An Inquiry into Ancient Greek Realism

About the Book

THE PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK is - To answer the question “what kind of realism fits and explains the ancient Greek mentality?”. - to find out to what extent ancient Greek Realism involves at least the claim that there is a reality independent of us and our minds, and that what we think understand and recognize does not necessarily exhaust what that reality involves (chapter 1). - to show that ancient Greek realism is compatible a). with a modern non-linguistic, non-analytical philosophical realism, b). with a direct realist causal theory of perception and knowledge (ch. 1), and c). with commonsense realism (ch. 1.2.1 and 3.2.1.) - to show that this kind of realism is the most influential way in which ancient Greeks view the world and their life (ch.1 and 2). - to examine the ethics of ancient Greek realism and to see how modern readers and specifically twenty three (23) American students interpret (and respond to) ancient Greek realism as a way of life (ch. 2) - to examine the anti-realist sceptical trends in ancient Greek thought and the relationship between skepticism and anti-realism (ch. 1 and 3) - to see what is the modern version of Ancient Greek Realism according to the Radical Academy, Center for Applied Philosophy, Oregon , USA (ch. 1).; the author is a consulting fellow in Greek Philosophy at the RADICAL ACADEMY, which substantiates, defines and defends realism as one of the most positive ways to live and philosophize. This book began as a series of papers on ancient Greek and modern philosophy written in 1995-97 while I was a Ph.D. student at the Philosophy Department of the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. I am indebted to my supervisors Prof. Theodore Scaltsas and Basileios Kyrkos for their valuable instruction. Some of the material of this book is drawn also from papers and short studies I have published in the past.

About the Author

Dr. Michael Bakaoukas studied Ancient and Modern Philosophy at the University of Ioannina, Greece, receiving his Bachelor's degree in 1993. He received his Master's in Philosophy from the Philosophy Department of the University of Edinburgh working with Dr Theodore Scaltsas at Project Archelogos (1995). He obtained his Ph.D. in Ancient Greek Philosophy from the Department of Methodology, History and Theory of Science of the University of Athens, Greece (2001). He is Consulting Fellow in Greek Philosophy at the (Aristotelian and Adlerian) Center for Applied Philosophy, Oregon, USA (RADICAL ACADEMY). Dr Bakaoukas has taught philosophy at the University of Piraeus, Greece and at the College Year in Athens, International Center for Hellenic and Mediterranean Studies. He is earning his living as a secondary school teacher in philology and as a philosophy lecturer at the Higher School of Pedagogical and Technological Education (SELETE, ASPAITE), Greece.