https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/141184 Thu, 23 Apr 2026 23:51:56 GMT 2026-04-23T23:51:56Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/141567 Title: Sanskrit : the philosophy Authors: Zammit, Michael Abstract: Life is not merely a biological event. Indeed it may be construed as a linguistic fact especially in the light of a philosophy that, rather than claiming sagacity, assumes to be but a way of life and discourse determined by the eideion, the vision of wisdom. The etymology of the word philosophia itself, i.e. being friends with wisdom, advocates this very project for living philosophy. On the other hand, philosophy is far too often associated with the formation of a critical and independent attitude, with a method of disciplined thought, rigorous and reflective, rooted in wonder, enquiry and indeed astonishment… a rather romantic approach! Certainly such efforts do constitute an arsenal of worthy endeavours, activities surely indispensible to the formation of the good citizen and as such necessary for active participation in the civic life, sporting a free and hopefully autonomous spirit. But, alas, in the final analysis, these are merely the means to an end, tools and instruments. What is the end, then? Fri, 01 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/141567 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/141447 Title: The role of slaves in Roman land surveying Authors: Takács, Levente Abstract: The writings of ancient Roman land surveyors were preserved in a collection which is usually referred to as Corpus Agrimensorum Romanorum after the title of the edition published by Thulin at the beginning of the 20th century. Its first manuscript dates back to the 6th century. This collection consists of several writings of different lengths and various contents. Hyginus or Siculus Flaccus, e.g., wrote lengthy discussions; however, the manuscipt also contains short fragments from different laws or geometrical treatises and reports of late Roman officials or clerks. We only have slight pieces of information on the personality or life of the authors, but some of their remarks make us think that they must have had practical or field experience in the background of their theoretical works. The writers of the land surveying treatises did some field work themselves; therefore, it is suprising that they do not mention any mechanical device or labour force in their works. Fri, 01 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/141447 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/141444 Title: Themistocles as a trickster in Herodotus Authors: Juchneviciene, Nijole Abstract: Herodotus’ Histories is the first extant work documenting the lives of the politicians who took part in historical events. Although Herodotus’ historiosophical concept is mainly religious, it draws the attention to the importance of the individual within history; therefore, most of the time it is exactly the individual that determines a certain end of events. The main source of information on wars and, especially, on the Greek politicians who took part in them, for Herodotus, was the oral tradition, which was sometimes authentic, but mostly it had already been perceived as a legend. I am going to show that in his Themistoclean logos Herodotus employs the poetics of oral tradition, and the character of Themistocles in Herodotus bears the traits of an archetypal cultural hero, usually called the trickster. [excerpt] Fri, 01 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/141444 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/141443 Title: Drawing distinctions in the Laches : the Elenchus as search Authors: Gatt, Jurgen Abstract: The Socratic Method is a dialectical method, conducted in a questionand- answer format, by which Socrates’ dialectical partner is usually led to a realization of a moral or intellectual failure or both. Such a model of the elenchus emphasizes Socrates’ role as questioner. One recent scholarly trend shifts focus onto the role of the interlocutor in the dialectical partnership. This paper falls within this tradition of scholarship on the Elenchus.; The following is a discussion about the role of ‘drawing distinctions’ in the progress and overall goal of the Elenchus in the Laches. This dialogue is marked by the prominence of the interlocutor’s role in the discussion viz. drawing distinctions to disarm Socrates’ refutations. Such dialectical skill is to be found pre-eminently in Nicias, the pupil of Damon and a frequent associate of Socrates, and Critias, the ‘sophist’. The usual interpretation given to these ‘episodes’ of drawing distinctions is well characterized by Laches’ own reaction to Nicias’ dialectical ‘tricks’ (La. 196a-b). Nicias is ‘shuffling’ in order to avoid a deserving refutation and disguising his ignorance with empty words. This interpretation is naturally implied by an overall negative function of elenchus conceived solely in terms of refutation. [excerpt] Fri, 01 Jan 2016 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/141443 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z