ancient philosophy

  • Sextus Empiricus: No Definition of Man

    In Book I of his traditionally-titled Against the Logicians (Book VII of Adversus Mathematicos), Sextus Empiricus presents a critique of how past philosophers have attempted to define the human being. He notes that these philosophers would pass off a definition as an “explanation of man” (132), a strategy that, for Sextus, would surely fail. First is the account that…

  • Lucretius on Matter and the Void

    Lucretius on Matter and the Void

    In Book I of On the Nature of Things[1], Lucretius provides arguments for the existence of two main things that exist: matter and the void. Further, he argues that there are no other types of things besides these. First, Lucretius asserts that matter is known to exist by means of sensory perception. We see matter, we…