Gorgiasza meontologia vs. nihilizm
Meontology of Gorgias vs. Nihilism

Summary/Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to challenge Gorgias' image of being a 'nihilist existentialist'. The original thesis Gr. ouden estin, too frequently rendered as 'nothing exists', thus reducing the verb 'to be' to denote 'bare' existence, and ouden to denote 'nothingness'. On close inspection it turns out that in Gorgias neither do we have a negation of reality nor an affirmative treatment of the word 'nothingness'. Therefore, ouden should not be understood as a negation of all reality or a kind of affirmative 'nothingness', whereas estin should not be reduced to 'bare' existence. (When existence is negated, we obtain annihilation). Such practice still affects the various translations of Gorgias treaty On the non-being or on Nature. (...)

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