Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Marcus Aurelius'

This project examines and compares the political philosophies supporting the centralized authority of monarchs elaborated by two major figures of antiquity, Mèngzǐ (Mencius, 372-289 BC) of the Warring States period in China, and Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (Μαρκος Αυρηλιος Αντωνινος, 121-180 AD) of the later Roman Empire. The texts that have transmitted the ideas of these two men--the Mèngzǐ and the Meditations--have shaped the political actions of rulers, as well as the ideas and ideals of political theorists, from their formation down to the present day. Each thinker made substantial claims concerning the role of a philosophically-oriented monarch in actualizing governance that is both benevolent and beneficent under a form of absolute authority. The present study will compare basic principles of Mèngzǐ's and Marcus's political philosophies as they relate to monarchical rule expressed in those two classic works, and draw from these principles to create a new criterion in political philosophy that can be used to critique contemporary political arrangements characterized by strong centralization of power. This project will not be a polemic for monarchy or strongly centralized political governments; it is an exploration into political philosophical principles advocated by Marcus and Mèngzǐ, demonstrating how rulers in strongly centralized political institutions can exercise their power in ways that result in good for the people, and how principles advocated by Marcus and Mèngzǐ can be transformed into a criterion for practical application in contemporary political settings, without having to resort to political philosophical principles popular in most Anglo-European contexts.

Il lavoro consiste nell'analisi dei tratti peculiari della lingua delle Meditazioni dell'imperatore Marco Aurelio Antonino in relazione alla prosa imperiale coeva all'autore; nel contempo la ricerca mira a riconoscere una possibile influenza della lingua latina nella stesura del trattato.
The work is about the language of Marcus Aurelius's Meditations compared to the imperial contemporary prose and tries to find influences of Latin language in the composition of the treatise.

Il lavoro consiste nell'analisi dei tratti peculiari della lingua delle Meditazioni dell'imperatore Marco Aurelio Antonino in relazione alla prosa imperiale coeva all'autore; nel contempo la ricerca mira a riconoscere una possibile influenza della lingua latina nella stesura del trattato.
The work is about the language of Marcus Aurelius's Meditations compared to the imperial contemporary prose and tries to find influences of Latin language in the composition of the treatise.

Cette thèse a pour but de traiter l’idéologie du règne d’Antonin le Pieux et sa transmission dans la province d’Égypte grâce aux monnaies frappées à Rome et à Alexandrie. À cette fin, deux volumes sont proposés. Le premier est un commentaire historique, s’appuyant sur les monnaies frappées dans les deux cités, afin de dégager les principaux thèmes représentés. Le deuxième volume se consacre à la numismatique, avec un catalogue des monnaies frappées à Rome issues de la Collection du Cabinet des Médailles de Paris, et d’une introduction proposant des datations des émissions et des explications pour plusieurs types représentés. La comparaison entre les monnaies émises dans les différents ateliers a permis de constater que les principaux thèmes diffusent les idées de paix, de prospérité, d’abondance, de l’éternité de Rome et du système impérial, grâce à la famille de l’empereur, qui permet d’assurer la succession. Ces thèmes sont présents, tout au long du règne, à Rome, et adaptés à Alexandrie grâce à un répertoire iconographique local. Bien qu’utilisant les cultes locaux pour diffuser des messages, l’atelier provincial est donc soumis au contrôle du pouvoir central, qui diffuse l’idéologie du règne d’Antonin
This thesis aims to treat the ideology of the reign of Antoninus Pius and its transmission in the province of Egypt thanks to the coins minted in Rome and Alexandria. To this end, two volumes are proposed. The first is a historical commentary based on the coins struck in the two cities in order to identify the main themes that are represented. The second volume focuses more on numismatics with a catalog of coins minted in Rome from the Collection of the Cabinet des Médailles in Paris, and an introduction proposing datings of the issues and explanations for several types represented. The comparison of the currencies issued from the various workshops revealed that the main themes spread the ideas of peace, prosperity, abundance, the eternity of Rome and the imperial system, thanks to the Emperor's family, which ensures the succession. The themes are present, throughout the reign, in Rome, and adapted to Alexandria thanks to a local iconographic repertoire. Although using local cults to spread messages, the provincial workshop is therefore subject to the control of the central power, which diffuses the ideology of the reign of Antoninus

There has been to date no attempt at a detailed examination of Aleksandr Grin’s philosophical views interpreted on the basis of his literary work. Whilst some critics have noted interesting links between the writer’s oeuvre and a few popular philosophers, this has usually been done in passing and on an ad hoc basis. This thesis aims to fill this gap by reconstructing Grin’s views in relation to the European philosophical tradition. The main body of the thesis consists of three parts built on and named after three essential themes in philosophy: External World, Happiness and Morality. Part One delineates Grin’s views on nature and civilisation: I argue first that his cult of nature makes it possible to conceive of Grin as a pantheistic thinker close to Rousseau and Bergson, and then I reconstruct the author’s criticism of urbanisation and industrialisation. In the second part I assess the place of happiness in Grin’s world-view, indicating its similarities to the philosophy of various thinkers from the Ancients to Schopenhauer and Nietzsche. After sketching a general picture of the concept of happiness in Grin’s works, I discuss the place of material and immaterial factors in the writer’s outlook. I also gather maxims expressed by the protagonists in his fiction that can be taken as recommendations concerning ways of achieving and defending happiness. Finally, I link happiness with the problem of morality in Grin’s oeuvre. In the final part I examine modes of moral behaviour as displayed by the author’s protagonists. Firstly, I argue that in Grin’s works we find numerous examples and themes that allow us to perceive him as an existentialist. Secondly, I indicate Grin’s adherence to rules of conduct commonly associated with chivalric literature. Thirdly, I emphasise the importance of Promethean-like characters in the moral hierarchy of Grin’s protagonists.

In this thesis we explore the period of renewal that Athens experienced during the second century AD. This century saw Athens at the peak of her cultural prominence in the Roman Empire: the city was the centre of the League of the Panhellenion and hosted a vibrant sophistic scene that attracted orators from across the Greek world, developments which were ideologically fuelled by contemporary conceptions of Classical Athens. While this Athenian 'golden age' is a standard feature of scholarship on Greek culture under Rome, my thesis delves further to explore the renewal of the urban and rural landscapes at this time and the relationship between that process and constructions of Athenian identity. We approach the renewal of second-century Athens through four lenses: past and present in the Ilissos area; the rhetoric of the Panhellenion; elite conflict and competition; and the character of the Attic countryside. My central conclusions are as follows: 1. The renewal of Athens was effected chiefly by Hadrian and the Athenian elite and was modelled on an ideal Athenian past, strategically manipulated to suit present purpose; the attractions of the fifth-century golden age for this programme of renewal meant that politically contentious history of radical democracy and aggressive imperialism had to be safely rewritten. 2. Athens and Attica retained their uniquely integrated character in the second century. Rural Attica was the subject of a powerful sacro-idyllic ideology and played a vital role in concepts of Athenian identity, while simultaneously serving as a functional landscape of production and inhabitation. 3. The true socio-economic importance of the Attic countryside as a settled and productive landscape should be investigated without unduly privileging the limited evidence from survey, and by combining all available sources, both literary and documentary, with attention to their content, cultural context and ideological relevance.

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UNISINOS - Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos
Este trabalho pauta-se nos pressupostos da lexicografia e objetiva investigar as marcas de uso dos regionalismos no Dicionário Aurélio Buarque de Holanda Ferreira 2ª edição-1986 e 5ª edição-2010, a fim de constatar se há representatividade de todas as regiões brasileiras pelos registros dos vocábulos regionais na referida obra, e que critérios foram utilizados para a inclusão destas lexias no dicionário. Para tanto, buscamos analisar os prefácios das obras selecionadas com a finalidade de identificar esses critérios de inclusão; identificar os verbetes com marcas de uso Brasileirismo nas três primeiras páginas das letras A, B, C e D, das duas edições do dicionário; analisar um recorte dos verbetes distribuídos em unidades lexicais marcadas por Brasileirismo, observando uso geral e local; fazer análise comparativa entre as duas edições do Dicionário Aurélio (2ª e 5ª edições); fazer comparação entre o Dicionário Aurélio (5ª ed.) e o Dicionário Houaiss da Língua Portuguesa (1ª ed. 2009), utilizando o mesmo critério de análise do Aurélio (nas três primeiras páginas das letras A, B, C e D); com a finalidade de comparar os resultados em relação aos regionalismos; e por fim comparar o Dicionário Aurélio (5ª ed.) e o dicionário de regionalismo Dicionário Gaúcho (5ª ed. 2013). Como embasamento teórico recorremos a conceitos da lexicografia, lexicologia, sociolinguística, acrescidos de estudos voltados para a área do regionalismo. As análises dos dados demonstraram que não há critérios explícitos de inclusão dos regionalismos no Dicionário Aurélio e que os registros de regionalismos na obra privilegiam as regiões Sul e Nordeste em detrimento das outras regiões, chegando até à exclusão de algumas regiões como é o caso do Norte e Sudeste, na 5ª edição. Diante disso, constatou-se uma grande lacuna em relação ao que se considera o português do Brasil representado com as marcas de uso dos regionalismos nesta obra lexicográfica.
This work is guided on the assumptions of lexicography and objectively investigate the regionalisms use of trademarks in the Dictionary Aurélio Buarque de Holanda Ferreira 2nd edition, 1986, 5th edition, 2010, in order to see whether there is representation from all regions of Brazil through the records of regional words in that work, and what criteria were used for the inclusion of these lexias in the dictionary. To this end, we analyze the prefaces of the works selected for the purpose of identifying these inclusion criteria; identify the entries with brands Brazilianism use the first three pages of the letters A, B, C and D, the two editions of the dictionary; analyze a crop of entries divided into lexical units marked by Brazilianism, watching general use and location; make comparative analysis between the two editions of the Aurélio Dictionary (2nd and 5th editions); making comparison between Aurélio Dictionary (5th ed.) and the Concise Oxford Dictionary of the English Language (2009 1st ed.), using the same analysis criteria Aurélio (the first three pages of the letters A, B, C and D); for what purpose of comparing the results with respect to regionalism; and finally compare the Aurélio Dictionary (5th ed.) and regionalism dictionary Gaucho Dictionary (5th ed. 2013). As a theoretical basis, we use the concepts of lexicography, lexicology, sociolinguistics, plus studies focused on the area of regionalism. Data analysis showed that there is no explicit criteria for inclusion of regionalism in the dictionary Aurélio and regionalisms records in the work favor the South and Northeast regions to the detriment of other regions, reaching the exclusion of some regions such as the North case and Southeast, in the 5th edition. Thus, there was a big gap in relation to what is considered the Portuguese of Brazil represented with the use of trademarks of regionalisms this lexicographical work.

Esta pesquisa de mestrado se deu a partir de uma investigação das montagens do espetáculo A Bilha Quebrada, de Heinrich Von Kleist, realizados, respectivamente, em 1993 e 2011 pela Companhia Razões Inversas, com direção de Marcio Aurelio. No primeiro capítulo, apresenta-se um breve histórico do diretor e um panorama de todos os espetáculos da Companhia realizados entre 1990 e 2015. No segundo, analisa-se com mais atenção as montagens de A Bilha Quebrada em 1993 e 2011, estudando-se a trama, a comicidade existente no texto, as diversas montagens no Brasil e a relação do teatro e tribunal. Por fim, no terceiro capítulo, analisa-se o campo de visão e a leitura de mesa, um dos exercícios utilizados pela Companhia para a criação de seus espetáculos. O estudo explicita a importância de cada encenação para o momento cultural da época, apontando para uma necessidade de salvaguardar a trajetória de uma das companhias mais importantes do cenário paulistano e nacional.
This master\'s research took from an investigation of the performing assemblies The Broken Jug, Heinrich Von Kleist, performed respectively in 1993 and 2011 by the Razões Inversas Company, directed by Marcio Aurelio. The first chapter presents a brief history of the director and an overview of all the Company\'s spectacles carried out between 1990 and 2015. In the second, we analyze more closely the assemblies The Broken Jug in 1993 and 2011, is studying the plot, the existing comic in the text, the various assemblies in Brazil and the relationship of theater and court. Finally, the third chapter analyzes the \"campo de visão\" and the table work, one of the exercises used by the Company to create its shows. The study explains the importance of each scenario for the cultural moment of the day, pointing to a need to safeguard the trajectory of one of the most important companies in the São Paulo and Brazil scene.

Dissertação (mestrado) - Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, 2004
Inclui bibliografias
Diversas ferramentas contribuem para aumentar a segurança de um sistema computacional. Dentre elas, destacam-se os sistemas de detecção de intrusão. Tais sistemas monitoram continuamente a atividade em uma rede ou servidor, buscando evidências de intrusão
Several tools contribute to improve the security of a computing system. Among them, intrusion detection systems stand out. Such systems continuously watch the activity on a network or server, looking for intrusion evidences. However, host-based intrusion

Le présent mémoire propose d’examiner, d’une façon approfondie et innovatrice, le rapport entre les chrétiens et Marc-Aurèle à travers une analyse complète des sources à disposition, notamment celles historico-littéraires, épigraphiques, numismatiques et législatives. En particulier, l’on démontrera l’absence de fondement de l’image faite a posteriori de Marc-Aurèle en tant que protector christianorum dont le premier témoin, d'après nos connaissances, est Tertullien. L’on montrera, par le biais d’une analyse législative des sources à notre disposition qu’à l’époque de Marc-Aurèle il n’y avait aucune loi qui protégeait les chrétiens. Bien au contraire, les dispositions de Trajan étaient toujours valides. Par la suite, nous chercherons à trouver les véritables raisons de la politique de Marc-Aurèle envers les chrétiens à travers la comparaison entre la pensée médio-platonicienne de Justin et celle stoïcienne du princeps. L’interprétation philosophique de l’attitude à montrer face à la mort, nous donnera une clef de lecture pour pénétrer les raisons les plus profondes des violences et des procès que les chrétiens ont subis au cours de son principat
This work aims to provide an original and thorough exploration of the relationship between Marcus Aurelius and the Christians by means of an in-depth analysis of the available historical, literary, epigraphic, numismatic, and legal sources. Specifically, it will show that the a posteriori view of Marcus Aurelius as protector Christianorum, apparently introduced by Tertullian, is unfounded. In support of this argument, a legal analysis of the available sources will show that, far from enjoying legal protection during the Principality of Marcus Aurelius, Christians were still subject to Trajan’s laws. The true reasons underlying the policy of Marcus Aurelius towards the Christians will be investigated by comparing the Middle Platonism of Justin Martyr with the stoic meditations of the princeps. In particular, the philosophical interpretation of the attitude deemed suitable in the face of death will provide an insight into the reasons that led to the wave of violence and to the trials of Christians under Marcus Aurelius’ rule

This thesis is a prosopographical examination of the policy of Marcus Aurelius regarding his family. The prosopographical method avoids schematic biography, and allows the inclusion of individuals who would otherwise only appear in a periphery sense. I aim to demonstrate that a new perspective on Marcus as an emperor can be gained through an examination of the individuals connected to the imperial nexus, most notably his six sons-in-law. The thesis is divided into three chapters. Chapter 1 places Marcus in the context of his scheming family and the succession arrangements of Hadrian, who intended Lucius Verus to be his ultimate successor. Chapter 2, through detailed examination of Marcus’ sons-in-law, establishes that Marcus admitted Lucius to the imperial power from necessity, and how he sought to build his own nexus by moving power away from Lucius and his many connections. Chapter 3 analyses how the rebellion of Avidius Cassius in 175 showed Marcus the potential weakness of his arrangements. The manner in which Marcus responded to the crisis reveals his determination to ensure the succession of Commodus. Marcus accomplished this by completing the construction of a powerful family nexus, which was centred on his sons-in-law. He should be seen not only as a philosopher but as a canny, dynastic, and ruthless emperor. This is established by the position of Marcus in Hadrian’s succession arrangements, an examination of Marcus’ sons-in-law and the manner in which they were selected, and the response of Marcus to the rebellion of Avidius Cassius.

The classification of the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius as a spiritual exercise by Pierre Hadot has been widely accepted and exerts a strong influence on any interpretation of the text. However, such genre categorization is by itself an interpretative choice excluding other possible readings. The present thesis offers a new reading of the Meditations based on Gilles Deleuze's interpretation of stoicism and on his philosophy of event. This reading avoids any genre classification and focuses instead on the text itself by analyzing the changes of linguistic person. The Deleuzian interpretation of linguistic person and his concept of event allow for explanation of this particular feature of the Meditations and thus for addressing the problem of person and individual in stoic philosophy. Furthermore, the Deleuzian framework makes it possible to explore significant, but up to now marginalized themes recurring in the text that are directly linked to the problem of individuation - non-tragic theatre and death.

Contemporary debates in ethics are characterised by opposing views that appear to be irreconcilable. Rational debates seem to be making no headway due to the fact that the incompatibilities of the different views seem to lie within the very premises of the different arguments. These debates acquire an interminable character, because representatives of the different standpoints refuse to accept each others’ premises. MacIntyre attributes this state of affairs to the failure of the Enlightenment project. In their attempt to create a universally valid moral system the Enlightenment philosophers discredited the ethical traditions and emphasized reason as the only authority on these matters. The supposedly “universal” rational arguments are built on premises the Enlightenment thinkers inherited from the exact same ethical traditions whose authority they consciously undermined. The irony of the Enlightenment project is therefore that it caused its own failure. MacIntyre believes that the Enlightenment thinkers were mistaken in undermining the authority of all the ethical traditions. He argues that the authority of the critical traditions is legitimate. A critical tradition is a moral tradition where some form of rational enquiry is embodied in the tradition itself. MacIntyre defends the authority of the Aristotelian tradition as the critical tradition per se. In my own enquiry I defend the authority of the Stoic tradition. I attempt to point out the flaws in MacIntyre’s understanding of the Stoics and argue that in some respects the Stoic tradition is a better alternative to the Aristotelian one. After having justified the authority of the Stoic tradition I take a closer look at what their ethics entail. The Stoics have what Cottingham refers to as a “synoptic” conception of philosophy. This means that they tried to integrate all the aspects of human understanding into a single system. Therefore, if one wishes to give a comprehensive picture of their ethics it is necessary to explain their philosophical work on physics and logic as well. I do so by comparing their understanding of physics to the contemporary understanding thereof. The Stoics believed that philosophy is not an abstract theoretical discipline, but rather a way of life. Theoretical arguments play an important role in so far as it helps us to comprehend the nature of the good, but ultimately philosophy is about helping us to live a good life. In light of this understanding I argue that they conceived of ethics as the art of living. The Stoics also believed that one could practice ethics as a form of therapy for our emotions. They believed that emotions such as anger and depression are caused by misguided ways of thinking and that ultimately the good life would cultivate our spirit and enable us to become more resistant to these types of emotions. Simultaneously it will enable us to experience more rational emotions such as joy. The ultimate aim of my research project is to highlight the important contributions the Stoics can make to the crisis we are currently experiencing in ethical discourse.
Dissertation (MA (Philosophy))--University of Pretoria, 2007.
Philosophy
unrestricted

Questa tesi verte sulla maniera in cui i principali Stoici romani, vale a dire Seneca, Musonio Rufo, Epitteto, Ierocle e Marco Aurelio, concepivano e si servivano della nozione di καθῆκον (officium in latino), ereditata dalla tradizione stoica precedente. L’idea centrale che argomentiamo nel corso della tesi è che gli Stoici romani avevano tutti una concezione forte del καθῆκον, che testimonia una loro tendenza teorica comune, derivata dalla riflessione degli Stoici precedenti su questa nozione; inoltre, la prospettiva degli Stoici romani sul καθῆκον ci permette di conoscerne aspetti trascurati dalle fonti dossografiche apparentemente più informative a questo proposito: pensiamo, per esempio, al rapporto fra καθήκοντα e parenesi, all’importanza delle emozioni nel compimento dei καθήκοντα e all’antagonismo fra καθήκοντα e πάθη. Nella letteratura critica esistente sull’etica stoica e sul pensiero degli Stoici romani la tematica del καθῆκον è spesso considerata tangenzialmente rispetto ad altre, soprattutto perché, a eccezione di Epitteto, gli Stoici romani non tematizzano quasi mai la nozione di καθῆκον. Tuttavia, la nostra ricostruzione della rete concettuale del καθῆκον nella tradizione stoica ci permette di riconoscere la presenza, importante sebbene talora implicita, di questa nozione nella riflessione e nell’insegnamento degli stoici romani. Riusciamo così a delineare, per quanto possibile, la concezione del καθῆκον di questi filosofi. Le sujet de cette thèse est la façon dont les principaux stoïciens romains, tels que Sénèque, Musonius Rufus, Épictète, Hiéroclès et Marc Aurèle, ont conçu et employé la notion de καθῆκον (officium en latin), héritée de la tradition stoïcienne précédente. L’idée que nous y soutenons est que les stoïciens romains avaient tous une conceptualisation forte du καθῆκον, témoignant d’une tendance théorique commune entre eux qu’ils dérivaient de la réflexion des stoïciens précédents sur cette notion ; de plus, leur perspective sur le καθῆκον nous permet d’en connaître des aspects négligés par les sources doxographiques apparemment les plus éclairantes à ce sujet : nous pensons par exemple au lien entre καθήκοντα et parénèse, à l’importance des émotions dans l’accomplissement des καθήκοντα et à l’antagonisme entre καθήκοντα et πάθη. Dans la littérature critique existante concernant l’éthique stoïcienne ou bien la pensée des stoïciens romains, le thème du καθῆκον est souvent considéré marginalement par rapport à d’autres, surtout parce que, sauf pour Épictète, les autres stoïciens romains ne thématisent presque jamais la notion de καθῆκον. Cependant, une fois compris le réseau conceptuel du καθῆκον dans la tradition stoïcienne, nous parvenons à reconnaître la présence, importante bien que parfois implicite, de cette notion dans la réflexion et l’enseignement des stoïciens romains. Par cette méthode nous reconstruisons, dans la mesure du possible, la conceptualisation du καθῆκον par ces philosophes. This thesis deals with how the most important Roman Stoics, i.e. Seneca, Musonius Rufus, Epictetus, Hierocles and Marcus Aurelius, conceived and employed the notion of καθῆκον (officium in Latin), that they inherited from the previous Stoic tradition. Our claim is that all the Roman Stoics shared a strong conception of καθῆκον, in accordance with a general theoretical stance derived from the tradition of the earlier Stoics. Moreover, the perspective of the Roman Stoics on this topic allows us to discover some aspects of the καθῆκον that are neglected by the doxographic sources, apparently the most informative ones on this topic: we are thinking, for example, about the link between καθήκοντα and paraenesis, about the importance of emotions in performing καθήκοντα and about the opposition between καθήκοντα and πάθη. In the scholarship concerning Stoic ethics or the thought of the Roman Stoics, the theorical domain of the καθῆκον is often considered tangentially with regards to others, especially because the Roman Stoics almost never focus on the notion of καθῆκον, Epictetus being a notable exception. However, reconstructing the conceptual network of the καθῆκον in the Stoic tradition allows us to recognize its presence, important though sometimes implicit, in the Roman Stoics’ reflection and teaching. Thus, we manage to re-establish, insofar as possible, these philosophers’ conception of καθῆκον.

碩士
華梵大學
哲學系碩士班
104
Marcus Aurelius was Roman Emperor who is considered as one of the representative philosophers of the late Stoicism. The Meditations is the tome compiled from his notes and published by the posterity, which not only focuses on introspecting himself but inspires people by the thought－provoking theories of life introspection and moral teaching. This article has two main purposes, one is to accomplish the classification of contents of the Meditations, and the other is to discuss the themes of life introspection and moral teaching in it. Furthermore, through the concepts of reputation, affliction, death, fate and happiness, the topic of life introspection will explore how to face trouble in life, as well as how to gain happiness in fate beyond our control; while the subject of moral teaching will be expounded by the ideas of good and evil, obligation, the practice of life and so forth, in order to discuss what the so－called good and evil, and the inherent obligations of human beings is in Aurelius’ point of view, as well as what his requirements of the practice of life are, and also how to achieve them. The first chapter of this article explains the motivation and purposes of studying this book, while the origin of Aurelius’ thoughts will be elaborated through his background of Stoic philosophy in the second section. In the third chapter, it tries to create the classification which is not only out of the constraint of volumes, but also dividing the Meditations into three parts including the metaphysic, the life introspection and the moral education. Subsequently, by the aid of this classification table, it will discuss the concepts of life introspection and moral education, as well as combines them with the idea of “practice” in the fourth and the fifth chapters. At the end of this article, the application of contents of the Meditations to modern society will be explored along with our reflection toward life and enlightenment of reading this tome as the composite summary.

Rubens is known as a painter; he should also be defined as an art theorist. Following Robert Williams’ theory that Early Modern art became philosophical, I believe that style can connote art theoretical interests and philosophical models, and that in Rubens’s case, these included the classical Stoic. While it would be possible to trace Rubens’s commitment to Stoicism in his subject matter, I investigate it in his style, taking a Baxandalian approach to inferential criticism. I focus on Rubens’s formal choices, his varied brushwork, and his ability to create a vibrant picture plane. My study is divided into chapters on Ethics, Logic, and Physics. In Chapter One I treat Stoic moral philosophy as an influence in the design of Rubens’s paintings, consider similarities between classical and Early Modern interest in viewer/reader response, and argue that Baroque artists could use style to avoid dogma while targeting viewers’ personal transformation. In Chapter Two I focus on Rhetoric, a section of the Stoic philosophy of Logic. Stoic Logic privileged truth: that is, it centred on investigating existing reality. As such, Stoic rhetorical theory and the classical literature influenced by it promoted a style that is complex and nuanced. I relate this to the Early Modern interest in copia, arguing that this includes Rubens’s painterly style which, apropos copia, should be better termed the Abundant Style. In Chapter Three I explore similarities between Stoic Natural Philosophy and the Early Modern artistic interest in the unified visual field. The Stoics defined the natural world as eternally moving and mixing; with force fields, energy, and elements in constant relationships of cause/effect. The Stoic concept of natural sympathy was a notion of material/energetic interrelatedness in which the world was seen as a living body, and the divine inhered in matter. I consider ways that these classical Stoic concepts of transformation, realism, and vivified matter might be discerned in Rubens’s style.
Graduate
2020-12-14