Atomism and Pyrrhonism: Ascanius of Abdera’s Philosophical Identity (Diog. Laert. IX 61).
Journal title RIVISTA DI STORIA DELLA FILOSOFIA
Author/s Francesco Verde
Publishing Year 2024 Issue 2024/2
Language Italian Pages 22 P. 349-370 File size 255 KB
DOI 10.3280/SF2024-002001
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IIn all likelihood, Ascanius of Abdera was a philosopher who had a deep interest in Pyrrhonian thought. The only textual evidence about him is in Diogenes Laertius’ Life of Pyrrho (IX 61), in which one reads that, according to Ascanius, Pyrrho was the first to introduce akatalepsia (incomprehensibility/non-cognition) and epoche (suspended judgment). In this article, it is hypothesized that Ascanius is either a Pyrrhonian or a Democritean philosopher. There are good reasons in favor of either possibility. Although one necessarily keeps to the hypothetical level, it would seem more plausible that Ascanius was a Democritean thinker who, like other thinkers belonging to the Democritean tradition (for instance, Nausiphanes of Teos), had a strong interest in Pyrrhonian philosophy, probably in polemics with Arcesilaus’ Academy. Finally, the article also deals with the section of Plutarch’s Adversus Colotem devoted to Arcesilaus (1121F-1122A) and a column of the Epicurean Polystratus’ De contemptu (PHerc. 336/1150, XXI 17-29 Indelli).
Keywords: Ascanius of Abdera, Democritus, Pyrrho, Arcesilaus, Scepticism, Atomism, Pyrrhonism.
Francesco Verde, Atomismo e pirronismo. L’identità filosofica di Ascanio di Abdera (Diog. Laert. IX 61) in "RIVISTA DI STORIA DELLA FILOSOFIA" 2/2024, pp 349-370, DOI: 10.3280/SF2024-002001