Middle Platonism

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Middle Platonism is the modern name given to a stage in the development of

daemons of popular religion. Numenius of Apamea (c. 160) combined Platonism with neopythagoreanism
and other eastern philosophies, in a move which would prefigure the development of neoplatonism.

History

nothing can be asserted or to prove that nothing can be proved; that we cannot speak of false ideas and at the same time deny the distinction between false and true.[2] He expounded the Academic, Peripatetic, and Stoic systems in such a way as to show that these three schools deviate from one another only in minor points.[2] He himself was chiefly interested in ethics, in which he tried to find a middle way between Zeno, Aristotle, and Plato. For instance, he said that virtue suffices for happiness, but for the highest grade of happiness bodily and external goods are necessary as well.[2]

This eclectic tendency was favoured by the lack of dogmatic works by Plato.[3] Middle Platonism was promoted by the necessity of considering the main theories of the post-Platonic schools of philosophy, such as the Aristotelian logic and the Stoic psychology and ethics (theory of goods and emotions).[4] On the one hand the middle Platonists were engaged like the later Peripatetics in scholarly activities such as the exposition of Plato's doctrines and the explanation of his dialogues; on the other hand they attempted to develop the Platonic theories systematically. In so far as it was subject in this to the influence of neopythagoreanism, it was of considerable importance in preparing the way for neoplatonism.[4]

Plutarch

The most important of the middle Platonists was

Daemons were for him agents of God's influence on the world.[5] Plutarch defended freedom of the will and the immortality of the soul.[5] Platonic-Peripatetic ethics were upheld by Plutarch against the opposing theories of the Stoics and Epicureans.[5]

Among later middle Platonists there were

ideas, which are regarded as thoughts of this "first God", and matter.[7] Apuleius (c. 125), a popular writer, expounded an eclectic Platonism in his books On the God of Socrates and On Plato and his Doctrine, which are written in Latin.[7] Maximus of Tyre (c. 180), like Plutarch, endeavoured to bridge the gulf between a transcendent God and matter by the assumption of numerous daemons as intermediaries.[7] Atticus (c. 175) opposed the eclecticism which had invaded the school and contested the theories of Aristotle as an aberration from Plato. He was an uncompromising supporter of Plato and regarded the theory of immortality as the basis of his whole system. Nevertheless, in this theology he approached more closely to the Stoic idea of immanence.[7]

Numenius of Apamea (c. 160) combined both neopythagoreanism and Platonism.[7] He exhibited a far-going syncretism. Like Plutarch he supposed that an evil soul was combined with matter.[8] From this the mortal part of the human soul is derived, which he described as the second irrational soul. [8] Because of its guilt the soul had to descend from its bodiless life into the body, and after its departure from the body, if it does not need to undergo further incarnation, it becomes indistinguishably united with God.[8] A gift of God is the wisdom which is the highest good, and this gift is only granted to those who devote themselves to the ultimate good to the exclusion of all other thoughts.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Zeller 1931, p. 273.
  2. ^ a b c Zeller 1931, p. 274.
  3. ^ Zeller 1931, p. 305.
  4. ^ a b Zeller 1931, p. 306.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Eduard Zeller, Outlines of the History of Greek Philosophy, 13th Edition, page 307
  6. ^ a b c d Eduard Zeller, Outlines of the History of Greek Philosophy, 13th Edition, page 308
  7. ^ a b c d e Eduard Zeller, Outlines of the History of Greek Philosophy, 13th Edition, page 309
  8. ^ a b c d Zeller 1931, p. 310.

Bibliography

  • Zeller, Eduard (1931), Outlines of the History of Greek Philosophy (13th ed.).

Further reading

  • Brittain, Charles. 2001. Philo of Larissa: The Last of the Academic Sceptics. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press.
  • Bonazzi, Mauro. 2012. Antiochus and Platonism. In The Philosophy of Antiochus. Edited by David N. Sedley, 307–333. Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press.
  • Catana, Leo. 2013. "The Origin of the Division between Middle Platonism and Neoplatonism." Apeiron: A Journal for Ancient Philosophy and Science 46.2: 166–200.
  • Centrone, Bruno. 2000. "Platonism and Pythagoreanism in the Early Empire." In The Cambridge History of Greek and Roman Political Thought. Edited by Christopher Rowe and Malcolm Schofield, 559–584. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge Univ. Press.
  • Chiaradonna, Riccardo. 2009. "Galen and Middle Platonism." In Galen and the World of Knowledge. Edited by
    Christopher J. Gill
    , Tim Whitmarsh, and John Wilkins, 243–260. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge Univ. Press.
  • Dillon, John. 1996. The Middle Platonists: 80 B.C. to A.D. 220. Rev. ed. London: Duckworth.
  • Jones, Roger M. 1980. The Platonism of Plutarch and Selected Papers. 2d ed. New York: Garland.
  • Kalligas, Paul. 2004. "Platonism in Athens During the First Two Centuries AD: An Overview." Rhizai 2:37–56.
  • Mansfeld, Jaap. 1988. "Compatible Alternatives: Middle Platonist Theology and the Xenophanes Reception." In Knowledge of God in the Graeco-Roman World. Edited by Robert van den Broek, Tjitze Baarda, and Jaap Mansfeld, 92–117. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill.
  • Opsomer, Jan. 1998. In Search of the Truth: Academic Tendencies in Middle Platonism. Brussels: Koninklijke Academie voor Wetenschappen, Letteren en Schone Kunsten.
  • Zambon, Marco. 2006. "Middle Platonism." In A Companion to Ancient Philosophy. Edited by Mary Louise Gill and Pierre Pellegrin, 561–576. Oxford: Blackwell.

External links

Library resources about
Middle Platonism
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