Philo of Larissa facts for kids

Philo of Larissa was an important Greek philosopher. He lived from about 159 BC to 84 BC. Philo took over as the leader of the Academy in Athens. This was a famous school of philosophy started by Plato.

Philo was a student of Clitomachus. Like his teachers, Philo believed in Academic skepticism. This idea suggests that we can't be completely sure about anything. However, Philo had a slightly different view. He thought it was okay to believe things for a while, even if you weren't 100% certain.

During a time of war, Philo moved to Rome. There, a famous Roman speaker named Cicero listened to his lessons. Sadly, none of Philo's own writings have survived to today.

Philo's Life and Journey

Philo was born in a city called Larissa around 154 BC. When he was older, he moved to Athens, a big center for learning. In Athens, he became a student of Clitomachus.

Leading the Academy

Around 110 BC, Philo became the head of the Platonic Academy. This made him a very important figure in Greek philosophy. He taught many students, including Antiochus of Ascalon. Antiochus later disagreed with Philo's ideas.

Moving to Rome

Later, during a time of big wars called the Mithridatic Wars, Philo left Athens. He moved to Rome in 88 BC. In Rome, Philo gave talks about how to speak well (rhetoric) and about philosophy. Many important people came to hear him. The most famous was Cicero, who admired Philo greatly.

The End of an Era

Philo was the last official leader of the Academy who directly followed Plato. After Philo died around 84 BC, the Academy split into different groups. Eventually, the original Academy stopped existing for a long time.

Philo's Ideas on Knowledge

We don't have any of Philo's books or writings. We know about his ideas from what other philosophers like Numenius, Sextus Empiricus, and Cicero wrote about him.

Understanding Skepticism

Philo's philosophy was a bit of a change from the strong Academic skepticism of earlier teachers. Academic skepticism suggested that we cannot truly understand things. Philo believed that while we might not grasp things perfectly, we could still understand them in their own way.

He thought that even though our senses might not give us perfect truth, we could still form beliefs. He was open to testing his own ideas again and again. Philo also believed that we could find a clear path for how to live our lives.

See also

In Spanish: Filón de Larisa para niños