The philosophy of Diogenes is also called the philosophy of cynics. The ancestor of this trend was Antisthenes, the direct mentor of Diogenes. Diogenes' shocking and antisocial behavior was intended to make people think about real values.
Diogenes' lifestyle
The philosopher Diogenes, a native of Sinop, spent almost his entire adult life in the city dump. He did not write any works, his statements were remembered and recorded by other people. Diogenes had no occupation, property and permanent residence. Sometimes he spent the night in churches, sometimes - in a barrel, having planted leaves.
Diogenes believed that nature gave man everything he needed. He strove to communicate more with different people, he was very fond of criticizing and getting into disputes. He even ridiculed Greek traditions or famous people, which shocked ordinary Greeks. However, Diogenes was never punished for this. The philosopher himself believed that in this way he makes people think more. Diogenes spoke cynically about himself.
Diogenes lived in a barrel precisely because it corresponded to his general principle of living in unity with nature. He deliberately renounced all the benefits and comforts, the absence of which other people would perceive as deprivation and poverty. Diogenes even tried to abandon the culinary processing of food, but this did not have all-round success. He walked almost naked, tempered in the snow in winter. He believed that civilization and culture must be destroyed, because only that which corresponds to nature has the right to exist.
Diogenes philosophy
Diogenes was known for his audacious statements, but nevertheless he was respected and went to him for advice. Even Alexander the Great came to Diogenes to ask for advice on the planned expedition to India. Diogenes did not approve of this plan, predicting him suffering from a fever. To this he added a proposal: to join him in a nearby barrel. Alexander the Great did not accept such advice and went to India, where he contracted a fever and died as a result.
Diogenes considered dependence on the material destructive, the rejection of the material - the path to freedom. He also talked about the need to be indifferent to any kind of temptation. He ridiculed the church and religious faith in general, as well as the social institution of the family. He believed that women and children should be in common. Diogenes said of his contemporary society that it is devoid of the desire to show real kindness and does not know how to see its own shortcomings.
He said about the philosophers that they are friends of the gods. Since everything in the world belongs to the gods, it means that the philosophers too. Because friends have everything in common. It was he who practiced the search for a person with a lantern in the daylight. The Athenians loved Diogenes, and when his barrel was broken by a boy, they gave him a new one.
