The epistemic origins of Xenophanes' natural theology.

dc.contributor.advisorBenson, Hugh,en_US
dc.contributor.authorStearman, Scott Lee.en_US
dc.date.accessioned2013-08-16T12:18:29Z
dc.date.available2013-08-16T12:18:29Z
dc.date.issued2002en_US
dc.description.abstractThe monograph continues by looking at how these two streams emerge from one single---albeit complex---commitment to a proto-scientific commitment to the observance of nature. It is this consistent, coherent, and widely cast observational activity that forms the basis of the Xenophanean revolution. The fifth chapter is an attempt to demonstrate the continuity between the scientific methodology of Xenophanes and ours today.en_US
dc.description.abstractInitially the extant fragments relating to Xenophanes' epistemology or theology are translated with a brief commentary when a translation issue is paramount. Then a view of Xenophanes' epistemology is developed, based upon this textual exegesis and two millennia of scholarship. It is argued that Xenophanes is not the empiricist, rationalist, or sceptic that he is sometimes portrayed as being. Rather he best fits the model (indeed a mold he helped create) of a naturalistic fallibilist.en_US
dc.description.abstractXenophanes was the first ancient Greek to make explicitly philosophical statements about epistemology. He was also the first Pre-Socratic to attack traditional and popular religion, eventually forming a rudimentary natural theology. This monograph attempts to show the clear connection and mutual dependency of these two streams of thought. In the process of this demonstration, however, it is necessary to give an interpretation of both streams.en_US
dc.description.abstractThe same interpretive enterprise is attempted with his natural theology. A number of misunderstandings of Xenophanes' beliefs are laid aside and a "minimalist" vision of his theological convictions is developed. It is found that Xenophanes is not a committed monotheist, or monist, as has sometimes been taught. His philosophical razor trims excessive adumbrations and speculations, and trims theology of many of its traditional aspects.en_US
dc.description.abstractIn the end Xenophanes appears to be quite influential. This document ends by showing the evident appreciation that Socrates held for this thinker. It was primarily through Socrates that Xenophanes would extend his formidable ideas through centuries of western civilization.en_US
dc.format.extentx, 168 leaves ;en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11244/424
dc.noteSource: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 63-01, Section: A, page: 0221.en_US
dc.noteAdviser: Hugh Benson.en_US
dc.subjectXenophanes, approximately 570 B.C.-approximately 478 B.C.en_US
dc.subjectHistory, Ancient.en_US
dc.subjectPhilosophy, Ancient.en_US
dc.subjectTheology.en_US
dc.subjectReligion, Philosophy of.en_US
dc.subjectPhilosophy.en_US
dc.thesis.degreePh.D.en_US
dc.thesis.degreeDisciplineDepartment of Philosophyen_US
dc.titleThe epistemic origins of Xenophanes' natural theology.en_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
ou.groupCollege of Arts and Sciences::Department of Philosophy
ou.identifier(UMI)AAI3040840en_US

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