Ancient Egyptian philosophy

Almost nothing is known of Ancient Egyptian philosophy. Although the Ancient Greeks believed that their philosophy had its roots in Egypt, and that a small number of scholars believe this plausible,[1][2] the usually held view is that Egypt influenced little the philosophies of Europe or Asia.[3]

One ancient Egyptian philosopher was Ptahhotep.[4] He served as vizier to the pharaoh in the late 25th, early 24th century BC. Ptahhotep is known for his comprehensive work on ethical behavior and moral philosophy, called The Maxims of Ptahhotep. The work, which is believed to have been compiled by his grandson Ptahhotep Tshefi, is a series of 37 letters or maxims addressed to his son, Akhethotep, speaking on such topics as daily behavior and ethical practices.[5]

See also

Notes and references

  1. ↑ James Henry Breasted (1972). Development of Religion and Thought in Ancient Egypt. Pennsylvania University Press. ...the Greek tradition of the origin of their philosophy in Egypt undoubtedly contains more of the truth than has in recent years been conceded.
  2. ↑ Bernal, Martin (1987). Black Athena: Afroasiatic Roots of Classical Civilization, Volume I: The Fabrication of Ancient Greece, 1785-1985. Rutgers University Press. ISBN 978-0-8135-1277-8.
  3. ↑ Bleiberg, Edward (2005). "Ancient Egypt 2675-332 B.C.E.: Philosophy". In Bleiberg, Edward; et al. Arts and Humanities Through the Eras. Vol. 1: Ancient Egypt 2675-332 B.C.E. Detroit: Gale. pp. 182–197.
  4. ↑ Asante, Molefi Kete (2000). The Egyptian Philosophers: Ancient African Voices From Imhotep to Akhenaten. Chicago, Illinois: African American Images. ISBN 0-913543-66-7.
  5. ↑ Browder, Anthony (1988). Nile Valley Contributions to Civilization. Karmaic Institute.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.