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Full Idea
The pre-Socratics are interesting, but philosophy really begins in drama; it's a competitive discourse to tragedy. Which is why Plato's 'Republic' excludes the poets: they're the competition; gotta get rid of them.
Gist of Idea
Philosophy really got started as the rival mode of discourse to tragedy
Source
Simon Critchley (Impossible Objects: interviews [2012], 6)
Book Ref
Critchley,Simon: 'Impossible Objects: interviews' [Politty 2012], p.110
A Reaction
That's an interesting and novel perspective. So what was the 'discourse' of tragedy saying, and why did that provoke the new rival? Was it too fatalistic?
| 5988 | Anaximander produced the first philosophy book (and maybe the first book) [Anaximander, by Bodnár] |
| 3060 | Plato never mentions Democritus, and wished to burn his books [Plato, by Diog. Laertius] |
| 24146 | All the major problems were formulated before Socrates [Nietzsche] |
| 2900 | I revere Heraclitus [Nietzsche] |
| 12036 | Xenophanes began the concern with knowledge [Annas] |
| 20455 | Philosophy really got started as the rival mode of discourse to tragedy [Critchley] |
| 21355 | The Pre-Socratics are not simple naturalists, because they do not always 'leave the gods out' [Leroi] |