Fox, M. (2023) Cicero and the evolution of philosophical dialogue. In: Garani, M., Konstan, D. and Reydams-Schils, G. (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Roman Philosophy. Series: Oxford handbooks. Oxford University Press: New York, pp. 159-172. ISBN 9780199328383 (hardback); 9780197639832 (online); 9780197639825 (epub) (doi: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199328383.013.10)
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Abstract
The chapter examines Cicero’s contribution to the genre of philosophical dialogue. It argues that he was the first to use speakers in dialogues as representatives of different philosophical schools; he adds a particular kind of preface in order to situate philosophical conversation within a specific historical and political setting; by these means he emphasizes the practical and contingent aspects of philosophy, sometimes at the expense of the abstract; he uses historical references to highlight the need for philosophy, and to keep readers aware of the artificiality of his textual practice, and the conventional quality of the form itself. Passages from De finibus, including its account of the rape of Lucretia, are examined to show how these different aspects operate.
Item Type: | Book Sections |
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Keywords: | Cicero, philosophical dialogue, Aristotle, Plato, Heraclides of Pontus, doxography, skepticism, Lucretia, De finibus. |
Status: | Published |
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: | Fox, Professor Matthew |
Authors: | Fox, M. |
Subjects: | B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > B Philosophy (General) P Language and Literature > PA Classical philology |
College/School: | College of Arts & Humanities > School of Humanities > Classics |
Publisher: | Oxford University Press |
ISBN: | 9780199328383 (hardback); 9780197639832 (online); 9780197639825 (epub) |
Published Online: | 22 March 2023 |
Copyright Holders: | Copyright © Oxford University Press 2023 |
Publisher Policy: | Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy |
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