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Single Idea 20811

[filed under theme 27. Natural Reality / E. Cosmology / 1. Cosmology ]

Full Idea

Nothing which lacks life and reason can produce from itself something which is alive and rational; but the cosmos can produce from itself things which are alive and rational; therefore the cosmos is alive and rational.

Gist of Idea

Since the cosmos produces what is alive and rational, it too must be alive and rational

Source

Zeno (Citium) (fragments/reports [c.294 BCE]), quoted by M. Tullius Cicero - On the Nature of the Gods ('De natura deorum') 2.22

Book Ref

'The Stoics Reader', ed/tr. Inwood,B/Gerson,L.P. [Hackett 2008], p.63

A Reaction

Eggs and sperm don't seem to be rational, but I don't suppose they count. I note that this is presented as a formal proof, when actually it is just an evaluation of evidence. Logic as rhetoric, I would say.

The 27 ideas from Zeno (Citium)

20801 A wise man's chief strength is not being tricked; nothing is worse than error, frivolity or rashness [Zeno of Citium, by Cicero]
1771 When shown seven versions of the mowing argument, he paid twice the asking price for them [Zeno of Citium, by Diog. Laertius]
20770 Philosophy has three parts, studying nature, character, and rational discourse [Zeno of Citium, by Diog. Laertius]
6022 Someone who says 'it is day' proposes it is day, and it is true if it is day [Zeno of Citium, by Diog. Laertius]
7555 Zeno achieved the statement of the problems of infinitesimals, infinity and continuity [Russell on Zeno of Citium]
20860 Whatever participates in substance exists [Zeno of Citium, by Stobaeus]
21397 Perception an open hand, a fist is 'grasping', and holding that fist is knowledge [Zeno of Citium, by Long]
20799 A grasp by the senses is true, because it leaves nothing out, and so nature endorses it [Zeno of Citium, by Cicero]
20797 If a grasped perception cannot be shaken by argument, it is 'knowledge' [Zeno of Citium, by Cicero]
21395 One of Zeno's books was 'That Which is Appropriate' [Zeno of Citium, by Long]
21398 A presentation is true if we judge that no false presentation could appear like it [Zeno of Citium, by Cicero]
1770 When a slave said 'It was fated that I should steal', Zeno replied 'Yes, and that you should be beaten' [Zeno of Citium, by Diog. Laertius]
3799 A dog tied to a cart either chooses to follow and is pulled, or it is just pulled [Zeno of Citium, by Hippolytus]
21402 Incorporeal substances can't do anything, and can't be acted upon either [Zeno of Citium, by Cicero]
2649 If tuneful flutes grew on olive trees, you would assume the olive had some knowledge of the flute [Zeno of Citium]
20816 A body is required for anything to have causal relations [Zeno of Citium, by Cicero]
1773 A sentence always has signification, but a word by itself never does [Zeno of Citium, by Diog. Laertius]
20841 Zeno said live in agreement with nature, which accords with virtue [Zeno of Citium, by Diog. Laertius]
1774 Since we are essentially rational animals, living according to reason is living according to nature [Zeno of Citium, by Diog. Laertius]
20863 The goal is to 'live in agreement', according to one rational consistent principle [Zeno of Citium, by Stobaeus]
2662 Zeno saw virtue as a splendid state, not just a source of splendid action [Zeno of Citium, by Cicero]
5964 Zeno says there are four main virtues, which are inseparable but distinct [Zeno of Citium, by Plutarch]
20822 There is no void in the cosmos, but indefinite void outside it [Zeno of Citium, by Ps-Plutarch]
20807 The cosmos and heavens are the substance of god [Zeno of Citium, by Diog. Laertius]
2648 Things are more perfect if they have reason; nothing is more perfect than the universe, so it must have reason [Zeno of Citium]
20811 Since the cosmos produces what is alive and rational, it too must be alive and rational [Zeno of Citium]
20810 Rational is better than non-rational; the cosmos is supreme, so it is rational [Zeno of Citium]