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Filosofskii Zhurnal, vol.19, no.1, pp.120-133, 2026 (ESCI, Scopus)
In this article, an attempt is made to approach the figure of Xenophanes, a seminal figure in the early phase of Greek thought, from a novel perspective. Traditionally, studies focusing on Xenophanes’ views have centred on his critics of myths, particularly those attributed to Homer and Hesiod, then Greeks customs and the Olympic games. However, the principles guiding this critics remained largely unrevealed. Consequently, in the extant literature, the question of the sources of Xenophanes’ influence is either overlooked or addressed without substantiation. Yet, this is a fundamental issue in the evaluation of Xenophanes’ thought, and the absence of a satisfactory response to it results in propositions that are devoid of content and are more akin to mental training, though Xenophanes’opinions and critical judgements were developed consciously and for specific purposes. If they were not rooted in Greek theological tradition or natural philosophy, a question arises, what influenced Xenophanes – the question which we have addressed in our article and sought to answer. We believe that the conclusions we have reached will contribute to a more accurate understanding of Xenophanes’ views.