Today, a cynic is someone who distrusts or sneers at seemingly selfless actions, believing that all human activity is selfishly motivated. In Ancient Greece, a Cynic was a member of a philosophical sect whose most famous proponent was Diogenes of Athens; they taught that virtue was the only good, and that self-control is the essence of virtue. The name comes from kynikós (κυνικός), meaning "dog-like," and has several potential origins: 1) as a reference to the sneering attitude and rough living conditions of many Cynic philosophers; 2) because Diogenes' teacher, Antisthenes, taught his brand of philosophy outside a tavern called The Silver Hound; 3) a reference to the fact that Diogenes was homeless and lived with a pack of stray dogs.