Zeno of Elea (c. 495–430 BCE)

Question 1

Where was Zeno of Elea born?

Answer 1

Elea, in southern Italy.

Question 2

Who was Zeno of Elea’s philosophical mentor?

Answer 2

Parmenides.

Question 3

What is Zeno of Elea best known for?

Answer 3

His paradoxes challenging the concepts of motion, space, and time.

Question 4

Name one of Zeno’s most famous paradoxes.

Answer 4

The Dichotomy Paradox, Achilles and the Tortoise, or The Arrow Paradox.

Question 5

In Zeno’s Dichotomy Paradox, what makes motion appear impossible?

Answer 5

You must first reach halfway to a destination, and there are an infinite number of halfway points to cross.

Question 6

In Zeno’s Achilles and the Tortoise Paradox, why can Achilles never catch the tortoise?

Answer 6

Each time Achilles reaches where the tortoise was, the tortoise has moved slightly ahead.

Question 7

According to Zeno’s Arrow Paradox, why is motion an illusion?

Answer 7

At any single instant, the arrow is motionless, so time is made up of motionless instants.

Question 8

What was the goal of Zeno’s paradoxes?

Answer 8

To defend the ideas of Parmenides and show that common beliefs about motion and plurality are contradictory.

Question 9

During what time period did Zeno of Elea live?

Answer 9

The 5th century BCE.

Question 10

Which school of thought did Zeno of Elea belong to?

Answer 10

The Eleatic school.

Question 11

What was the key idea of the Eleatic school that Zeno defended?

Answer 11

Reality is unchanging, and change or motion is an illusion.

Question 12

How did Zeno contribute to later developments in mathematics?

Answer 12

His paradoxes raised questions about infinity, influencing the development of calculus.

Question 13

Which philosopher famously tried to solve Zeno’s paradoxes?

Answer 13

Aristotle.

Question 14

What role did Zeno of Elea play in Elea’s political struggles?

Answer 14

He resisted a tyrant and reportedly faced torture for his political activism.

Question 15

According to legend, what did Zeno do when captured by a tyrant?

Answer 15

He bit off his own tongue and spat it at the tyrant in defiance.

Question 16

What is one lasting impact of Zeno’s paradoxes in modern times?

Answer 16

They are still discussed in philosophy, mathematics, and physics, especially in relation to infinity and the nature of time.

Question 17

How are Zeno’s paradoxes relevant to modern physics?

Answer 17

They challenge ideas about time and space, similar to concepts in quantum mechanics and relativity.

Question 18

Which mathematical field eventually addressed the problems raised by Zeno’s paradoxes?

Answer 18

Calculus and set theory.

Question 19

True or False: Zeno’s paradoxes have been completely solved in modern times.

Answer 19

False. While some solutions exist in mathematics, the philosophical issues are still debated.

Question 20

Fill in the blank: Zeno’s paradoxes are examples of early ________ experiments.

Answer 20

thought

Question 21

Fill in the blank: Zeno argued that motion and _______ are illusions.

Answer 21

change

Question 22

Fill in the blank: The school of thought Zeno belonged to was known for the belief that reality is __________ and indivisible.

Answer 22

unchanging

Question 23

What was the purpose of Zeno’s paradoxes?

Answer 23

To show that common beliefs about motion and change lead to contradictions.

Question 24

What aspect of Zeno’s work continues to challenge philosophers today?

Answer 24

The concept of infinity and its implications for motion and time.

Question 25

Why are Zeno’s paradoxes often considered a precursor to modern scientific thinking?

Answer 25

They use logical puzzles to explore the limits of perception and reasoning.

Question 26

Which famous paradox of Zeno argues that even the fastest runner cannot overtake a slower one with a head start?

Answer 26

Achilles and the Tortoise.

Question 27

What did Aristotle struggle with when addressing Zeno’s paradoxes?

Answer 27

Aristotle found Zeno’s arguments difficult to dismiss completely despite his own attempts to solve them.

Question 28

How did Zeno’s paradoxes influence later developments in logic?

Answer 28

They introduced complex problems about infinity and continuity, which influenced later logic and mathematics.

Question 29

Which branch of philosophy is most connected to Zeno’s work?

Answer 29

Metaphysics, particularly the study of motion and existence.