Overview

This remarkable open access collection of scholarly studies by internationally distinguished experts explores the intricate and multifaceted philosophical concepts of the Self as understood in Graeco-Roman antiquity and the early modern period. The contributors weave together a rich tapestry of historical and comparative case studies that highlight tensions as well as connections between ancient and early modern perspectives on the Self. Ancient philosophers discussed include Plato, Lucretius, the Stoics, the Cynics, Augustine and the Neoplatonists. Early modern philosophers include Descartes, Gassendi, Pascal, Locke, Fénelon, Abbadie, Diderot and Kant. Through their analysis, this volume invites readers to embark on a philosophical journey that bridges two epochs, igniting a conversation about the very essence of human identity. Central to this discourse are a series of thought-provoking chapters that scrutinise the profound influence of ancient thought on the philosophical and scientific theories of the Self that emerged during the 17th and 18th centuries. Whilst these studies offer fresh insights into particular eras of intellectual history and reassess the intricate threads connecting them, the volume as a whole aims to answer several pivotal questions: should we view references to ancient pagan or Christian authors as mere echoes of a cultural code or a fashionable taste for antiquity? Or do they signify a genuine re-engagement with authentic sources of inspiration? Do these intersections reveal opposition, tension or harmonious complementarity? In seeking answers to these questions, the volume stands as a testament to the enduring relevance of our philosophical legacy, and it will be of interest to philosophers, classicists, psychologists and historians of science and ideas. The eBook editions of this book are available open access under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licence on bloomsburycollections.com. Open access was funded by the National Research, Development and Innovation Office, Hungary.

Full Product Details

Author:   Attila Németh (Research Centre for the Humanities, Budapest, Hungary) ,  Dániel Schmal (Research Centre for the Humanities, Budapest, Hungary)
Publisher:   Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Imprint:   Bloomsbury Academic
Dimensions:   Width: 16.20cm , Height: 2.20cm , Length: 23.40cm
Weight:   0.600kg
ISBN:  

9781350380370

ISBN 10:   1350380377
Pages:   296
Publication Date:   15 May 2025
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Manufactured on demand  
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Table of Contents

List of Contributors Introduction – Attila Németh and Dániel Schmal PART I – ANTIQUITY 1. ‘Who are We, where are We’: Plato’s Narratives of the Soul Andrea Nightingale 2. Lucretius, the Epicurean Attila Németh 3. The Stoics on perceiving other selves Simon Shogry 4. Neoplatonists on katharsis, the emotions and the self Anne Sheppard PART II – CONNECTIONS 5. From Socrates to Descartes: Talking, Reading, and the Nature of Philosophy David Konstan 6. The Stoics and Locke Gretchen Reydams-Schils 7. Cynic selves in Lucian and Diderot William Desmond 8. Persons who are Selves Deborah J. Brown & Calvin G. Normore PART III – EARLY MODERN 9. Pascal and the Socratic Tradition of Self-Knowledge Tamás Pavlovits 10. Mystica Togata: Fénelon’s Use of the Ancient Ideal of Friendship in the Dispute over Genuine Love Dániel Schmal 11. Jacques Abbadie on Social Selves and Spiritual Selves Andreas Blank 12. Kant on the Problem of Self-Knowledge Ursula Renz Bibliography Index of passages Index of names Index of subjects

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Author Information

Attila Németh is Senior Research Fellow at HUN-REN Research Centre for the Humanities, Institute of Philosophy, Hungary. He is co-editor of Esteem and the Self in the History of Philosophy (forthcoming), author of Epicurus on the Self (2017), and co-founder of the Forum of Hellenistic and Roman Philosophy. Dániel Schmal is Professorial Research Fellow at HUN-REN Research Centre for the Humanities, Institute of Philosophy, Hungary, and Professor at the Department of Philosophy, Péter Pázmány Catholic University, Hungary. He is author of a number of books and scholarly articles on early modern theories of consciousness and the amour pur debate.

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