Talk:Porphyry (philosopher)

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Actually, there is another theory about Porphyry's nickname, according to which it may have referred to his Phoenician origins. Helmut Uhlig is an adherent of this, but he may have borrowed it from someone else. --Oop 16:38, Dec 3, 2004 (UTC)

Isn't using "unfortunate" to describe Prophyry's opposition to Christianity a value judgement? I think that sentence would be fine without that word.

[edit] Porphyry's Works and the Astronomy/Astrology distinction

The popularized notion that astronomy was the same as astrology in Porphyry's time is simply incorrect. I have seen one academic reference to Porphyry's work, "Introductio in tetrabiblum Ptolemaei" as "Introduction to Ptolemy's Astronomy," but I suspect this is not commonly used (will follow up with the author who called it by this name for his sources). It is possible that Porphyry also wrote a work on Ptolemy's Almagest, and that it is being confused with his astrological work. A separate work on astronomy is not listed in the TLG so I will follow up by consulting other sources.

I'm changing this sentence: "Porphyry also wrote widely on astrology (what would be considered astronomy in our day), religion, philosophy, and musical theory; and produced a biography of his teacher, Plotinus."

I'm also adding a section on his works. Zeusnoos

[edit] Suicidal

I removed a while back the circumlocutory phrase "Having injured his health through overwork" and substituted the specific problem given by Eunapius, namely that he became suicidal through his studies. I've changed the text again; slightly surprised that anyone cared to try to hide this. Does anyone really want to avoid saying this, and if so, why? --Roger Pearse 17:53, 22 November 2007 (UTC)