Protagoras
| Protagoras | |
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Democritus (center) and Protagoras (right)
17th-century painting by Salvator Rosa in Hermitage Museum |
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| Born | c. 490 BC Abdera |
| Died | c. 420 BC |
| Era | Pre-Socratic philosophy |
| Region | Western Philosophy |
| School | Sophism |
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Main interests
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language, semantics, relativism, rhetoric, agnosticism, ethics |
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Notable ideas
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'Sophist' as teacher for hire, 'Man is the measure of all things' |
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Influences
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Influenced
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Protagoras (/proʊˈtæɡərəs/; Greek: Πρωταγόρας; c. 490 – c. 420 BC) was a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher and is numbered as one of the sophists by Plato. In his dialogue, Protagoras, Plato credits him with having invented the role of the professional sophist.
He also is believed to have created a major controversy during ancient times through his statement that, "Man is the measure of all things", interpreted by Plato to mean that there is no absolute truth, but that which individuals deem to be the truth. Although there is reason to question the extent of the interpretation of his arguments that has followed, that concept of individual relativity was revolutionary for the time, and contrasted with other philosophical doctrines that claimed the universe was based on something objective, outside of human influence or perceptions.
Protagoras was born in Abdera, Thrace, opposite the island of Thasos (today part of the Xanthi regional unit). According to Aulus Gellius, he originally made his living as a porter, but one day he was seen by the philosopher Democritus carrying a load of small pieces of wood he had tied with a short cord. Democritus realized that Protagoras had tied the load together with such perfect geometric accuracy that he must be a mathematical prodigy. Democritus promptly took him into his own household and taught him philosophy. Protagoras became well known in Athens and even became a friend of Pericles.
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Wikipedia