Polemon (scholarch)

Polemon of Athens (Greek Πολέμων; * 350 BC, † probably 270/269 BC in Athens ) was an ancient Greek philosopher ( Platonist ). For decades he served as Scholarch the Platonic Academy in Athens.

Life

Polemon came from a wealthy family of Athens. His father Philostratus was a respected citizen and had a team. As a youth Polemon to have been profligate and led a dissolute life; Reported Antigonus of Carystus that he had been so even sued by his wife.

One legendary anecdote According Polemon came one day and wreathed in a drunken state in the academy. Its then director Xenocrates, a student of Plato, this did not detract from teaching, but continued his lecture, which was about the virtue of temperance. Of Polemon to have been so impressed that he changed his life radically, decided for a philosophical way of life and began to participate in the work of the Academy. At the time he was thirty years old. Xenocrates was his role model. Soon he noticed through his diligence and excelled in such a way that fell to him by Xenocrates ' death 314 or 313, the Office of the Scholarchen. He presided over the Academy until his death, probably the 270/269 came, more than four decades.

Polemon was praised for its balance, its serious, dignified bearing and his noble sentiments. Although he was considered impolite to leave the grounds of the Academy, where he lived and taught and did not try to popularization of philosophy, he also enjoyed high reputation in the city. About his self-control and his equanimity circulated anecdotes. Even when tragedy performances and a poetry reading he showed no excitement, which at that time was unusual and noticed. He died at a great age.

Works and teaching

Polemon to have a considerable number of writings written. They are all lost except for fragments, and with one exception - a treatise "On the nature contemporary life " - are not even their titles known.

The focus of his attention focused on the philosophical life. The Diogenes Laertius Doxograph, based on information provided by the biographer Antigonus of Carystus, reported Polemon have often expressed his belief that a philosopher should practice by his deeds, for their own life experience is more important than the knowledge of theorems. Otherwise identical to a person who memorizes a harmony, but never played music. Through clever Discuss one could indeed excite admiration, but the inner conflict in his own mind not overcome, since theory and practice diverge. The emphasis on the practice but did not mean that Polemon basically turned away from dialectics and philosophical theory; he disapproved only one -sided emphasis on debating which end in itself, rather than to have an impact on life.

Plays a central role in ethics Polemons the demand for a nature-friendly, ie corresponding human nature life. Human nature comes out in the operations in which expresses the virtue of the soul. From tugendgemäßem action results in the eudaimonia, the optimal state of mind; external goods are not a necessary condition for it. As part of his understanding of the nature according to Polemon speaks out against eating meat.

The cosmos Polemon identified with the deity; So he represents a theology that starts from the immanence of Deity.

Reception

Under Polemons students him stood Crates closest; the two Platonists were close friends and lived together. Crates was his successor as Scholarch. Other students were Crantor, who died before Polemon, and Zeno of Citium, the founder of Stoicism, and Ariston of Chios, which is also a prominent Stoics later. Polemons commitment to the primacy of nature-friendly, virtuous life over mere thinking efforts and debates and his life ideal of unshakable equanimity were core elements of the Stoic attitude. The Stoic ethics emerged in the confrontation with his doctrine of the nature- life. The famous Stoic Chrysippus of Soli praised Polemons achievements in the field of dialectics.

The later Scholarch Arcesilaus, the verger and Crates yet experienced, told the two philosophers had seemed like gods or remnants from the Golden Age. This remark was meant as a cautious criticism; Arkesilaos hinted that Polemon had lost touch with the present and with his retirement renounced almost bring Platonism to a wider public.

Cicero reports that the philosopher Antiochus of Ascalon Polemon particularly appreciated.

The story of Polemons conversion to philosophy was taken up in ancient literature often. The legendary episode served as a model for a fundamental change of a wayward young man who, thanks to the meeting decides with an exemplary teacher of philosophy to repentance. Among the authors who took on the history reference, include Horace, Plutarch, Epictetus, Lucian, Fronto, Origen, Themistius, Gregory of Nazianzus and Augustine. Valerius Maximus took a version of the story on to his Facta et dicta memorabilia.

Expenditure

• Marcello Gigante ( ed): I frammenti di Polemone academico. In: Rendiconti della Accademia di Archeological, Lettere e Belle Arti (Napoli ), NS Vol 51 (1976 ), 1977, pp. 91-144