
is commonplace in the tradition to present the origin of philosophy as a result of a change in human thought, which leaves the mythical view of the world to get into the power of reason. Often given to pre-Socratic philosophers need primacy in this revolutionary, but because they still exhibit slight remnants of mythology enshrined in its rational musings and reflections, were the figures of Plato, Aristotle and later his disciple, who have shaped the history final germination of thought based on reason, ie, philosophy. These are the faces true wisdom, we are told, not the Homeric comedians or poets. With the wisdom born of reason, philosophy, "love of wisdom," thus marks the beginning of human interest in knowledge, truth and goodness.
Giorgio Colli, one of the most prominent philosophers (so to speak) " freethinkers, would be (in part) according to this whenever who turns, and we understood, the same word which means" philosophy. " His book (just a hundred pages) " The birth of philosophy " could be included the agenda of all apprentice philosopher, or teacher of philosophy, maybe not so much by its content but because it calls to read backwards the history of ideas, and thus provides a new twist to the notion of philosophy . We are not able to confirm or refute Colli, but his proposal is so attractive that we are reluctant to collect and disseminate it. Here we make a simple review of some of its main theses.
Almost half of his work, Colli mentioned a few words of Heraclitus, a riddle whose meaning would be that while the senses, and what they convey, are condemnable, yes it would be our attempt to make this experience sense of something stable, something external to us, to try to fix it, the falsify, known is his expression " can not step twice into the same river ", which states as the only existing instant sensation, not there is nothing behind target. In parallel, another key issue in Heraclitus is the " pathos" of the occult, as noted Colli: designing the ultimate foundation of the world as something unfathomable. We refer to the gods of the way we want, as symbols, but always considering that this term is incorrect, precisely because the hidden nature of them ("the nature they like to hide primary, "says Heraclitus). All this leads to a conception of "soul , the occult, unity, wisdom, as we do not see or we take, but of us." Colli just holding all the wisdom of Heraclitus can be understood as a "tissue of enigmas that refer to a unfathomable divine nature," the sense of physicality in the world, its diversity, is an illusion, a web of riddles, a tapestry of opposites solution is reached only with the attainment of unity, the god, which covers " day night, war peace, winter summer ..."
But if the source of Greek wisdom of experience mystery, mysterious and mystical, how the substrate could go religious to rational thought and discourse? It's the same question we might ask in relation to the Middle Ages, when converged on the same main characters, the different perceptions of the one same reality: magical and rational, hidden and manifest, intangible and material. To Colli solution in antiquity came from the hand of the dialectic, understood in its primary sense, as the art of debate. The challenge for one man to another, requiring you rebut it in relation to knowledge, either that or affirmation. Following the discussion reaches a new knowledge, product good refutation of the thesis of the interrogator, but its confirmation to the adversary can not cope with arguments. Here are not required judges to decide who wins, is the very nature of the discussion that provides the verdict. As Aristotle taught us and mentioned Colli, " prove a particular proposition is to find a concept (universal ) such that, as applied to two sides of the same, so based on that connection can be derived (proved) proposing . " Any discussion would then be "universal search increasingly abstract. " Later
Colli says that the puzzle appears as " dark background, the matrix of dialectic." Enigma so designated because the sources as " problem, but in the dialectical language the term is present as a challenge, therefore, the enigma is the germ of the dialectic, enigma almost always presented in a contradictory (as the very essence of dialectics). Mysticism, agonism, dialectic, rationalism ... All these expressions were somewhat antithetical in ancient Greece, but would be subsequent phases of the same phenomenon. Also
Colli refers to the preparation, by generations of dialectic, "of a system of reason, of logos as living phenomenon, concrete, purely oral, and written the discussion (as with Plato's works) would only be a substitute for low value. Colli wondered whether the building contains logos of doctrinal content of the reason (beyond the conceptual training and regulatory standards of discourse), and the answer to it is negative, because the approach underlying interest "destructive." And this interest was already on the origin of the dialectic: if adopts a thesis questioning, the interrogator (if it is effective in its task) will destroy it, but if you choose the antithetical, it is equally, if victory falls on the side of the respondent is merely dialectical ineffectiveness of his opponent. The consequences are devastating, as Colli said: " any trial can be refuted." Therefore, any doctrine or " scientific proposition is equally exposed to destruction."
After Heraclitus, Parmenides figure, shrouded in the whirlwind and dialectic, is facing a new "problem" deciding between being and nonbeing. Parmenides send opt the first choice, because if we would choose the other drowned in the nihilism of the dialectic, the devastating trap of a " not" eternal, everything and everyone. The " is " safeguard, according to Colli, the metaphysical nature of the world. But Zeno of Elea, a pupil of Parmenides, is a dialectical shift. Although it is said that Zeno makes use of the dialectic is intended to defend his master pluralists who reject total monism of Parmenides, the truth is that this application is directed, however, to reject the path of " is "and passing through its opposite, the same his teacher forbade further. Zeno dialectic argument erupts in an orgy extreme, generalizing the dialectic devastating to every area, object or concept. The dialectic, says Colli, "ceased to be an agonistic theory into a general theory of ' logos'."

is reached, then, to the fact that everything that is expressed and which refers to objects sensitive or abstract, and there exists the same time, " and also demonstrates that it is possible while impossible. " In short, the dialectic involves the destruction the reality of any object. To Colli, " Zeno realized that he could not block the development of dialectic and reason, as descendants of the area of \u200b\u200b enigma" he tried, however, to enhance the dynamism of radical dialectic, to its absolute end, reaching a total nihilism. Wanted to see, in short, that the world around us is nothing more than mere appearance, a pale reflection of the divine world, and nothing else. Zeno later thinkers, and even Aristotle himself gave to overcome the paradoxes of Zeno (seen in a previous note), but none managed to prove it. If
still await the rebuttal (true, irrevocable, categorical) of zenonianas thesis, this may mean, Colli said that his would be the quintessential sound logos, " the endpoint Greek rationality." The reason of ancient Greece was seen as a "discourse" about something, a logos that speaks of something else; Colli says that "something" is " religious background, the experience of mystical exaltation, what ratio tends to express in some way, through the mediation of enigma. " Then lost that role logos allusion, and deemed autonomous discourse as itself a mirror of a separate object. But the reason originally began as a supplement, because it was rooted in something beyond it, something the same speech, the logos, he could not reveal, but just pointing that out. Instead of building a new formulation of the logos, who signed a " autonomy of reason, remained primitive rules of logos, which was only half ... and that it was genuine became ... a spurious logos. "
Gorgias, the radical skeptic (see corresponding note), with its three main theses ("nothing exists" "If there would be unknowable," and if not, shall not be communicated to others ") opened the final domination of nihilism, put everything into question, even to the divine nature. " Gorgias," says Collier, "is a wise states finished the era of wise." With Gorgias also occurs a change in the conditions in which they live discussion: until then had a private, for certain social class or specific group (purely esoteric, then, given their limited knowledge provided to a restricted circle); from V century BC, however, opened the field of dialectical isolation, and went to be performed in an environment reserved for a large, populous and less exclusive: the dialectical abandons the ' secret' and enters the public. Thus, the dialectic starts adulteration, since instead of minds at stake have a large group and inexperienced listener, without joining. The discussion ends, begins the sermon.
rhetoric and makes its appearance, after besmirching the dialectic. Despite its oral nature, the conflict disappears, no longer face, contradict and 'struggle' towards a dialectical victory, but that now prevails is a rhetorical in which he tries to convince, subjugating the populace that listens. Not only comes into play dialectical force, but also an emotional component, the seduction of the audience. "The dialectic fighting for wisdom in the struggle rhetoric wisdom led to power." The content of the dialectic individual returns to the world of humanity, their passions and interests.
A dessert item that sets the decline of the ancient wisdom it is the " gradual spread of writing in literary sense " dialectical discussion in abstractions and the words of the logos are apprehended, are captured by the same participation in the discussion, but on the sound fades the interior. Plato indicates Colli, created dialogue as literature, in which his narrative ran through the various content of the discussions, undifferentiated audiences: the same Plato who appoints the new genre as "philosophy", which then define the word written about abstract issues, rational, political and moral.
With Plato is possible today to appreciate the qualities of ancient Greek thought, and noted its importance far beyond that as a mere anticipation stammering "Consider what we should confine ourselves to ignore the wisdom of such thinking. In fact, "Plato its literature calls 'philosophy ' to contrast the ' sophia' previous ." Plato defined earlier eras (Heraclitus, Parmenides, etc.) As the era of the "wise " while humbly defines itself as a "philosopher ", that is, as the "lover of wisdom "(but still does not possess, unlike those mentioned). Plato says
that the wisdom passed on by writing will always be untrue, apparently, no art can convey a letter, or last to know. Although there will never describe thoughts as to clarify its meaning, since it will always say the same thing. Elsewhere, Colli said: "Plato broadly denies the possibility to express a feeling seriously," if this is true, all I know Plato (ie, their written texts), you might not be anything serious ... Moreover, if the script has the courage to Plato (" if someone puts in writing what is the product of his thoughts ... it is true that mortals have removed trial " Seventh Letter), then, as Colli question," Would it be too all subsequent philosophy ... something serious? "
Finally, Colli said" philosophy was born, a creature too complex and mediate to contain within itself up new possibilities for living. The faded writing ... what we wanted to suggest is that the above philosophy, the trunk to the tradition that uses the name " wisdom" and leaving that soon withered stem, is for us ... more vital than philosophy itself. "
wise or wrong, biased or weighted, creator of a philosophical nonsense or a new understanding of rationality, it is not appropriate to discuss Giorgio Colli is his bravery, a daring bordering on insolence, which allows you to examine common issues in the light of a new approach. The result is a different way of dealing with the philosophy, knowledge and values \u200b\u200bthat underlie this ancient discipline, which means Colli and controversially controversy has been portrayed. At thirty years after his death, we pay this small tribute to a thinker against the tide, he swam in troubled waters for the sake of philosophy, be it wisdom or a simple love for her like a distant promised land we can see, but which, despite all efforts we make, we can never arrive.