The Hellenistic period, which began after the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BCE and lasted until the Roman conquest of the Greek world, saw the development of several influential philosophical schools. The main Hellenistic schools include:
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Stoicism: Founded by Zeno of Citium, Stoicism emphasized virtue, logic, and the importance of living in accordance with nature. It taught that emotions should be controlled through rational thought and that individuals should strive for inner peace through self-discipline and acceptance of fate.
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Epicureanism: Founded by Epicurus, this school taught that the highest good is pleasure, understood as the absence of pain and disturbance. Epicureans advocated for simple living, friendship, and intellectual pursuits as pathways to happiness.
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Skepticism: Skeptical philosophers, particularly the Academic Skeptics, developed from the Platonic tradition and questioned the possibility of certain knowledge. They advocated for suspending judgment and emphasized the importance of inquiry and doubt.
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Cynicism: Represented by figures like Diogenes of Sinope, Cynicism rejected social conventions and materialism, advocating for a simple, ascetic lifestyle in accordance with nature. Cynics criticized societal norms and sought to rid themselves of unnecessary desires.
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Neoplatonism: This philosophical system evolved in the later Hellenistic period and combined elements of Plato's philosophy with mystical and metaphysical ideas. Prominent Neoplatonists, such as Plotinus, focused on concepts of the One, the emanation of the material world, and the soul's return to the divine.
These schools provided varied approaches to ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology, significantly influencing later philosophical thought and contributing to the development of Roman philosophy and early Christian theology.