Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Clivedurdle · 10-20-2005, 01:56 AM

Have a listen to this BBC Radio 4 discussion. The speakers assume an HJ and make strong arguments that Jesus and Paul were clearly strongly influenced by cynicism - it probably led to monasticism for example.

Joining dots up in atrocious ways, and speaking in terms of epiphanies, how come Seneca and Gadara loom large in the discussion, and Atwill's comments about satire seem to fit?

Quote:

CYNICISM

Eating live octopus with fresh lupins, performing intimate acts in public places and shouting at passers by from inside a barrel is behaviour not normally associated with philosophy. But the Cynics were different. They were determined to expose the meaninglessness of civilised life by action as well as by word. They slept rough, ate simply and gave their lectures in the market place. Perhaps surprisingly, their ideas and attitudes were immensely popular in the ancient world.

But how coherent was cynicism as a philosophy? What was its influence on literature and politics and is there any truth to the contention that Jesus himself was influenced by the Cynics?

Contributors

Angie Hobbs, Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Warwick

Miriam Griffin, Fellow of Somerville College, Oxford

John Moles, Professor of Latin at the University of Newcastle

In Our Time - The Cynics

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