Diogenes: The Rebellious Life and Revolutionary Philosophy of the Original Cynic

Diogenes: The Rebellious Life and Revolutionary Philosophy of the Original Cynic - Hardcover

$30.00
$30.00
Skip to product information
Diogenes: The Rebellious Life and Revolutionary Philosophy of the Original Cynic
  • Diogenes: The Rebellious Life and Revolutionary Philosophy of the Original Cynic
Diogenes: The Rebellious Life and Revolutionary Philosophy of the Original Cynic - Hardcover

Diogenes: The Rebellious Life and Revolutionary Philosophy of the Original Cynic - Hardcover

by Inger N. I. Kuin
$30.00
$30.00

Book Overview

by Inger N. I. Kuin (Author)

The life and thought of Diogenes the Cynic, an iconoclastic philosopher who pioneered a brash and free-thinking vision of life that inspired the philosophy of Stoicism

"A rich, engaging portrait of intellectual fearlessness" (Stacy Schiff, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Cleopatra)

In his own day, the ancient philosopher Diogenes the Cynic had a reputation for eccentricity, heckling his fellow philosophers in the marketplace, living in a clay pot, and relieving himself in public. Since his death in 323 BCE, devoted followers made him and his ideas famous the world over. But what we think we know about Diogenes remains distorted and sanitized.

In Diogenes, classicist Inger N.I. Kuin scours all existing evidence of Diogenes and his followers to offer an in-depth account of Diogenes' life and thought, revealing a man whose innovative ideas about power, death, nature, and the body have much to teach the contemporary world. He pioneered a vision of simplicity and autonomy in his day-to-day life, stressing the importance of living in the here and now, and of always thinking for oneself. Diogenes stands apart as history's first recorded critic of slavery and a proud exile from polite society whose challenging thought proved foundational for the Stoics and their successors.

Diogenes rehabilitates Diogenes as a compelling thinker for the twenty-first century, one who demands that we look at our society with fresh eyes and be unafraid of change--starting with ourselves.

Author Biography

Inger N.I. Kuin is an associate professor of classics at the University of Virginia. Born in the Netherlands, she worked as a journalist before receiving an MA in philosophy from the University of Amsterdam and a PhD in classics from New York University. She divides her time between Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and Charlottesville, Virginia.

Number of Pages: 320
Dimensions: 1.3 x 9.3 x 6 IN
Publication Date: November 11, 2025
ISBN9781541606470
Author Inger N. I. Kuin
PublisherBasic Books
GenreBiography and Philosophy
FormatHardcover
PublishedNovember 2025
LanguageENG- English
Pages320
Weight1.0 lb
Target AudienceAdults
Print SizeStandard Print

Related Subjects

Biography & Autobiography Nonfiction Philosophy

1% fer Each of the Seven Seas

Every purchase sends 7% of our profits to The Ocean Cleanup. No fine print, no opt-in — just how we sail.

Whoever Ye Be, Welcome Aboard

Queer lit, music, art, philosophy, fiction — stories for every kind of soul. Come as ye are, matey.

More by Inger N. I. Kuin

Product title

Product title

By

About Inger N. I. Kuin

Inger N.I. Kuin is an associate professor of classics at the University of Virginia. Born in the Netherlands, she worked as a journalist before receiving an MA in philosophy from the University of Amsterdam and a PhD in classics from New York University. She divides her time between Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and Charlottesville, Virginia.

You may also like