
Productive Knowledge in Ancient Philosophy
The Concept of Techne
Thomas Kjeller Johansen(Editor)
Cambridge University Press
Published on 4. February 2021
Book
Hardback
332 pages
978-1-108-48584-5 (ISBN)
Description
This work investigates how ancient philosophers understood productive knowledge or techne and used it to explain ethics, rhetoric, politics and cosmology. In eleven chapters leading scholars set out the ancient debates about techne from the Presocratic and Hippocratic writers, through Plato and Aristotle and the Hellenistic age (Stoics, Epicureans and Sceptics), ending in the Neoplatonism of Plotinus and Proclus. Amongst the many themes that come into focus are: the model status of ancient medicine in defining the political art, the similarities between the Platonic and Aristotelian conceptions of techne, the use of techne as a paradigm for virtue and practical rationality, techne?s determining role in Platonic conceptions of cosmology, techne?s relationship to experience and theoretical knowledge, virtue as an 'art of living', the adaptability of the criteria of techne to suit different skills, including philosophy itself, the use in productive knowledge of models, deliberation, conjecture and imagination.
Reviews / Votes
'The book is well produced ... Johansen has skillfully assembled a rich collection of papers that can be read with benefit not only in its parts but also as a whole.' James L. Zainaldin, Bryn Mawr Classical ReviewMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
Worked examples or Exercises
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 19 mm
Weight
612 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-108-48584-5 (9781108485845)
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Schweitzer Classification
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Book
03/2022
Cambridge University Press
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E-Book
02/2021
Cambridge University Press
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E-Book
01/2021
Cambridge University Press
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Content
Introduction; 1. Protagoras on Political Techne Edward Hussey; 2. Dynamic Modalities and Teleological Agency: Plato and Aristotle on Skill and Ability Tamer Nawar; 3. Techne as a Model for Virtue in Plato Rachel Barney; 4. Crafting the Cosmos: Plato on the Limitations of Divine Craftsmanship Thomas Kjeller Johansen; 5. Aristotle on Productive Understanding and Completeness Ursula Coope; 6. Techne and Empeiria: Aristotle on Practical Knowledge Robert Bolton; 7. The Stoics on Techne and the Technai Voula Tsouna; 8. The Epicureans on Techne and the Technai Voula Tsouna; 9. The Sceptic's Art: Varieties of Expertise in Sextus Empiricus Stefan Sienkiewicz; 10. Plotinus on the Arts Eyjolfur Kjalar Emilsson; 11. Productive Knowledge in Proclus Jan Opsomer.