Eretrian school

TheEretrian school of philosophywas originally theSchool ofElis,where it had been founded byPhaedo of Elis;it was later transferred toEretriaby his pupilMenedemus.It can be referred to as theElian-Eretrian School,on the assumption that the views of the two schools were similar. It died out after the time of Menedemus (3rd century BC), and, consequently, very little is known about its tenets. Phaedo had been a pupil ofSocrates,andPlatonamed a dialogue,Phaedo,in his honor, but it is not possible to infer his doctrines from the dialogue. Menedemus was a pupil ofStilpoatMegarabefore becoming a pupil of Phaedo; in later times, the views of his school were often linked with those of theMegarian school.Menedemus' friend and colleague in the Eretrian school wasAsclepiades of Phlius.

Like the Megarians they seem to have believed in the individuality of "the Good," the denial of the plurality ofvirtue,and of any real difference existing between the Good and the True.Cicerotells us that they placed all good in themind,and in that acuteness of mind by which thetruthis discerned.They denied that truth could be inferred by negative categoricalpropositions,and would only allow positive ones, and of these only simple ones.