Cosmos of the Ancients: The Greek Philosophers on Myth and Cosmology

The Greek philosophers lived in a time when the gods and the myths about them were very much alive, and there was no scientific evidence dismissing them. This book explores to what extent the Greeks were able to question their own mythology. This is done by examining the cosmology of their philosophers, and what roles they allowed therein for the gods.

The book presents every Greek philosopher, from Thales to Euhemerus, whose views on cosmology and religion are at all known. It also contains an introduction discussing how the material can be interpreted and systematized, and what conclusions can be drawn about the world views and metaphysical beliefs of the time.