Mor Segev
Biographic Data
| ID | 461811 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Mor Segev |
| GIVEN NAMES | Mor |
| FAMILY NAME | Segev |
| SIGNATURE | SEGEV M |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of South Florida |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-7305-5553 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 12 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 0 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 12 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2017 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2024 |
| H-INDEX | 0 |
Schopenhauer on the inconsistency between optimism and personal immortality
For Schopenhauer, death, understood as the annihilation of an individual's existence, cannot be successfully accommodated by theories endorsing an optimistic assessment of both human life and the world at large. I argue that Schopenhauer also has reasons to think that optimism cannot adopt personal immortality as a solution to that problem, although he does not present them systematically. Thus, he argues, prolonging one's life would necessarily …
What can Maimonides' understanding of the shamefulness of touch teach us about Aristotle's NE III.10, 1118b1–3
In NE III.10, 1118b1–3, Aristotle says that the “most shared of the senses is that according to which intemperance [comes about], and it would seem justifiably to be shameful, because it inheres [in us] not insofar as we are human beings, but insofar as we are animals”. This statement appears to describe the sense of touch as shameful. This may seem like a strange position for Aristotle to hold, since elsewhere he describes human touch as the mos…
An Aristotelian Account of Religious Music in Strabo, 10.3
Strabo, in 10.3.7-23, presents an account of the music performed in initiation rites, according to which such music is used, naturally, to facilitate knowledge of divinity. I argue that, despite appearances, religious music, for Strabo, does not fulfill that function by reflecting the harmonious constitution of the cosmos—a Pythagorean-Platonic (and later, Stoic) idea that Strabo mentions but ultimately rejects. Instead, Strabo’s account is clear…
Death, Immortality, and the Value of Human Existence in Aristotle’s Eudemus Fragment 6 Ross
In a fragment of his lost dialogue Eudemus (frag. 6 Ross = Plut. Cons. ad Apoll. 115b–e), Aristotle relates a story in which Silenus tells King Midas that the best thing for humans is never to have been born, and the next best thing for them is to die soon. It is often assumed that Aristotle himself endorses Silenus’ statement, which in turn expresses either (1) a popular pessimistic approach glorifying death as an escape from life’s toils or (2)…
Value of the World and of Oneself
The Value of the World and of Oneself
This book examines the long-standing debate between philosophical optimism and pessimism in the history of philosophy, focusing on Aristotle, Maimonides, Spinoza, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, and Camus. Philosophical optimists maintain that the world is optimally arranged and is accordingly valuable, and that the existence of human beings is preferable over their nonexistence. Philosophical pessimists, by contrast, hold that the world is in a woeful …
Aristotle's Ideal City-Planning
At Pol. 7.12, 1331a19–20, Aristotle states it as a matter of fact that the citizenry of the best city should be divided into ‘public messes’ ( syssitia ). His primary concern in the rest of the chapter is to uncover the optimal way in which syssitia should be organized, and the way in which they should be situated in relation to other facilities, public buildings, agorai and temples in the city. The proposed plan is roughly as follows. Syssitia w…
Traditional Religion and Its Natural Function in Aristotle
Aristotle thinks the content of traditional religion is false. However, he also holds that traditional religion is necessary if any city is to exist and flourish. Traditional religion is necessary, I argue, because it prepares the ground for what Aristotle considers the pinnacle of human endeavor: attaining knowledge of first philosophy. Religion performs this function by exposing citizens to anthropomorphic depictions of divinity. These, in turn…
Aristotle on Plato’s Republic VIII-IX
Toward the end of Politics V. 12, Aristotle criticizes Plato’s discussion of political change in Republic VIII-IX. Scholars often reject Aristotle’s criticism, especially because it portrays Plato’s discussion, allegedly unfairly, as developing a historically testable theory. I argue that Aristotle’s criticism is adequate, and that the seriousness with which he considers Plato’s account of political change as an alternative to his own is both war…
Aristotle on Religion
Aristotle is a severe critic of traditional religion, believing it to be false, yet he also holds that traditional religion and its institutions are necessary if any city, including the ideal city he describes in the Politics, is to exist and flourish. This book provides, for the first time, a coherent account of the socio-political role which Aristotle attributes to traditional religion despite his rejection of its content. Mor Segev argues that…
Aristotle on Group Agency
Aristotle on Nature, Human Nature and Human Understanding
Aristotle is committed to three propositions which seem to be mutually inconsistent: (1) He thinks that natural phenomena occur either always or for the most part. Natural phenomena, and a fortiori the core properties determining the nature of an entire species, cannot be rarities; (2) He states that theoretical understanding is an essential, dominant component of human nature; (3) He observes that human theoretical understanding is rare. I evalu…
No prominent works on this page.
Aristotle on Religion
Aristotle is a severe critic of traditional religion, believing it to be false, yet he also holds that traditional religion and its institutions are necessary if any city, including the ideal city he describes in the Politics, is to exist and flourish. This book provides, for the first time, a coherent account of the socio-political role which Aristotle attributes to traditional religion despite his rejection of its content. Mor Segev argues that…
Aristotle on Group Agency
Aristotle on Nature, Human Nature and Human Understanding
Aristotle is committed to three propositions which seem to be mutually inconsistent: (1) He thinks that natural phenomena occur either always or for the most part. Natural phenomena, and a fortiori the core properties determining the nature of an entire species, cannot be rarities; (2) He states that theoretical understanding is an essential, dominant component of human nature; (3) He observes that human theoretical understanding is rare. I evalu…
Traditional Religion and Its Natural Function in Aristotle
Aristotle thinks the content of traditional religion is false. However, he also holds that traditional religion is necessary if any city is to exist and flourish. Traditional religion is necessary, I argue, because it prepares the ground for what Aristotle considers the pinnacle of human endeavor: attaining knowledge of first philosophy. Religion performs this function by exposing citizens to anthropomorphic depictions of divinity. These, in turn…
Aristotle on Plato’s Republic VIII-IX
Toward the end of Politics V. 12, Aristotle criticizes Plato’s discussion of political change in Republic VIII-IX. Scholars often reject Aristotle’s criticism, especially because it portrays Plato’s discussion, allegedly unfairly, as developing a historically testable theory. I argue that Aristotle’s criticism is adequate, and that the seriousness with which he considers Plato’s account of political change as an alternative to his own is both war…
Aristotle's Ideal City-Planning
At Pol. 7.12, 1331a19–20, Aristotle states it as a matter of fact that the citizenry of the best city should be divided into ‘public messes’ ( syssitia ). His primary concern in the rest of the chapter is to uncover the optimal way in which syssitia should be organized, and the way in which they should be situated in relation to other facilities, public buildings, agorai and temples in the city. The proposed plan is roughly as follows. Syssitia w…
Death, Immortality, and the Value of Human Existence in Aristotle’s Eudemus Fragment 6 Ross
In a fragment of his lost dialogue Eudemus (frag. 6 Ross = Plut. Cons. ad Apoll. 115b–e), Aristotle relates a story in which Silenus tells King Midas that the best thing for humans is never to have been born, and the next best thing for them is to die soon. It is often assumed that Aristotle himself endorses Silenus’ statement, which in turn expresses either (1) a popular pessimistic approach glorifying death as an escape from life’s toils or (2)…
Value of the World and of Oneself
The Value of the World and of Oneself
This book examines the long-standing debate between philosophical optimism and pessimism in the history of philosophy, focusing on Aristotle, Maimonides, Spinoza, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, and Camus. Philosophical optimists maintain that the world is optimally arranged and is accordingly valuable, and that the existence of human beings is preferable over their nonexistence. Philosophical pessimists, by contrast, hold that the world is in a woeful …
What can Maimonides' understanding of the shamefulness of touch teach us about Aristotle's NE III.10, 1118b1–3
In NE III.10, 1118b1–3, Aristotle says that the “most shared of the senses is that according to which intemperance [comes about], and it would seem justifiably to be shameful, because it inheres [in us] not insofar as we are human beings, but insofar as we are animals”. This statement appears to describe the sense of touch as shameful. This may seem like a strange position for Aristotle to hold, since elsewhere he describes human touch as the mos…
An Aristotelian Account of Religious Music in Strabo, 10.3
Strabo, in 10.3.7-23, presents an account of the music performed in initiation rites, according to which such music is used, naturally, to facilitate knowledge of divinity. I argue that, despite appearances, religious music, for Strabo, does not fulfill that function by reflecting the harmonious constitution of the cosmos—a Pythagorean-Platonic (and later, Stoic) idea that Strabo mentions but ultimately rejects. Instead, Strabo’s account is clear…
Schopenhauer on the inconsistency between optimism and personal immortality
For Schopenhauer, death, understood as the annihilation of an individual's existence, cannot be successfully accommodated by theories endorsing an optimistic assessment of both human life and the world at large. I argue that Schopenhauer also has reasons to think that optimism cannot adopt personal immortality as a solution to that problem, although he does not present them systematically. Thus, he argues, prolonging one's life would necessarily …
Epistemology (10 works) · Philosophy (10 works) · Classical Philosophy and Thought (8 works) · Political science (5 works) · Theology (5 works) · Law (4 works) · Literature (4 works) · Classical Antiquity Studies (3 works) · Historical, Religious, and Philosophical Studies (3 works) · Law (3 works)