�The essence of the Cynic philosophy is to reduce the things of the flesh to bare necessities so that the soul may be as free as possible.� Durant, 506.

As the Cynic tradition is a Socratic school it is important to first look at the Socratic ideals that Antisthenes incorporated into his teachings. The most significant of these or perhaps the Socratic ideal that Antisthenes introduced and was later embraced by the other Cynics is the complete disregard for physical pleasure and pain. This attitude is embraced under the pretense that the state of the soul is of far more importance then that of the physical body. Therefore, to achieve happiness of the soul it becomes necessary to neglect the physical body. The Cynics also held that the pursuit of pleasure leads to great unhappiness, or short of that; nothing.

As with many philosophy traditions, the �goal� of life for the Cynics, is simply, happiness. The Cynics held that happiness is found through living according to nature and through this acquiring self-mastery or virtue*. To live a life according to nature, the Cynics disposed of all material possessions that were not essential for survival. This lead to the custom of wearing only a folded cloak and carrying only a wallet and stick. The basic concept of self-mastery can be connected to the Socratic ideal of indifference to physical pain. Self-mastery, in essence, refers to the ability to maintain a positive mental and emotional disposition despite the negative external influences that may be affecting the physical body. The major obstacle that prevents the attainment of happiness is the projection of emotional and material weaknesses upon opinions and life choices.

For the Cynics, the relationship between one�s way of life and knowledge of truth, (which is essential for attaining happiness) is heavily intertwined. Freedom and self-sufficiency, rather than wealth and social status are the basic ideals upon which to judge the quality of life. These ideals are expressed differently in many aspects of Cynicism. For example, the focus upon self-sufficiency can be seen in concept of self-mastery. The focus upon freedom is also seen through self-mastery; as through dismissing the material luxuries of society the Cynic has become free of social values and expectations. However, the Cynics also demonstrated these ideals through parrhesiastic*~ practise.

The main types of parrhesiastic practice that the Cynics used are as follows:

1.) Critical Preaching -

It was through critical preaching that the Cynics were able to demonstrate their beliefs. Perhaps the most notable aspect of the Cynic habit of critical preaching is the fact that unlike previous philosophy schools, the Cynics did not preach to small �elite� groups, but to large crowds, indifferent to their race or class. As the Cynics held freedom and self-sufficiency as the most important ideals upon which to judge the quality of life, they often preached against social institutions that prevented these ideals being fulfilled.

2.) Scandalous Behavior �

The Cynics endorsed �scandalous behavior� in order to challenge social opinions and habits and institutional rules. Several different methods were often used to display this. These include the inversion of roles, transposition of laws/rules into different situations and connecting contradictory rules in the same situation.

Essentially, the main �doctrine� of the Cynic school, is the ideal that the state of the soul is of far more importance than the state of the physical body. It is from this Socratic ideal, that the other ideals of Cynicism evolved.

* It is important to note that the Cynic ideal of virtue is completely concerned with the concept of self-mastery and does not contain any of the attributes that are associated with the word in modern times. In fact, the Cynics were often said to have endorsed dishonesty, thievery, promiscuity and incestuous acts.

*~ The word �Parrhesia� basically translated means �one who speaks truth�. Therefore parrhesiastic practice, put simply is any type of action that involves truth telling.