more on this theme     |     more from this thinker     |     more from this text


Single Idea 20771

[filed under theme 1. Philosophy / D. Nature of Philosophy / 4. Divisions of Philosophy ]

Full Idea

Cleanthes says there are six parts: dialectic, rhetoric, ethics, politics, physics, and theology.

Gist of Idea

Six parts: dialectic, rhetoric, ethics, politics, physics, theology

Source

report of Cleanthes (fragments/reports [c.270 BCE]) by Diogenes Laertius - Lives of Eminent Philosophers 07.41

Book Ref

'The Stoics Reader', ed/tr. Inwood,B/Gerson,L.P. [Hackett 2008], p.8


A Reaction

This was a minority view, as most stoics agreed with Zeno and Chrysippus that there are three main topics. Nowadays there is little discussion of the 'parts' of philosophy, but the recent revival of meta-philosophy should encourage it.