Short description:

This volume, the first devoted specifically to Speusippus in English, offers a new picture of Speusippus? philosophy via an in-depth analysis of the testimonia preserved by Aristotle, providing new points of departure for research on the Early Academy and challenging previous ideas regarding the early development of Platonism.

Long description:

This volume, the first devoted specifically to Speusippus in English, offers a new picture of Speusippus? philosophy via an in-depth analysis of the testimonia preserved by Aristotle.

The book develops a new methodology for understanding the evidence concerning authors of the Early Academy, Speusippus in particular, providing a fresh assessment of the initial phase of Platonism, which calls into question the long-held view that Speusippus was a distinct outlier among Platonists. By reconstructing discussions within the Academy, looking at Aristotle especially, we can better understand the presence of Speusippus? doctrinal deviation from or preservation of Plato?s doctrine as the effort of a genuine Platonist ? the first ? to re-shape his Platonic credentials in the backdrop of Aristotle?s critiques. In offering a new reconstruction of the philosophical views of Speusippus, the book provides new points of departure for research on the Early Academy and challenges previous ideas regarding the early development of Platonism.

Speusippus: A Forgotten Voice of Platonism is of interest to students and scholars of Speusippus, as well as those working on Platonism, the Academy, and ancient philosophy more broadly.

Table of Contents:

Acknowledgements x Introduction 1 Speusippus: a riddle yet to be solved 1 The lack of a global picture 3 The status quaestionis: the need for a different methodological approach 6 A novel understanding of Speusippus? Platonic inheritance 15 Note of clarification 17 Aristotelian testimonia analysed 17 Exclusion of commentators on Aristotle?s text 17 Exclusion of other early witnesses 17 Aristotelian testimonia excluded from consideration 19 Inclusion of other authors: Appendix on Athenaeus 20 I Speusippus? philosophy: The general framework and the rejection of Forms 28 Aristotle?s list of ?????? 29 Primary principles 34 Other principles? 35 The mathematical realm 36 The soul 36 The sensibles 37 The episodicity of the world 38 The rejection of Forms 44 Speusippus? ontology: preliminary conclusions 46  II The mathematical realm 58 The mathematical realm: a synoptic view of Aristotle?s testimonia 60 Separated . . . from what? 62 What is a mathematical number? Number 10 as a special ordinary number 65 Number 10 and the properties that are shared with other numbers 66 Number 10 and its peculiar properties 69 Numbers ?are from? the principles 73 Principles ?? ???????????? 75 A short digression about the ?material? principle 78 Principles ?? ?? 81 III The principles 95 What is most beautiful and noble is not ?? ????: an internal assessment of Aristotle?s testimony 96 External assessment of Speusippus? premises 99 Premise (i): what is most beautiful and noble is not in the principle/in the beginning (?? ????????? ??? ??????? ?? ?? ???? ?????) 100 Premise (ii): principles (of plants and animals) are causes (??? ????? ??? ??? ???? ??? ????? ????? ??? ?????) 102 Premise (iii): beauty and completeness are in the things that come from the principles (?? ?? ????? ??? ??????? ?? ???? ?? ??????) 103 The effectiveness of Aristotle?s rejection: preliminary conclusions 103 Another discussion concerning the principles 105 Pushing our conclusions further? Generalising the findings 109 IV Speusippus? ethical doctrine 119 EN VII: Speusippus? rebuttal of Eudoxus? argument from contraries 122 EN X: another version of Speusippus? rebuttal? 124 Clement?s testimony 131 Theophrastus? testimony 136 Challenges to the standard account 142 A different account? Some conclusions about Speusippus? ethical stances 145  Conclusions 164 Appendix 168 Bibliography 177 Index locorum 191 Index nominum 211 Index rerum 213