ABSTRACT
This essay considers the Cynic, Diogenes of Sinope as a performance philosopher. The chapter presents some of the acts of Diogenes, the first known performance philosopher in ancient Greece, as reported by Diogenes Laertius, and discusses how they engage the body at the level of five primordial registers: the ecstatic, aggressive/violent, transgressive, erotic, and metaphoric. The author argues against imitating Cynic acts today, but suggests that we can learn from Diogenes and invigorate philosophical practice if we include bodily actions and witticism in the way we philosophize.
