Diogenes of Sinope : The Man in the Tub

Rating:
Summary: An important philosophy for our time.
Review: I thoroughly recommend Diogenes of Sinope as essential reading for both Classical Greek scholars and those who simply wish to learn out more about the Cynics, their philosophy, and their way of life. Indeed, anyone who has overlooked this important philosophy. Scholarly in its approach, this book is yet compulsively readable. I was easily carried through the text which is generously peppered with fascinating anecdotes from the primary sources as well as Navia's own compelling interpretations. What better place to start an understanding of Cynicism than through its hero Diogenes.

In Chapter 4, Hegel's view that Cynicism contains little philosophy and no 'system' is demolished. Navia presents the reader with a very comprehensive and systematised account of what Cynicism's philosophy is, and yet achieves this without undermining Cynicism's integrity, for instance by not leaving a trail of 'truths' for some unscrupulous management theorist to claim as the latest quick fix for a failing company. At the end of this chapter, Cynicism emerges with its anti-scientific credentials intact, but also with much greater clarity about what Diogenes' brand of Cynicism stands FOR as well as what it opposes. I deliberately choose the present tense here, because what Navia demonstrates in these pages, is that (unlike the ideas of say Freud or Marx, who as one writer put it 'were weighed down by the cultural baggage of their time'), Diogenes' view of the world is as fresh and relevant today as it was 2,300 years ago. The reader should be left in no doubt that Cynicism represents a very powerful philosophy, even if he or she is not inclined to share it.

Throughout the book I was impressed by passages that sent me off contemplating contemporary issues and debates, but I also appreciated the detail and minutia that conjured up vivid portraits of life at the time ~ Diogenes life in particular. The appendix of Diogenes Laertius' (not to be confused with Navia's own hero) original writings about Diogenes the Cynic is very helpful in supporting Navia's own text. What Navia has achieved cleverly in this book, is to strike a balance between producing an authoritative text which reinforces the 'facts' available, while at the same time, acknowledging the myth-making that is essential for a real understanding of the Diogenes phenomenon.

Can we have a paperback edition please!

Rating:
Summary: Lucky Find!
Review: This book is fabulous! Navia chronicles the life of Diogenes in an academic and professional manner, and effectively disputes many claims made by other philosopher historians, such as F. Sayre. If you are a fan of Diogenes the man and what he stood for, then you will definitely find this book edifying, but if you are not, then it is still an excellent learning experience.

Rating:
Summary: Lucky Find!
Review: This book is fabulous! Navia chronicles the life of Diogenes in an academic and professional manner, and effectively disputes many claims made by other philosopher historians, such as F. Sayre. If you are a fan of Diogenes the man and what he stood for, then you will definitely find this book edifying, but if you are not, then it is still an excellent learning experience.