What is Philo of Alexandria famous for?

Philo Judaeus, also called Philo of Alexandria, (born 15–10 bce, Alexandria—died 45–50 ce, Alexandria), Greek-speaking Jewish philosopher, the most important representative of Hellenistic Judaism. His writings provide the clearest view of this development of Judaism in the Diaspora.

What Philo means in philosophy?

love
The original meaning of the word philosophy comes from the Greek roots philo- meaning “love” and -sophos, or “wisdom.” When someone studies philosophy they want to understand how and why people do certain things and how to live a good life. In other words, they want to know the meaning of life.

What did Philo of Alexandria write?

His five philosophical works are De providentia 1 and 2, De animalibus, De aeternitate and Quod omnis probus. The two latter works are the only ones for which we have Greek texts. With the exception of a few rare references to the Bible, these texts could well have been written by a pagan philosopher.

How does Plato view knowledge?

Plato believed that there are truths to be discovered; that knowledge is possible. Thus, for Plato, knowledge is justified, true belief. Reason and the Forms. Since truth is objective, our knowledge of true propositions must be about real things.

What does the word Philo mean in Greek?

loving
a combining form appearing in loanwords from Greek, where it meant “loving” (philology); on this model, used in the formation of compound words (philoprogenitive). Also especially before a vowel, phil-.

Does Philo believe in God?

Philo did not consider God similar to heaven, the world, or man; his God existed neither in time nor space and had no human attributes or emotions. He argued that God has no attributes (ἁπλοῡς), in consequence no name (ἅρρητος), and for that reason he cannot be perceived by man (ἀκατάληπτος).

Who should rule in Plato’s Republic?

In The Republic, Plato argues that kings should become philosophers or that philosophers should become kings, or philosopher kings, as they possess a special level of knowledge, which is required to rule the Republic successfully.

What is the meaning of the Greek word Philo?

Who is Philo of Alexandria in the Bible?

Philo of Alexandria is a Jewish thinker who lived in Alexandria in the first half of the first century BCE. Whether he really was a philosopher is a question still debated at length. At the beginning of the Roman Empire, especially for the Stoics and the Cynics, the fundamental task of a philosopher was the construction of his own self.

What is the meaning of Philo in the Bible?

Philo. For other uses, see Philo (disambiguation). Philo of Alexandria ( / ˈfaɪloʊ /; Ancient Greek: Φίλων, romanized : Phílōn; Hebrew: יְדִידְיָה הַכֹּהֵן‎ ‎, romanized : Yedidia (Jedediah) HaCohen; c. 20 BCE – c. 50 CE ), also called Philo Judaeus, was a Hellenistic Jewish philosopher who lived in Alexandria, in the Roman province of Egypt .

Was Philo a Middle-Platonist?

Following Pierre Boyancé’s pioneering studies, scholars have increasingly recognized Philo’s place in Alexandrian Platonism 9. In 1977 John Dillon provided the first systematic analysis of Philo as a Middle-Platonist; David T. Runia followed in 1986 with a detailed study of Plato’s Timaeus in Philo’s work 10.

How did Philo contribute to the development of Hellenistic thought?

Thus Philo produced a synthesis of both traditions developing concepts for future Hellenistic interpretation of messianic Hebrew thought, especially by Clement of Alexandria, Christian Apologists like Athenagoras, Theophilus, Justin Martyr, Tertullian, and by Origen.