Philolaus of Croton: Pythagorean and Presocratic
A Commentary on the Fragments and Testimonia with Interpretive Essays

This is the first comprehensive study for nearly 200 years of what remains of the writings of the Presocratic philosopher Philolaus of Croton (470–390 BC).

Philolaus (Author), Carl A. Huffman (Edited and translated by)

9780521415255, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 22 July 1993

468 pages, 1 b/w illus.
23.6 x 15.8 x 3.2 cm, 0.832 kg

"...Huffman has produced a major contribution to early Greek thought. All research libraries and all students of the pre-Socratics will want to own this book." David Sider, Classical World

This is the first comprehensive study for nearly 200 years of what remains of the writings of the Presocratic philosopher Philolaus of Croton (c. 470–385 BC). These fragments are crucial to our understanding of one of the most influential schools of ancient philosophy, the Pythagoreans; they also show close ties with the main lines of development of Presocratic thought, and represent a significant response to thinkers such as Parmenides and Anaxagoras. Professor Huffman presents the fragments and testimonia (including the spurious fragments in a separate section for reference) with accompanying translations and introductory chapters and interpretive commentary. He not only produces further argument for the authenticity of much that used to be neglected, but also undertakes a critique of Aristotle's testimony, opening the way for a quite new reading of fifth-century Pythagoreanism in general and of Philolaus in particular. Philolaus is revealed as a serious natural philosopher.

Part I. Introduction: 1. Life and writings
2. Authenticity
Part II. Philolaus' Philosophy: 3. Limiters and unlimiteds
4. Number and Harmonia
5. Philolaus' use of archai and the method of hypothesis
Part III. Genuine Fragments and Testimonia: 6. Basic principles
7. Epistemology
8. Cosmogony
9. Astronomy
10. Embryology and medicine
11. Soul and psychic faculties
12. Miscellaneous genuine fragments and testimonia
Part IV. Spurious or Doubtful Fragments and Testimonia: 13. The world soul
14. Fragments and testimonia on number
15. Fragments and testimonia on music
16. Gods and angles
17. Fragments and testimonia on cosmology
18. Fragments on soul
19. Miscellaneous fragments and testimonia
Bibliography
Indexes.

Subject Areas: Western philosophy: Ancient, to c 500 [HPCA]