Curiosities of the great philosophers

Some of the great philosophers had lives or were involved in curious events. It is no wonder, if we take into account that these thinkers managed to see the world from new, deeper and, generally, disruptive perspectives.

One of the great philosophers about whom there are many anecdotes is the famous Diogenes of Sinope, who decided to live inside a barrel. He is said to have loved to defecate in public, even in crowded theaters. And if he didn’t like someone, he urinated on them.

Diogenes the Cynic is also remembered for his ingenious outings. The most famous of these took place when Alexander the Great came to visit him and told him that he could ask for whatever he wanted. Diogenes replied that he was only asking him to retire, so as not to block the sun’s rays. Let’s see other curiosities of the great philosophers.

Curiosities of the great philosophers of antiquity

Among the great philosophers of antiquity about whom anecdotes are told is the famous Socrates. It is said that he had a nickname: “the gadfly of Athens.”. This is because, apparently, he was so sharp and stinging with his reflections, that he managed to make almost all the powerful people in Athens uncomfortable.

It is also said about Socrates that he once received an offer from a rich Athenian. He wanted him to be in charge of the education of his son, to which the philosopher replied that this would cost him 500 drachmas, which was a considerable amount at that time. The man thought that he was very expensive and said: “it’s too much money. With that I can buy a donkey. Socrates replied: “You are right. I advise you to buy it and then he will have two ».

Another of the great philosophers of antiquity was Thales of Miletus. He was one of the first to address the subject of the mortality of the soul and to describe the meaning of an eclipse. It is said that he once invited a woman to look at the stars.. Probably, he wanted to seduce her while she was talking to him about them, but with such bad luck that she fell into a hole. The woman told him: “How do you intend to talk to me about what is in the sky, if you are not even able to realize what is under your feet.”

Other anecdotes of great philosophers

Descartes was another of the great philosophers of the modern era. It is said that he hated getting up early and, in fact, he slept for up to 12 hours. He thought that sleep was the best food for the brain, and that’s why he never got up before noon. He used to work from bed.

Jeremy Bentham He is one of the most eccentric philosophers in history. He was the founder of utilitarianism and a true genius, but he had a strange habit: talking to the staff about him. He even gave her a name. He was lonely, moody and rarely had fun.

In his will he left an unusual instruction: one of his friends was to dissect his corpse in public. His last wish was fulfilled. His remains were mummified and put in a glass case. Today they are still seen in the University College London.

And so that it can be seen that Not even the great philosophers escape human misery, there is no better example than Emmanuel Kant. He suffered from serious intestinal problems all his life. He went through truly torturous times when he could not burp, as this alone relieved him of the heaviness and fullness of it. During the last years of his life, after eating, he could see a lump on his abdomen, probably a tumor.

Other curiosities

Finally, let’s talk about Bodhidharma, one of the great Eastern philosophers and founder of Zen. Apparently, he came to China from central or southern Asia, and immediately He stood out for his wisdom, but also for his eccentricities.

He was invited to give a kind of lecture on Buddhism. He accepted the invitation, and upon arrival he sat down, in the lotus position, and proceeded to meditate for several hours. He didn’t utter a single word. After a while, he got up from his place and left.

This philosopher wanted to join the Shaolin Monastery, but for an unclear reason, they denied him entry. After this, he moved to a nearby cave, and again began to meditate.. He spent nine years doing it, until the monks admitted him. Once at the monastery, he criticized the apprentices for his poor physical condition. To remedy this, he introduced martial arts into the teaching plan. This is how Shaolin Kung Fu was born. This is how some of the great philosophers were: brilliant and surprising.

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