Origins of Pessimism
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Origins of Pessimism
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Re: Origins of Pessimism
I guess this may seem like a question that should be googled but why would pessimism have begun with Schopenhauer, or Leibniz and Voltaire (they come up when googling the first pessimists or the origins of pessimism), when Christianity which borrows heavily from Socrates had such an influence on them? Why wouldn't you look to Socrates as one of the first pessimist when so much of what he says can be taken that way? So can the origin of pessimism be found in the findings of Socrates or further back? Or, if you don't see Socrates as a pessimist why not?
- ThomasHobbes
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Re: Origins of Pessimism
Apes can be pessimistic. The origins are in our mammalian past.Maxcady10001 wrote: ↑August 10th, 2018, 9:03 am Where does the origin of pessimism lie, with Socrates or somewhere else?
It can even have selective advantage.
http://theconversation.com/the-surprisi ... mist-91851
However, the origin of the word is more recent than you might think, late 18thC.
So, Socrates is way out on both issues.
- Sy Borg
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Re: Origins of Pessimism
- LuckyR
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Re: Origins of Pessimism
- ThomasHobbes
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- Sy Borg
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Re: Origins of Pessimism
One still needs to suffer sufficiently to reach that point, though.ThomasHobbes wrote: ↑August 11th, 2018, 5:40 amI've know people to welcome the release.
I hope to be in that frame of mind at the end.
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Re: Origins of Pessimism
But I was responding to your claim of a "sad ending". If death follows suffering, then the end is happy. A release from that suffering.Greta wrote: ↑August 11th, 2018, 4:57 pmOne still needs to suffer sufficiently to reach that point, though.ThomasHobbes wrote: ↑August 11th, 2018, 5:40 am
I've know people to welcome the release.
I hope to be in that frame of mind at the end.
- Sy Borg
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Re: Origins of Pessimism
That's the very end. I was thinking of life endings to include decline and sickness leading to the dying process, which most won't escape. I suspect most hope to go via a quick heart attack and most fear being kept alive in agony for extended periods for the sake of theistic superstition.ThomasHobbes wrote: ↑August 11th, 2018, 6:33 pmBut I was responding to your claim of a "sad ending". If death follows suffering, then the end is happy. A release from that suffering.
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Re: Origins of Pessimism
- LuckyR
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Re: Origins of Pessimism
I agree. Though the first philosopher who had clinical depression (statistically one of the first 30 philosophers) should have invented it.Karpel Tunnel wrote: ↑August 12th, 2018, 2:46 am I am assuming the OP is referring to philosophical pessimism and not tempermental pessimism and then asking for origins within philosophy. Not causes within humans for the emotional attitude.
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