The Shape and Content of First-Century Philosophy

Chapter Three ATHENE AND HER OWL: THE WISDOM OF THE GREEKS
2. The Shape and Content of First-Century Philosophy
(i)Introduction
It is of course out of the question to propose even a short history of ancient philosophy at this point. This is in any case quite unnecessary, there being several first-rate ones readily available at different levels of complexity.32 But we must at least point to the key features, reminding ourselves what Saul might have picked up in school, or on the street, in Tarsus. And we remind ourselves, in particular, that in popular culture what one is most likely to encounter is not a carefully designed construction of whatever sort. If we think of the major schools of the day as being like the four suits in a pack of cards, what one meets on the street is not all four neatly laid out in a row, but the philosophical equivalent of a disorderly heap of cards on a table, some of which look very like others. The two of spades and the two of clubs appear to have more in common than either might do with their respective kings or queens...