Were there philosophers in ancient Egypt?

One Egyptian figure often considered an early philosopher is Ptahhotep. He served as vizier to the pharaoh in the late 25th, early 24th century BC. Ptahhotep is known for his comprehensive work on ethical behavior and moral philosophy, called The Maxims of Ptahhotep.

What did Aristotle say about the Egyptians?

In addition, Aristotle attests to Egypt being the original land of wisdom, as when he states in Politics that “Egyptians are reputed to be the oldest of nations, but they have always had laws and a political system.”

Is philosophy originated from Egypt?

So did philosophical thinking; it emerged for the first time in ancient Egypt. ‘ This is the position of a number of philosophers, historians and Egyptologists, the most famous among them are Cheikh Anta Diop (1954.

Which philosophers studied in Egypt?

Many of the most important Greeks reported to have studied in Egypt -Thales, Solon, Plato, Eudoxus – went there before Alexandria was founded.

Did Plato ever go to Egypt?

What did Herodotus say the Egyptians look like?

Herodotus — an eyewitness — makes the most definitive statement when he compares the Egyptians, by virtue of their black skin and woolly hair, to the Colchians and Ethiopians.

Who is the first African philosopher?

Ptahhotep
Some of the world’s oldest philosophical texts have been produced in Ancient Egypt (Kemet), written in Hieratic and on papyrus, from ca. 2200 to 1000 BCE, one of the earliest known African philosophers was Ptahhotep, an ancient Egyptian philosopher.

Did the ancient Egyptians have any philosophy?

It is a commonly held view that ‘the Egyptians had no philosophy’ and that philosophy began with the ancient Greeks. However, some of the major Greek philosophers, including Thales, Pythagoras and Plato, recognised their huge debt to the sages of Egypt for their knowledge and ideas. Plato, for example, spent 13 years studying with the Egyptian

What is an example of an Egyptian moral philosopher?

One example of an Egyptian moral philosopher is Ptah-hotep, who wrote his book (The Wisdom) at the age of 110! According to Will Durant, Ptah-hotep is probably the world’s first philosopher (and perhaps the oldest too). The principle on which the moral philosophy of the ancient Egyptians was based was called Maat.

Was Greek philosophy derived from the Egyptian mystery system?

Before the decipherment of hieroglyphics (a process only completed in the 1830s), it was widely believed that many famous Greek philosophers had studied in Egypt and that Greek philosophy was ultimately derived from a lost ’Egyptian mystery system’.

Why is Ptahhotep considered an early philosopher?

One of the Egyptian figures who often is being considered an early philosopher was Ptahhotep. He served as vizier to the pharaoh in the late 25th, early 24th century BC. Ptahhotep is known for his comprehensive work on ethical behavior and moral philosophy, called The Maxims of Ptahhotep.