Xenophanes
Xenophanes attacked the immorality and anthropomorph-ism of the gods described by Homer. Homer had described the gods as beings that were much like people, in that they were imperfect, and did not always exist. Xenophanes believed this to be unlikely and demonstrated this by stating, “But if oxen (and horses) and lions had hands or could draw with hands and create works of art like those made by men, horses would draw pictures of gods like horses, and oxen gods like oxen, and they would make the bodies (of their gods) in accordance with the form that each species itself possesses.” He believed it ridiculous to think that the gods would be so much like those who worshipped them. If the gods were truly superior to those who worship them why would they be anything like those who worship them? Our form is not perfect and therefore is flawed. So to think that the gods share our form is to say that the gods are flawed. If the gods are flawed then they are not that which is implied by the word god and that is perfection. To think that the gods share the same form as us is to assume that we are of the perfect form. Since we are inept to do many things, we are therefore not of a perfect form. It was his contention that the gods woul
Some topics in this essay:
Homer Homer, God God, , gods gods, obtain infinite, obtain infinite knowledge, gods share form, god perfect god, infinite knowledge, flawed gods, share form, prior gods, gods flawed, god god, truth god, gods share,
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Approximate Word count = 936
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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