Zeno of Citium

Early Life

Zeno of Citium was born around 334 BC in Citium, Cyprus. His parents were Hellenistic subjects, and his father was a merchant. Zeno was exposed to philosophical teachings at an early age, as his father would often bring home books on philosophy from his travels.

Education and Influences

Zeno was a student of the Cynic philosopher Crates, who was a disciple of Diogenes. Zeno was also influenced by the teachings of Socrates, as well as the writings of the Stoic philosophers Cleanthes and Chrysippus.

Philosophy

Zeno is best known as the founder of the Stoic school of philosophy, which he taught in Athens from about 300 BC. Stoicism is a philosophy of personal ethics informed by its system of logic and its views on the natural world.

Ethics

Zeno's ethical teachings revolved around the concept of apatheia, or freedom from passion, which he believed could be achieved through the practice of virtue and the avoidance of vice.

Logic

Zeno also made significant contributions to the field of logic, developing a system that was later refined and expanded upon by his successors, Cleanthes and Chrysippus.

Physics

In the realm of physics, Zeno proposed a deterministic view of the universe, in which everything is subject to the laws of fate.

Legacy

Zeno's teachings had a profound influence on the development of Western philosophy. His ideas were further developed and spread by his successors, and the Stoic school remained influential for several centuries.