Carpocrates
#27,856
Most Influential Person Across History
2nd century Egyptian philosopher and gnostic
Carpocrates's AcademicInfluence.com Rankings
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Philosophy
Why Is Carpocrates Influential?
(Suggest an Edit or Addition)According to Wikipedia, Carpocrates of Alexandria was the founder of an early Gnostic sect from the first half of the 2nd century, known as Carpocratians. As with many Gnostic sects, the Carpocratians are known only through the writings of the Church Fathers, principally Irenaeus of Lyons and Clement of Alexandria. As these writers strongly opposed Gnostic doctrine, there is a question of negative bias when using this source. While the various references to the Carpocratians differ in some details, they agree as to the libertinism of the sect, a charge commonly levied by pagans against Christians and conversely by Christians against pagans and heretics.
