elders ( presbyteroi, literally " Elder" ) in which Telecles and Evander set the tone maintained. Apparently proven the principle of collegiate management, because the Academy could continue to a large number of students from various parts of the Greek world to attract.

The traditional Diogenes Laertius of message Lacydes died of paralysis as a result of drunkenness, is hardly credible; is common gossip, as it was similarly distributed via Arcesilaus.

Works and teaching

The Suda, a Byzantine encyclopedia, indicates Lacydes have written philosophical writings, including a work " On Nature " ( Peri Physeos ). Get it is nothing. About his teaching is only known that he remained faithful to the established by its predecessor Arkesilaos skeptical direction. Apparently, his strength lay rather in the didactics as in the development of original thought.

One of the main hypotheses of the academic skeptics was that it was not possible to obtain reliable knowledge. The senses can not be trusted without reservation, whether as seen from hallucinations and confusion. Even if a philosophical statement zutreffe, one could not prove this, as always could be found also strong counter- arguments. Thus, any truth claim should be rejected. Therefore, one should abstain from judging, in order not to succumb to the temptation to treat mere opinions as established facts.

As this attitude proved problematic in the field of ethics. Opponents of skepticism argued that any action would require a decision for a particular target, and thus its approval advance; this endorsement bein consider a verdict. Therefore, the principle not judgmental skeptical philosopher to inaction is doomed because it lacked a rational criterion for decisions. Thus was a philosophical - life practice impossible on the basis of skepticism - that is rationally controlled.

A biting, grotesque tale of Lacydes that was disseminated by contemporary opposing circles, apparently served the purpose of mocking skepticism and to prove his theory of action unsuitability. According to this story Lacydes was stingy and wont finish his pantry carefully. He put the key in a box which he sealed with his ring. The ring he threw through the keyhole in the pantry. When his slaves realized that they broke the seal on the box and plundered the pantry, whereupon they again sealed and the ring brought the box back in its place. Lacydes could not explain the disappearance of inventories. Therefore, he joined the skeptical philosophy of Arcesilaus, calling for a waiver of judgments because of the incomprehensibility of reality. He also promoted the skepticism by heading the example of his experiences in the pantry, but was ridiculed. Then he kept the ring no longer in the chamber. But the slaves did not give up. They continued to steal the stocks, with they used a different seal or no longer sealed. When he asked for the wrong label to the speech, they said, the box is properly sealed; if he could not recognize as its own the Seal, he was subject to a delusion. If they had failed the seal, they claimed that he had probably forgotten to seal the box. His assumption to have done it, based on memory, and the memory is deceptive, and deliver no real knowledge but producing only a philosophically worthless opinion. They refuted him for so long with his own teaching until he admitted desperate that his philosophy is not applicable to the practice of life.

In this satirical story of the skeptical philosopher is derided as a fool. Probably reflected in the last argument of the slaves a critique of Lacydes the claim to truth of statements about the past, where he used the error susceptibility of memory as an argument.

Source book

  • Hans Joachim Mette: Other academics today: From Lacydes up to Kleitomachos. In: Lustrum 27, 1985, p 39-148 ( compilation of the source texts)
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