Determinism, fatalism, neccesity: Cicero against the Stoics

In the first part of this paper, I analyze the logical-epistemological categories that Cicero uses to address the problem of determinism, and in particular, the distinction between causal and logical-epistemological necessity. In this context, the problem of divination, that is, the ability to utter...

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Main Author: Salvador Mas
Format: Article
Language:Spanish
Published: Universidad Pontificia Comillas 2015-09-01
Series:Pensamiento. Revista de Investigación e Información Filosófica
Subjects:
Online Access:https://revistas.upcomillas.es/index.php/pensamiento/article/view/5612
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author Salvador Mas
author_facet Salvador Mas
author_sort Salvador Mas
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description In the first part of this paper, I analyze the logical-epistemological categories that Cicero uses to address the problem of determinism, and in particular, the distinction between causal and logical-epistemological necessity. In this context, the problem of divination, that is, the ability to utter true statements about the future, is fundamental for Cicero, which suggests —as I argue in the second part of this paper— that Ciciero's substantive argument, albeit highly technical, in essence is not logical-epistemological, since what is fundamentally at issue is a religious, or political-religious, problem. Following Carneades, Cicero directly criticizes Stoic epistemology (in particular Chrysippus’s version), but he does so because, indirectly, and independent of the skeptical philosopher, Cicero wants to overcome the theological implications of the Stoic concept of fate, which, in turn, is central to his political project for the reconstruction of the res publica: logic, religion and politics thus go hand in hand.
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spelling doaj.art-33d04291e6704788a7317312d9bd77022022-12-22T02:30:43ZspaUniversidad Pontificia ComillasPensamiento. Revista de Investigación e Información Filosófica0031-47492386-58222015-09-017126765967310.14422/pen.v71.i267.y2015.0075405Determinism, fatalism, neccesity: Cicero against the StoicsSalvador Mas0UNEDIn the first part of this paper, I analyze the logical-epistemological categories that Cicero uses to address the problem of determinism, and in particular, the distinction between causal and logical-epistemological necessity. In this context, the problem of divination, that is, the ability to utter true statements about the future, is fundamental for Cicero, which suggests —as I argue in the second part of this paper— that Ciciero's substantive argument, albeit highly technical, in essence is not logical-epistemological, since what is fundamentally at issue is a religious, or political-religious, problem. Following Carneades, Cicero directly criticizes Stoic epistemology (in particular Chrysippus’s version), but he does so because, indirectly, and independent of the skeptical philosopher, Cicero wants to overcome the theological implications of the Stoic concept of fate, which, in turn, is central to his political project for the reconstruction of the res publica: logic, religion and politics thus go hand in hand.https://revistas.upcomillas.es/index.php/pensamiento/article/view/5612libertad, necesidad, determinismo, adivinación, Cicerón, Carnéades, Crisipo.
spellingShingle Salvador Mas
Determinism, fatalism, neccesity: Cicero against the Stoics
Pensamiento. Revista de Investigación e Información Filosófica
libertad, necesidad, determinismo, adivinación, Cicerón, Carnéades, Crisipo.
title Determinism, fatalism, neccesity: Cicero against the Stoics
title_full Determinism, fatalism, neccesity: Cicero against the Stoics
title_fullStr Determinism, fatalism, neccesity: Cicero against the Stoics
title_full_unstemmed Determinism, fatalism, neccesity: Cicero against the Stoics
title_short Determinism, fatalism, neccesity: Cicero against the Stoics
title_sort determinism fatalism neccesity cicero against the stoics
topic libertad, necesidad, determinismo, adivinación, Cicerón, Carnéades, Crisipo.
url https://revistas.upcomillas.es/index.php/pensamiento/article/view/5612
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