Xenocrates c. 396 BC – c. 314 BC
Xenocrates (c. 396 BC – c. 314 BC) was a Greek philosopher of the Ancient era, associated with Platonism and Ancient Greek Philosophy.
Xenocrates of Chalcedon was a Greek philosopher of the early Academy and the third scholarch after Plato and Speusippus, holding the office for twenty-five years. He systematized the Platonic doctrine into a triad of intelligible, sensible, and intermediate mathematical entities, and his definition of the soul as a self-moving number shaped subsequent Platonic and Pythagorean psychology. Aristotle disputed his doctrines in detail, but Xenocrates remained a respected and morally austere figure. The Athenians valued him highly, and Antipater is said to have remarked that, of all Greek philosophers, only Xenocrates could not be bribed.
Key facts
- Nationality
- Greek
- Era
- Ancient
- Movements
- Platonism, Ancient Greek Philosophy
Selected quotes
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Attributed to Xenocrates:
“The soul is a self-moving number.”
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Attributed to Xenocrates:
“Three orders of being: the intelligible, the mathematical, the sensible.”
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Attributed to Xenocrates:
“Virtue does not depend on outward goods.”
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Attributed to Xenocrates:
“Speech is silver, silence is golden.”
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Attributed to Xenocrates:
“I have often regretted speaking, never holding my peace.”
Frequently asked about Xenocrates
- When did Xenocrates live?
- Xenocrates was born in c. 396 BC and died in c. 314 BC.
- Where was Xenocrates from?
- Xenocrates was a Greek philosopher of the Ancient era.
- What philosophical movements is Xenocrates associated with?
- Xenocrates was associated with Platonism and Ancient Greek Philosophy.
- What was Xenocrates known for?
- Xenocrates of Chalcedon was a Greek philosopher of the early Academy and the third scholarch after Plato and Speusippus, holding the office for twenty-five years.
- How many quotes are attributed to Xenocrates?
- There are 5 attributed quotations from Xenocrates in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.