Citizenship of the world : the cynic way

Abstract

The article investigates the self-designation of Diogenes the Cynic as ‘citizen of the world’. It appears, contrary to scholarly opinion, that positive content can indeed be attached to the term. However, the Cynic emphasis differs from Stoic and modern definitions of cosmopolitanism. A state with moral obligations to a common humanity does not feature largely in Cynic philosophy; instead, the Cynic’s primary allegiance is to the rules of the cosmos, which call for a life of individual simplicity, self-sufficiency, moral integrity, and freedom.