Defining Platonism

Defining Platonism PDF Author: John F. Finamore
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780996930536
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
This collection of essays surveys a wide range of methods of Platonic interpretation, ranging from the dialogues themselves, to Middle and Neoplatonic interpretations of Plato's writings, to modern uses of Platonism. As a philosophical movement, Platonism is broadly conceived, covering schools and philosophers beginning with Plato and his immediate followers and extending through contemporary philosophers. The history of Platonism begins, of course, with Plato himself. But his adoption of the dialogue style and his active engagement with students in his Academy, where he certainly used dialectic techniques, led almost immediately to questioning what Plato's doctrines actually were. His student Aristotle raised questions of interpretations and invoked esoteric teachings not present in the written works. The earliest heads of the Academy struggled with Plato's texts as well, creating rival interpretations. These early discussions gave rise to later ones, and Platonism became simultaneously a dogmatic philosophy and a source of sometimes-heated debate of what the master intended. From its inception, Platonism was a dynamic philosophy, open to varied interpretations on different fronts while also maintaining a common core of beliefs. Platonism gave rise to methods of interpretation that centered on historical, ethical, political, or metaphysical questions engendered by Plato's writings. The ancient commentators reflected the teachings of their predecessors, and with only a few schools in the Greco-Roman world, many of their students studying under the same teachers, meant a heightened continuity in the tradition of interpretation. This volume honors the seventy-fifth birthday of John Dillon, the great scholar of Platonism whose scholarship had a pivotal role in defining Platonism as a philosophical movement in contemporary academia.

Defining Platonism

Defining Platonism PDF Author: John F. Finamore
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780996930536
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Get Book Here

Book Description
This collection of essays surveys a wide range of methods of Platonic interpretation, ranging from the dialogues themselves, to Middle and Neoplatonic interpretations of Plato's writings, to modern uses of Platonism. As a philosophical movement, Platonism is broadly conceived, covering schools and philosophers beginning with Plato and his immediate followers and extending through contemporary philosophers. The history of Platonism begins, of course, with Plato himself. But his adoption of the dialogue style and his active engagement with students in his Academy, where he certainly used dialectic techniques, led almost immediately to questioning what Plato's doctrines actually were. His student Aristotle raised questions of interpretations and invoked esoteric teachings not present in the written works. The earliest heads of the Academy struggled with Plato's texts as well, creating rival interpretations. These early discussions gave rise to later ones, and Platonism became simultaneously a dogmatic philosophy and a source of sometimes-heated debate of what the master intended. From its inception, Platonism was a dynamic philosophy, open to varied interpretations on different fronts while also maintaining a common core of beliefs. Platonism gave rise to methods of interpretation that centered on historical, ethical, political, or metaphysical questions engendered by Plato's writings. The ancient commentators reflected the teachings of their predecessors, and with only a few schools in the Greco-Roman world, many of their students studying under the same teachers, meant a heightened continuity in the tradition of interpretation. This volume honors the seventy-fifth birthday of John Dillon, the great scholar of Platonism whose scholarship had a pivotal role in defining Platonism as a philosophical movement in contemporary academia.

Platonism and Naturalism

Platonism and Naturalism PDF Author: Lloyd P. Gerson
Publisher: Cornell University Press
ISBN: 1501747274
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
In his third and concluding volume, Lloyd P. Gerson presents an innovative account of Platonism, the central tradition in the history of philosophy, in conjunction with Naturalism, the "anti-Platonism" in antiquity and contemporary philosophy. Gerson contends that Platonism identifies philosophy with a distinct subject matter, namely, the intelligible world and seeks to show that the Naturalist rejection of Platonism entails the elimination of a distinct subject matter for philosophy. Thus, the possibility of philosophy depends on the truth of Platonism. From Aristotle to Plotinus to Proclus, Gerson clearly links the construction of the Platonic system well beyond simply Plato's dialogues, providing strong evidence of the vast impact of Platonism on philosophy throughout history. Platonism and Naturalism concludes that attempts to seek a rapprochement between Platonism and Naturalism are unstable and likely indefensible.

Christian Platonism

Christian Platonism PDF Author: Alexander J. B. Hampton
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1108676472
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 888

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Book Description
Platonism has played a central role in Christianity and is essential to a deep understanding of the Christian theological tradition. At times, Platonism has constituted an essential philosophical and theological resource, furnishing Christianity with an intellectual framework that has played a key role in its early development, and in subsequent periods of renewal. Alternatively, it has been considered a compromising influence, conflicting with the faith's revelatory foundations and distorting its inherent message. In both cases the fundamental importance of Platonism, as a force which Christianity defined itself by and against, is clear. Written by an international team of scholars, this landmark volume examines the history of Christian Platonism from antiquity to the present day, covers key concepts, and engages issues such as the environment, natural science and materialism.

Plato on the Metaphysical Foundation of Meaning and Truth

Plato on the Metaphysical Foundation of Meaning and Truth PDF Author: Blake E. Hestir
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1107132320
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 285

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Book Description
Blake E. Hestir's examination of Plato's conception of truth challenges a long tradition of interpretation in ancient scholarship.

Platonism, Naturalism, and Mathematical Knowledge

Platonism, Naturalism, and Mathematical Knowledge PDF Author: James Robert Brown
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1136580387
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 195

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Book Description
This study addresses a central theme in current philosophy: Platonism vs Naturalism and provides accounts of both approaches to mathematics, crucially discussing Quine, Maddy, Kitcher, Lakoff, Colyvan, and many others. Beginning with accounts of both approaches, Brown defends Platonism by arguing that only a Platonistic approach can account for concept acquisition in a number of special cases in the sciences. He also argues for a particular view of applied mathematics, a view that supports Platonism against Naturalist alternatives. Not only does this engaging book present the Platonist-Naturalist debate over mathematics in a comprehensive fashion, but it also sheds considerable light on non-mathematical aspects of a dispute that is central to contemporary philosophy.

Rationalism, Platonism and God

Rationalism, Platonism and God PDF Author: Michael Ayers
Publisher: British Academy
ISBN:
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 168

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Book Description
Rationalism, Platonism and God comprises three main papers on Descartes, Spinoza and Leibniz, with extensive responses. It provides a significant contribution to the exploration of the common ground of the great early-modern Rationalist theories, and an examination of the ways in which the mainstream Platonic tradition permeates these theories. John Cottingham identifies characteristically Platonic themes in Descartes's cosmology and metaphysics, finding them associated with two distinct, even opposed attitudes to nature and the human condition, one ancient and 'contemplative', the other modern and 'controlling'. He finds the same tension in Descartes's moral theory, and believes that it remains unresolved in present-day ethics. Was Spinoza a Neoplatonist theist, critical Cartesian, or naturalistic materialist? Michael Ayers argues that he was all of these. Analysis of his system reveals how Spinoza employed Neoplatonist monism against Descartes's Platonist pluralism. Yet the terminology - like the physics - is Cartesian. And within this Platonic-Cartesian shell Spinoza developed a rigorously naturalistic metaphysics and even, Ayers claims, an effectually empiricist epistemology. Robert Merrihew Adams focuses on the Rationalists' arguments for the Platonist, anti-Empiricist principle of 'the priority of the perfect', i.e. the principle that finite attributes are to be understood through corresponding perfections of God, rather than the reverse. He finds the given arguments unsatisfactory but stimulating, and offers a development of one of Leibniz's for consideration. These papers receive informed and constructive criticism and development at the hands of, respectively, Douglas Hedley, Sarah Hutton and Maria Rosa Antognazza.

Orpheus and the Roots of Platonism

Orpheus and the Roots of Platonism PDF Author: Algis Uždavinys
Publisher: The Matheson Trust
ISBN: 1908092076
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 117

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Book Description
A book on the religious, mystic origins and substance of philosophy. This is a critical survey of ancient and modern sources and of scholarly works dealing with Orpheus and everything related to this major figure of ancient Greek myth, religion and philosophy. Here poetic madness meets religious initiation and Platonic philosophy. This book contains fascinating insights into the usually downplaid relations between Egyptian initiation, Greek mysteries and Plato's philosophy and followers, right into Hellenistic Neoplatonic and Hermetic developments.

Gilles Deleuze: Affirmation in Philosophy

Gilles Deleuze: Affirmation in Philosophy PDF Author: J. Conway
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 0230299083
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 284

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Book Description
Why does knowledge of philosophy presuppose knowledge of reality? What are the characters in Deleuze's theatre and philosophy? How are his famous metaphysical distinctions secondary to the concept of philosophy as practice and politics? These questions are answered through careful analysis and application of Deleuzian principles.

The Art of Definition

The Art of Definition PDF Author: Ron Legarski
Publisher: SolveForce
ISBN:
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 900

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Book Description
The Art of Definition: Crafting Words for Clear Communication is a comprehensive exploration into the world of definitions, delving into the subtle art and rigorous science behind defining terms with precision and clarity. In an age where language is both powerful and rapidly evolving, this book serves as a guide for anyone seeking to enhance their communication skills through the careful crafting of definitions. From legal terminology and scientific concepts to everyday language and cultural expressions, definitions form the foundation of how we convey meaning. This book provides readers with practical tools and strategies for writing effective definitions across a wide range of fields, demonstrating the pivotal role that well-crafted definitions play in ensuring accurate communication. By examining real-world examples, case studies, and different types of definitions—lexical, operational, stipulative, and more—The Art of Definition offers a detailed roadmap for understanding the complexities of language. Whether you are a student, professional, or simply someone intrigued by language, this book takes you on a journey into the heart of how definitions shape our understanding of the world. It also explores the challenges of defining abstract concepts, the importance of context, and the impact of definitions on knowledge across disciplines. With clear explanations and hands-on exercises, The Art of Definition empowers readers to craft definitions that enhance clarity, minimize ambiguity, and improve overall communication. By unlocking the techniques of definition writing, this book offers readers the ability to elevate their writing, their professional discourse, and their understanding of the world around them.

From Stoicism to Platonism

From Stoicism to Platonism PDF Author: Troels Engberg-Pedersen
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1107166195
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 411

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Book Description
This book explores the process during 100 BCE-100 CE by which dualistic Platonism became the reigning school in philosophy.