Combining Philosophers

All the ideas for Anaxarchus, Naguib Mahfouz and Julio Cesare Vanini

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3 ideas

1. Philosophy / A. Wisdom / 2. Wise People

15833	Tell cleverness from answers, but wisdom from questions [Mahfouz]
	Full Idea: You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.
	From: Naguib Mahfouz (works [1998])
	A reaction: [Popped up on Twitter. I am adjusting to the 21st century] The observation is simplistic, of course, but very nice indeed.

13. Knowledge Criteria / D. Scepticism / 1. Scepticism

3061	Anaxarchus said that he was not even sure that he knew nothing [Anaxarchus, by Diog. Laertius]
	Full Idea: Anaxarchus said that he was not even sure that he knew nothing.
	From: report of Anaxarchus (fragments/reports [c.340 BCE]) by Diogenes Laertius - Lives of Eminent Philosophers 09.10.1

26. Natural Theory / A. Speculations on Nature / 6. Early Matter Theories / b. Prime matter

16591	Prime matter is nothing but its parts [Vanini]
	Full Idea: The whole of prime matter, considered as prime matter, is nothing other than its parts.
	From: Julio Cesare Vanini (Amphitheatrum [1615], Ex 5:p.28), quoted by Robert Pasnau - Metaphysical Themes 1274-1671 03.2
	A reaction: This is a late scholastic writer rejecting the traditional (and obscure) prime matter with the new corpuscularian approach. It signals the end of the Greek concept of matter.