Diogenes of Sinope: The Man in the Tub

by Luis E. Navia

The life and teachings of Diogenes of Sinope, the Greek philosopher who gave rise to classical Cynicism, deserve careful consideration because of their relevance to contemporary ethical issues. The task of reconstructing the philosopher's life, however, is exceedingly difficult, because in his case, more than in those of other ancient philosophers, we must deal not only with the scarcity of reliable sources and testimonies, but also with the mountains of anecdotal and fictional accounts that are responsible for the creation of a veritable literary legend around the Cynic who once lived in a tub. This comprehensive study reconstructs his biography on the basis of classical and Arabic sources, identifies the main ideas and principles of his philosophy, and shows the application of his philosophical message for our contemporary world.



It also includes an extensively annotated translation of Diogenes Laertius' Life of Diogenes of Sinope, which is our principal source of information about the philosopher.

Genres: Philosophy, Classics, Biography, History

224 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 1998

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Undoubtedly the wittiest and wildest philosopher I've ever heard of. The story of Diogenes and his beliefs is as fascinating as it is incredulous. Whether it be asking Alexander the Great to stand aside to let the sun through or walking through the day with a lamp in search of a "real human", the tales of Diogenes are abstract and fascinating. Further, the translation and presentation by author Navia really bring to light what Diogenes believed and did.

Despite the silliness, there is a deep universality in his message: "The main proposition of Diogenes’ Cynicism is then: live each moment as if it were the only moment of life. Diogenes lived as if the entire world were limited to what he could see and hear in his surroundings, as each morning he would emerge from his tub.”

[Fatih · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book covers almost all the claims about the philosopher and discusses them. It also mentions both Antisthenes and later cynics, which I find very beneficial. So, this is my one of the favorite books, from now on.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book ever. If there were a fire, this would be the book I save.

I've always known no matter how unique we feel given the thousands of years people have been around someone has to have thought about things along at least similar lines. My favorite part has to be the "stadium". I won't spoil it.

[Shakiba khalilzade · Rating 3 out of 5]

aliii bod ..

[Parapraxis · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's hard to find info on my favorite philosopher...