The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers

The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (often simply Lives of the Philosophers) by Diogenes Laërtius is a unique and invaluable work for anyone interested in the history of philosophy. Written around the 3rd century CE, this collection offers biographical sketches and anecdotal accounts of the lives, thoughts, and teachings of over 80 ancient philosophers, from the Presocratics to the major figures of Greek and Hellenistic philosophy. The book isn’t strictly a philosophical treatise but rather a series of biographical profiles, many of which include entertaining stories, quotes, and details about the philosophers' characters, habits, and eccentricities. Diogenes, a philosopher himself, is less concerned with offering systematic accounts of each thinker’s theories (though he does touch on these) and more focused on providing vivid, often humorous, and sometimes scandalous details about their lives and personalities. This approach makes the work a fascinating window into the world of ancient philosophy, filled with anecdotes that humanize the philosophers and present them as quirky, fallible individuals.