Definition of Cynicism, What Is Cynicism?
Definition:
Historically, Cynicism started as a philosophical movement in the 4th Century
B.C. that lasted until the Fall of Rome. Its practioners are Cynics.
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"We are told that
in every spot in Roman Alexandria one was bound to come upon a group of noisy
and disrupting Cynics, 'bawling out the usual street corner invocations to
Virtue in a loud, harsh voice, and abusing everyone without exception,' as Lucian
describes them ( The Passing of Peregrinus)."
Navia, Luis E.
Classical Cynicism: A Critical Study. 1996.
Rather than a school of
philosophy, Cynicism refers to an informal group of philosophers with certain
attitudes and unconventional behaviors who either called themselves Cynics or
were so-called by others.
The goal of Cynicism
was to attain arete (Greek) or virtus (Roman), a quality we imperfectly
translate "virtue." [See "Virtue and Circumstances: On the
City-State Concept of Arete," by Margalit Finkelberg.AJPh, Vol. 123,
(Spring, 2002), pp. 35-49.] It is the strength to overcome one's thoughts,
feelings, and the circumstances of one's life. Because arete was their goal,
Cynics disregarded social conventions and appearance, making them pariahs: What
would have shamed their contemporaries did not shame the Cynics.
Self-sufficiency required practice (askesis). They required freedom and
frankness, which politics disallowed. Classical Cynicism is credited with
founding anarchism.
Antisthenes, an
associate of Socrates, is counted the 1st Cynic, making Cynicism an offshoot of
Socratic teaching.
The latest practitioner
of classical Cynicism was Sallustius (5th C.). In between were, among others,
Diogenes of Sinope, Crates of Thebes, Hipparchia and Metrocles of Maroneia,
Monimus of Syracuse, Menippus, Bion of Borysthenes, Cercidas of Megalopolis,
Meleager and Oenomaus of Gadara, Demetrius of Rome, Demonax of Cyprus, Dio
Chrysostom, and Peregrinus Proteus.
Examples: Famous for
his laudatory mention by Alexander the Great, the surly, lantern-toting
Diogenes of Sinope was called Kynos -- Greek for dog -- for his lifestyle and
contrariness. It was from this word for dog that we get the word Cynicism.
Diogenes of Sinope is also known for his cosmopolitanism, literally. When asked
where he was from he said he was a citizen of the kosmos (world).
Source: Internet
Encyclopedia of Philosophy - Cynics
R. Bracht Branham says
Antisthenes as the founder of Cynicism was probably an ancient fabrication;
Diogenes the Cynic was probably the real one.
source:
https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-cynicism-118807
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