Murder, Logic, and Embryology : The Beginnings of Political and Moral Philosophy in Aischylos’ Oresteia

• In this paper, we argue that the trial scene in Aischylos’ Eumenides exhibits attempts at “internal critique,” that is, arguments refuting a thesis “from within,” for example, by identifying a logical inconsistency. Apollo, Orestes, and the Erinyes employ such techniques with varying success in three argumentative moves pertaining to murder, revenge, and kinship, thus showing and teaching the audience the art of such argument. While these techniques are typically considered Socratic-Platonic, we argue that this is a decisive moment in the history of argumentation, and possibly the first juncture in extant Greek literature where a character explicitly points out a contradiction.

Subject headings

HUMANIORA  -- Annan humaniora -- Antikvetenskap (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Other Humanities -- Classical Archaeology and Ancient History (hsv//eng)

HUMANIORA  -- Språk och litteratur -- Litteraturvetenskap (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Languages and Literature -- General Literary Studies (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Aeschylus

Oresteia

logic

political philosophy

moral philosophy

internal critique

dialectics

rationality

argument

Aischylos

Orestien

logik

politisk filosofi

moralfilosofi

intern kritik

dialektik

rationalitet

argument

Rhetoric

Retorik

Grekiska

Greek

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)