History of the Lands
94 Generations Ago Zeno is considered the founder of the Stoic school of philosophy. When events occur in life, people react. Life is a series of events and immediate reactions. A stoic introduces a third middle step, a judge step. On their life journey, a stoic strives for a series of event-judge-react experiences. When you introduce […]
Zeno of Citium (334-262 BCE) Read More »
The Xia Dynasty is the first documented government of ancient China. The first to adopt dynastic succession. In modern times, it was regarded as a myth created later by Chinese historians, but 20th-century excavations uncovered sites which corresponded to descriptions in earlier historians’ accounts. This fact is an important lesson on understanding how little survived
Xia Dynasty (2070-1600 BCE) Read More »
The Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras was born in Ancient Greece on the island Samos which is about a mile off the coast of modern Turkey. History looks at Pythagoras as an educator and philosopher as well as a cult leader. He discovered the musical octave, used deductive reasoning, and embraced an early version of
Pythagoras (570-495 BCE) Read More »
67 Generations Ago 30 Phil, Chapter 15: Augustine, Time, and War Touchstones: Chronoception and Eternity Augustine is known as the father of Western religious scholarship. He reconciled the science and philosophy of Aristotle with church beliefs. My favorite quotes:Â The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page. Right
Augustine of Hippo (354-430 CE) Read More »
20 Generations Ago (from 2020 CE) Montaigne was one of the most significant philosophers of the French Renaissance. In addition to furthering skepticism, he also extended stoicism. He also extended literary style by promoting the essay format and by breaking norms of his day. For example, talking about himself in his own writing. My favorite translated Montaigne
Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592) Read More »
12 Generations Ago 30 Phil, Chapter 28: Kant and Kantianism Touchstones: Transcendental Idealism and Categorical Imperative The German philosopher Immanuel Kant (22 April 1724 – 12 February 1804) was a central figure of the Enlightenment which put reason as the tool of choice when discussing God, nature, and humanity. Some of my favorite translated quotes
Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) Read More »
The stoic philosopher Lucius Annaeus Seneca the Younger has the distinction that more of his writings survived the test of time and is therefore a valuable primary source for stoic philosophy. Some of my favorite translated Seneca quotes: Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. All cruelty springs from weakness. Religion is regarded by the
Seneca the Younger (4 BCE – 65 CE) Read More »
The stoic philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero was one of Rome’s greatest orators and had an immense influence on the Latin language. Some of my favorite translated Cicero quotes: If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need. Friendship improves happiness and abates misery, by the doubling of our joy and the
Cicero (106-43 BCE) Read More »
Epictetus stressed that philosophy is a way of life and not simply analytical. The stoic philosopher Epictetus was cited by Marcus Aurelius in his Meditations. Epictetus was one of the future emperor’s teacher’s during childhood up to the age of 14. Although no writings by Epictetus are known, his students documented his beliefs and sayings
Epictetus (50-135 CE) Read More »
94 Generations Ago 30 Phil, Chapter 11: Epicurus and Epicureanism Touchstones: Agnosticism and Pleasure Epicurus founded Epicureanism in 307 BCE. The goal of Epicureanism is to help people attain a happy (eudaimonic), tranquil life characterized by ataraxia (free from fear) and aponia (free from pain). He authored over 300 books, scrolls, none of which survived the
Epicurus (341-270 BCE) Read More »
95 Generations Ago 30 Phil, Chapter 10: Pyrrho of Elis and Skepticism  Touchstones: Skepticism and Social Constructs Pyrrho, the skeptic, believed no one knows anything. Everything can be questioned. The best approach is to keep an open mind. Like Socrates, Pyrrho himself left no writings. We know of his teachings through his students and later
Pyrrho (360-270 BCE) Read More »
The Greeks knew the Earth is spherical. For example, Pythagoras (570-495 BCE), Aristotle (384-322 BCE), and Euclid (circa 450 BCE) wrote about the Earth as a sphere. Eratosthenes (276-194 BCE) even calculated the circumference of the Earth to within 1%. He also wrote about the idea that India could be reached by sailing westward from
96 Generations Ago 30 Phil, Chapter 9: Aristotle and Empiricism Touchstones: Syllogisms, Rationalism, Empiricism, Logic, Logical Fallacies, & Eudaimonia Aristotle was the greatest Greek philosopher and covered nearly all subjects including physics, biology, zoology, metaphysics, logic, ethics, aesthetics, poetry, theatre, music, rhetoric, psychology, linguistics, economics, politics, meteorology, geology, and government. His Aristotelian philosophy characterized by
Aristotle (384 – 322 BCE) Read More »
98 Generations Ago 30 Phil, Chapter 8: Plato and Rationalism Touchstones: Reflective Inquiry and Ignorance is Bliss Plato was a Greek philosopher born in Athens. He was a student of Socrates and a teacher of Aristotle. Plato’s Theory of Forms asserts that the reality is only a shadow, or image, of the true reality of
Plato (428-347 BCE) Read More »
Thales of Miletus was a Greek philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer. Considered by many including Aristotle to be the first philosopher in the Greek tradition. He is also considered the father of science by many. Some of my favorite translated sayings are: Know thyself. A multitude of words is no proof of a prudent mind.
Thales of Miletus (624 – 546 BCE) Read More »
155 Generations Ago The Proto-Sinaitic alphabet is considered the earliest trace of alphabetic writing and the common ancestor of both Ancient South Arabian script and the Phoenician alphabet. The ancient South Arabian script evolved about 900 BCE which continued to evolve into today’s Modern South Arabian languages. The Phoenician alphabet evolved into the Greek alphabet
Proto-Sinaitic script Read More »
133 Generations Ago The Phoenician alphabet is a direct continuation of the Proto-Canaanite script circa 1300 BCE. Starting about 900 BCE, the Phoenician alphabet thrived and was adapted by others. It evolved into use by many languages including Greek, Old Italic and Anatolian scripts. These early uses of the alphabet evolved into the alphanumeric alphabet.Â
Phoenician Alphabet Read More »
40 Generations Ago Spaces between words started circa 1000 CE because those copying texts found it easier and faster to copy if they introduced spaces between words. The 1215 Magna Carta is a good example of this quality of writing which included word-spacing, uppercase, and lowercase, but no punctuation, nor paragraphs.Â
50 Generations Ago (from 2020 CE) Uppercase and lowercase started circa 800 CE. Notice in the image above of an actual book from 460 CE that although it is missing word-spacing, punctuation, paragraphs, and lowercase it does make use of two colored text as well as margin notes to orient the reader. Many pre-printing press
Upper and Lowercase Starts Read More »
Potential earliest writing in Asian zone: the Oracle Bone Script, circa 1250 BCE is oldest confirmed. These symbols which are radiocarbon dated to the 7th millennium BCE have similarities to the late 2nd millennium BCE oracle bone script. Put this writing in the MAYBE column. Scientists are still going through a process to verify this
Neolithic Symbols: China Read More »
Explore insights into science, philosophy, and history. This community features the writings of Mike Prestwood, a natural philosopher. This throwback title signifies his dedication to weaving together science, philosophy, and history. Engage in insightful discussions in a moderated, safe space where the realms of the irrational and unknowable are respectfully acknowledged but left at the doorway. Ready to connect with like-minded thinkers?
