Greek classical philosophy: Plato, Aristotle and their influence in Antiquity
The emergence in two metaphysical paradigms: substantialist monism and processual...
Abstract
The notion of cause plays a central role in all major philosophical enquiries in Antiquity. From the pre-Socratics to late Antiquity, philosophers have not only inquired about what causes what, but also, and more importantly, have tried to understand what it means to be a cause. There is a deep connection in Greek philosophy between doctrines of causation, which mainly address natural phenomena, and doctrines of moral responsibility, central to any theory on human agency. This link is clear already in the common ancient Greek language, as aitios refers primarily to who is responsible for an action, especially to who is to blame for a given action, but was quickly expanded to all cases of responsibility, either blameworthy or praiseworthy human actions. From such an extended use it also acquired, now in a philosophical mood, the meaning that will become our familiar notion of natural cause and causation (notably concerning the abstract noun aitia). Such a notion of causation, although applied specifically to natural domains, will always keep its close links to the notion of moral responsibility, where it is originally grounded. This research project aims at investigating the different conceptions and doctrines about the nature of causation brought forward in Ancient Greek philosophy, and is aimed as well at charting in a philosophical fashion the corresponding theories of human agency that were proposed by ancient philosophers in close connection with their theories of natural causation. (AU)
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