Lesson 2.3: The Sect of the Dog

Glossary

Philosophical Concepts

• Cynicism – A philosophical movement that rejected conventional values, wealth, and social norms in favor of radical self-sufficiency, honesty, and living in accordance with nature.

• Living in accordance with nature – The Cynic ideal of reducing one’s needs to the bare essentials, rejecting artificial luxuries, and embracing a simple, self-sufficient life.

• Self-sufficiency (Autarkeia) – The state of needing little or nothing from others or society; considered a path to true happiness.

• Eudaimonia – A Greek term often translated as “happiness” or “flourishing”; for the Cynics, it was achieved through virtue and rejecting unnecessary desires.

• Virtue (Arete) – Excellence of character and action; for the Cynics, virtue was the only thing necessary for a good life.

• Asceticism – A lifestyle of severe self-discipline, rejecting physical pleasures and material possessions, often practiced by the Cynics.

• Frankness (Parrhesia) – The Cynic practice of speaking truth boldly and shamelessly, regardless of social consequences.

People & Schools

• Diogenes of Sinope – The most famous Cynic philosopher, known for his extreme lifestyle, public shamelessness, and mockery of social conventions.

• Antisthenes – A student of Socrates sometimes credited with founding Cynicism (though this may be Stoic revisionism).

• Crates & Hipparchia – A Cynic couple known for rejecting wealth and traditional marriage norms in favor of a life of radical simplicity.

• Plato – The famous philosopher whom Diogenes often ridiculed; called Diogenes “Socrates gone mad.”

• Stoicism – A later philosophical school influenced by Cynicism, emphasizing endurance, virtue, and self-control.

Key Practices & Related Ideas

• Defacing the Currency – A metaphor for rejecting societal values and traditions, much like how Diogenes was exiled for literally defacing coins in Sinope.

• The Cynic Hierarchy – The idea that humans are corrupted by excess needs, while animals are self-sufficient, and gods need nothing at all—making Cynics strive to be more like dogs or gods.

• Anarcho-Primitivism – A modern term for rejecting civilization and returning to a simpler, more natural way of life, sometimes compared to Cynicism.

• Dog (Kyōn) – The root of the word "Cynic"; Cynics embraced being compared to dogs, seeing them as symbols of shamelessness, resilience, and honesty.

• Endurance Training – The Cynic practice of exposing themselves to hardship (hunger, cold, ridicule) to become invulnerable to suffering.

• Inversion of Values – The practice of doing the opposite of societal expectations to challenge assumptions (e.g., walking into a theater when everyone else is leaving).

• Shamelessness (Anaideia) – The Cynic rejection of embarrassment over natural bodily functions, part of their broader critique of social conventions.

• Cosmopolitanism – The idea that one is a "citizen of the world" rather than belonging to a particular nation-state; Cynics rejected political and national identities.

Words You Might Not Know

• Floruit – A term meaning the period in which someone was most active or influential.

• Elitist – A person or idea that favors the privileged or upper class; often a critique used by Cynics against Plato and other philosophers.

• Dogmatic – Stubbornly holding beliefs without questioning them; something Cynics resisted in intellectual culture.

• Gluttony – Excessive eating or indulgence, which the Cynics saw as a form of enslavement to bodily desires.

• Pederasty – A common but controversial practice in ancient Greece involving relationships between older men and younger boys; Diogenes openly criticized this.

• Rebuke – To criticize or scold someone, often publicly; a common Cynic practice.

• Satchel – A small bag; the only possession a Cynic might carry along with their cloak.

• Desecrate – To violate or defile something considered sacred; Cynics often “desecrated” social customs and values.

• Mockery – Ridicule or scornful laughter; a key Cynic tactic for exposing hypocrisy.