Philolaus of Croton: Pythagorean and Presocratic: A Commentary on the Fragments and Testimonia with Interpretive Essays
Cambridge University Press, 7/22/1993
EAN 9780521415255, ISBN10: 052141525X
Hardcover, 468 pages, 22.9 x 15.2 x 3 cm
Language: English
Originally published in Ancient_greek, translated by Carl A. Huffman
This is the first comprehensive study for nearly 200 years of what remains of the writings of the Presocratic philosopher Philolaus of Croton (c. 470–385 BC). These fragments are crucial to our understanding of one of the most influential schools of ancient philosophy, the Pythagoreans; they also show close ties with the main lines of development of Presocratic thought, and represent a significant response to thinkers such as Parmenides and Anaxagoras. Professor Huffman presents the fragments and testimonia (including the spurious fragments in a separate section for reference) with accompanying translations and introductory chapters and interpretive commentary. He not only produces further argument for the authenticity of much that used to be neglected, but also undertakes a critique of Aristotle's testimony, opening the way for a quite new reading of fifth-century Pythagoreanism in general and of Philolaus in particular. Philolaus is revealed as a serious natural philosopher.
Part I. Introduction
1. Life and writings
2. Authenticity
Part II. Philolaus' Philosophy
3. Limiters and unlimiteds
4. Number and Harmonia
5. Philolaus' use of archai and the method of hypothesis
Part III. Genuine Fragments and Testimonia
6. Basic principles
7. Epistemology
8. Cosmogony
9. Astronomy
10. Embryology and medicine
11. Soul and psychic faculties
12. Miscellaneous genuine fragments and testimonia
Part IV. Spurious or Doubtful Fragments and Testimonia
13. The world soul
14. Fragments and testimonia on number
15. Fragments and testimonia on music
16. Gods and angles
17. Fragments and testimonia on cosmology
18. Fragments on soul
19. Miscellaneous fragments and testimonia
Bibliography
Indexes.