PHILOSOPHER

Aenesidemus

80 BC - 10 BC

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Aenesidemus (Ancient Greek: Αἰνησίδημος or Αἰνεσίδημος) was a 1st-century BC Greek Pyrrhonist philosopher from Knossos who revived the doctrines of Pyrrho and introduced ten skeptical "modes" (tropai) for the suspension of judgment. He broke with the Academic Skepticism that was predominant in his time, synthesizing the teachings of Heraclitus and Timon of Phlius with philosophical skepticism. Although his primary work, the Pyrrhonian Discourses, has been lost, an outline of the work survives from the later Byzantine Empire, and the description of the modes has been preserved by a few ancient sources. Read more on Wikipedia

His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Aenesidemus is the 323rd most popular philosopher (up from 341st in 2019), the 194th most popular biography from Greece (down from 192nd in 2019) and the 29th most popular Greek Philosopher.

Aenesidemus is most famous for his attack on the Stoic doctrine of universal determinism. He argued that the Stoics were wrong to say that all things happen according to fate, and that they were also wrong to say that all events have a cause.

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Among PHILOSOPHERS

Among philosophers, Aenesidemus ranks 323 out of 1,267. Before him are Mazdak, Pietro Pomponazzi, Moritz Schlick, Vyasa, Ari Thorgilsson, and Hipparchia of Maroneia. After him are Gennadius Scholarius, Cleobulus, G. E. Moore, Uriel da Costa, Hugh of Saint Victor, and Giovanni Gentile.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 80 BC, Aenesidemus ranks 5. Before him are Vercingetorix, Valmiki, Sosigenes of Alexandria, and Gnaeus Pompeius. After him is Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus. Among people deceased in 10 BC, Aenesidemus ranks 2. Before him is Joachim.

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  • Photo of Joachim

    Joachim

    RELIGIOUS FIGURE

    100 BC - 10 BC

    HPI: 78.87

    Rank: 1

  • Photo of Aenesidemus

    Aenesidemus

    PHILOSOPHER

    80 BC - 10 BC

    HPI: 70.04

    Rank: 2

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In Greece

Among people born in Greece, Aenesidemus ranks 194 out of 1,024. Before him are Gorgo, Queen of Sparta (-506), Aristarchus of Samothrace (-217), Thaïs (-400), Costa-Gavras (1933), Hipparchia of Maroneia (-350), and Herodes Atticus (101). After him are Cleobulus (-590), Meton of Athens (-500), Thespis (-600), Agathias (536), Theophano (941), and Pleistarchus (-500).

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Among PHILOSOPHERS In Greece

Among philosophers born in Greece, Aenesidemus ranks 29. Before him are Panaetius (-185), Andronicus of Rhodes (-100), Epimenides (-690), Speusippus (-407), Chilon of Sparta (-600), and Hipparchia of Maroneia (-350). After him are Cleobulus (-590), Crates of Thebes (-365), Stilpo (-359), Philo of Larissa (-145), Archelaus (-500), and Plutarch of Athens (350).

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