Xenophanes Flashcards
What is the primary focus of Xenophanes’ criticism?
Xenophanes criticizes the poets (like Homer and Hesiod) for depicting gods in human-like, immoral ways.
What does Xenophanes think about the anthropomorphic portrayal of gods?
He believes that the gods shouldn’t be depicted as human-like, as it reflects human nature, not divinity.
How does Xenophanes describe the gods of Homer and Hesiod?
He describes them as deceitful, engaging in adultery, theft, and wars, just like humans.
What is Xenophanes’ view on human projections of gods?
He argues that humans project their own traits onto gods, with different cultures imagining gods resembling themselves.
What example does Xenophanes give to illustrate cultural projections of gods?
He notes that Ethiopians imagine gods with black skin, while Thracians envision them with fair hair.
What humorous remark does Xenophanes make about the way animals would depict gods?
He jokes that if cattle or horses could depict gods, they would imagine them as cattle or horses.
Does Xenophanes believe in the traditional many gods of Greek mythology?
No, Xenophanes advocates for a single, unique God, incomparable to mortals in body or thought.
What are Xenophanes’ views on the nature of God?
He believes God is eternal, needs nothing, and is not anthropomorphic—unlike humans, God doesn’t move and may not even have a body.
How does Xenophanes describe God’s abilities?
God can think and perceive everything, and can ‘shake everything’ just by thinking.
What does Xenophanes say about the relationship between humans and God?
Humans should adopt a conception of God that is radically different from themselves, and that God is incomparable to us in every way.
What does Xenophanes say about the rainbow and the sun?
He rejects the idea that the rainbow is a goddess (Iris) and says it’s just a cloud with colors. He also denies Helios as a god, calling the sun a mass of fire.
How does Xenophanes’ conception of God differ from the poets’ portrayal?
His God is simple, eternal, and non-anthropomorphic, unlike the gods of the poets, who have human-like flaws.
What is Xenophanes’ opinion on sacrifices to the gods?
He believes that God doesn’t need sacrifices, unlike the gods of the poets who are depicted as requiring them.
What does Xenophanes mean by ‘God is one among gods and men, incomparable to mortals in body or thought’?
He suggests that God is unique, and either one God or the greatest among gods, incomparable to humans.
Does Xenophanes accept that humans can truly know God?
No, he believes that the nature of God is beyond human grasp, and that humans can only have beliefs about Him, not certain knowledge.
How does Xenophanes differ from other Pre-Socratic philosophers in his view of knowledge?
Xenophanes emphasizes that we can never truly know the gods or the divine, only believe, and distinguishes between belief and knowledge.
What is Xenophanes’ stance on the moral behavior of gods in Greek mythology?
He strongly condemns the immoral actions of gods in the myths, finding their behavior offensive and not worthy of divine status.
What does Xenophanes say about the limits of human knowledge?
He argues that no one can truly know the divine, and even if we are lucky to believe the truth, we can never be sure we know it.
How does Xenophanes’ attitude towards human knowledge reflect a shift in philosophical thinking?
He introduces skepticism about human knowledge, particularly about the divine, emphasizing belief over certain knowledge.
What is Xenophanes’ relationship with the Pre-Socratic tradition?
He is the first Pre-Socratic philosopher to explicitly challenge the authority of Homer and Hesiod in describing the gods.
How does Xenophanes’ philosophy compare to that of Heraclitus?
Both Heraclitus and Xenophanes criticize Homer and Hesiod, though Heraclitus is more focused on the nature of change.
What is Xenophanes’ view on the proper respect for the divine?
He believes that true respect for the divine comes from rejecting the immoral portrayals of gods and adopting a more reverent view of a singular, transcendent God.
How old was Xenophanes when he wrote his fragments?
He mentions being 92 years old when he wrote some of his philosophical poems.
