Mark Lamarre | McGill University (original) (raw)

Papers by Mark Lamarre

academia.edu, 2013

With Empedocles, the qualities of a creative religious, mytho-poetic imagination fluent in Homer,... more With Empedocles, the qualities of a creative religious, mytho-poetic imagination fluent in Homer, Hesiod, Pindar, and Parmenides allies itself with a rational mind keenly interested in understanding the natural world.:
The first condition for an understanding of Empedocles is to banish the notion of a gulf between religious beliefs and scientific views. His work is a whole, in which religion, poetry, and philosophy are indissolubly united. His imagination is constructive, gathering elements from every available quarter-Hesiodic and Ionian cosmogony, Parmenidean rationalism, Orphic mysticism, poetic legend, the experience of a physician, a poet’s sensuous response to the sights and sounds of mature, and the fears and hopes of a spirit exiled from heaven for ‘a brief span of life that is not life’- but building all these elements together into a unitary vision of the life of the world and the destiny of the human soul, bound, like the macrocosm, upon the wheel of birth and death (Cornford 122).
To give an idea of how Empedocles articulates the elements of muthos and logos in his system, eleven fragments have been chosen in an attempt to illustrate the basic aspects of his system with an attention to mythical aspects:

academia.edu, 2013

Dialectic (διαλεκτική, dialektikè) is a term used in the central books of the Republic of Plato ... more Dialectic (διαλεκτική, dialektikè) is a term used in the central books of the Republic of Plato and in other dialogues to designate a scientific method of studying the metaphysical reality of forms and the good. Dialectic is a term that can be also be applied to Plato' s philosophical approach in general. Proclus identifies three types of dialectical activity, present throughout all of the Socratic dialogues, described as ''arguing on both sides, expounding truth, and exposing error'' (Proclus 44). In The Socratic Method, Rebecca Bensen Cain's uses the term 'Socratic Method of Dialectic', which she describes as a blend of refutation, truth-seeking, and persuasion. She studies many of Plato's dialogues from the early and middle periods . In Dialectic and Dialogue, Francisco J. Gonzalez, also in the context of the early and middle period dialogues, defines Plato's practice of philosophical inquiry as dialectic.

It is interesting to note that Plato only makes limited use of the term, usually in the context of a brief but substantial digression on the importance of the dialectical science. The aim of this paper is to get a better understanding of Plato's dialectic method by doing a brief survey of the relevant passages that explain dialectic found in the Republic, the Phaedrus, the Sophist, the Statesman and the Philebus and see how they compare.

academia.edu, 2013

A reflection on the role of Beauty in Plato's dialogues and the cultural and psychological backgr... more A reflection on the role of Beauty in Plato's dialogues and the cultural and psychological background of the Platonic Tradition. The dialectic of the good and Dialectic of Beauty examined in the Dialogues: Hippias Major, Lysis, Cratylus, Phaedo, Protogoras, Timaeus, Philebus, Phaedrus, Symposium.
1. Religion
2. Greek Beauty
3. Plato's notion of Beauty
4. Myth and Vision
5. The Fall from Grace
6. The Stairway to Heaven
7. Dialectic of the Good and Dialectic of Beauty
8. Apollo and Dionysus
Plato’s reflections on beauty emphasize the more intuitive, creative side of the intellect. Throughout his dialogues, one notices recurrent dynamic, complementary tensions between philosophy and myth, reason and poetry, practical and creative art. Fittingly, it is perhaps in the Symposium, widely considered a literary masterpiece, where Plato achieves the most cohesive balance between reason and intuition, philosophy and art.

Academia.edu, 2013

Since Aristotelian ethics form a part of a practical, active philosophical program, let us imagin... more Since Aristotelian ethics form a part of a practical, active philosophical program, let us imagine a person going through the necessary steps in virtuous activity and see what kind of picture of happiness we end up with. Picture a girl named Hypatia, daughter of Dido and Aeneas in the ancient town of Peripatopolis. We will follow her activities from youth to old age and take of note of her progress. Hypatia will have all the ideal opportunities and conditions for the happiest life.
(1) Happiness (Eudaimonia).
(2) The nature of the soul.
(2. a) Dynamics of virtue and vice.
(2. b) Voluntary and involuntary choices and actions.
(2. c) Pleasure and pain.
(3) Friendship (Philia).
(4) Moral Virtues.
(5) Intellectual Virtues
(5a) Productive arts (Tekne).
(5b) Practical Reason (Phronesis).
(5c) Scientific knowledge (Episteme).
(5d) Intellectual Reason (Nous).
(5e) Philosophical wisdom (Sophia).
(5f) Contemplative Life.

academia.edu, 2013

Epictetus likes to use examples from what is known of Socrates’ life to illustrate points of disc... more Epictetus likes to use examples from what is known of Socrates’ life to illustrate points of discussion: his courage in facing his execution, his refusal to obey the thirty tyrants in doing something he held to be wrong, his courage in battle , his physical endurance in harsh climates, his even temper in discussions. He makes use of familiar Socratic expressions, such as ‘’the unexamined life is not worth living’’ from the Apology . Moreover, a study by Armand Jagu has shown that he makes allusions to several of Plato’s dialogues, usually in reference to Socratic principles. The dialogues include the Alcibiades, the Apology, the Crito, the Protogoras, the Gorgias, the Phaedo, the Symposium, the Phaedrus, the Republic, the Theaetetus, the Sophist, the Statesman, the Philebus, the Timaeus, and the Laws.

It has been observed that Plato’s Gorgias is a dialogue that Epictetus seems to favour in particular. There are at least two clear paraphrases from that dialogue in the Discourses. Otherwise, the references are not always explicit and are adapted to his Stoic terminology and his own personal style, so that the correspondences are more thematic than textual. The Gorgias is a dialogue that discusses what rhetoric is and through the course of the dialogue, examines notions of pleasure, tyranny, virtue, justice, politics, culminating in extended monologues by Socrates on the nature of the good life, before concluding with a myth about the judgment of the soul. It is considered a major exposition of Socratic ethics and had an influence on the Early as well as the Middle Stoa.

In order to get an idea of the influence of the Gorgias on Stoicism and on Epictetus in particular, what follows is a series of passage taken from the Gorgias paired with a corresponding passage from Epictetus’ Discourses. The comments aim to briefly point out the essential notions that Epictetus retains from the Gorgias and how he adapts them to Stoic doctrine and his personal style. Moreover, related notions from early Stoic doctrine will be discussed when appropriate.

Revue Horizon Sociologique, 2011

Abstract: Cicero maintains that one should choose one’s friends carefully, choosing men of good c... more Abstract: Cicero maintains that one should choose one’s friends carefully, choosing men of good character. One should moreover freely share all of one’s concerns, plans, and aims with one’s friends. Friendship should be based on steadfastness, loyalty and trust, with no deception or hypocrisy. Absolute honesty is thus essential for friendship, and one should be congenial and show pleasant manners to friends, treating them as equals, and being generous and helpful to them. One should also encourage one’s friends in developing virtue, reprimanding them in a tactful, gentle manner if necessary, and accepting reprimand with forbearance. One should always behave respectfully to one’s friends, maintaining particular respect for friends of long standing. He stresses that the excessive pursuit of wealth and power is detrimental to friendship. One can make concessions to friends by agreeing to do improper things if these do not damage our reputation; however, one should not do fundamentally wrong acts on account of friendship. He points out that one should not have unrealistic expectations or be too demanding towards one’s friends nor should one engage in behaviour of a flattering or sycophantic nature. One need not give more help to a friend than one is able nor is one obliged to, nor to place pleasing a friend above matters of duty. He allows that friendships can be ended if the friend behaves badly or if common interests change. In that case, one should strive to end the friendship gradually and quietly.

academia.edu, 2019

Overall, Cicero’s system contains many elements that are compatible with certain aspects of moder... more Overall, Cicero’s system contains many elements that are compatible with certain aspects of modern moral theory. His emphasis on a monistic standard of a common greatest good that one should strive to aim for as well as his emphasis on calculation and evaluating one’s moral priorities, makes it grounded in a consequentialist perspective. In that sense it could conceivably be considered as form of satisficing, character-focused objective act consequentialism . Cicero’s concept of fellowship addresses problems of alienation in a similar way to Railton’s defence of consequentialism.
In terms of virtue ethics, his system is largely compatible with Oakley’s six points. His four elements that explain virtue ethics can be considered to address the problem of normative decision criteria in a way that is compatible with Oakley reflections on the problem. In terms of deontology, it would be more difficult to consider in terms of modern deontological theory because his systems is not grounded in a fundamental deontological perspective. His deontological notions are dependent and intimately related to his consequentialist principles. However, his distinction between universal and individual roles is similar to Nagel’s proposal of a two-tier system that allows for more agent-relative concerns in deontological theory.
In modern terms one of the problems that can be pointed out is that his moral theory is not clearly separated from his applied ethics. One could argue that this makes it difficult to comply to the criteria of consistency and determinacy. On the positive side, it could be argued that this holistic aspect is a factor that guards against the problem of alienation of agent-neutral theories.
Another problem is that his moral principles are strongly grounded in a collective perspective. Quite often moral dilemmas are solved by giving priority to collective projects overall individual ones. Although Cicero’s discusses this problem with his reflections on how to balance the honourable with the beneficial. However, overall, it is probably no more self-effacing than some of the more demanding forms of consequentialism. Moreover, his moral theory relies heavily on popular morality and social traditions. Therefore how well the explanatory value succeeds in terms of grounding right action is problematic. However, these traditional moral concepts have gone through a considerable amount of logical analysis, mainly from stoic theorists and academic skepticism (Cicero x).
Overall, in terms of modern theory, Cicero’s system ultimately would need more work in terms consistency and determinacy and could need more work in explaining how the deontological aspect is integrated into his system. However, it presents interesting elements of compatibility with debates that seek to propose more flexible systems that seek a balance between agent-neutral and agent-relative concepts. It has a complex, holistic, systemic aspect that could effectively offer interesting perspectives in terms of dealing with the complexities of modern moral theories.

academia.edu, 2013

Extensive Stoic and middle platonist influence in Plotinus’ thought has been amply documented; we... more Extensive Stoic and middle platonist influence in Plotinus’ thought has been amply documented; we are told by his pupil Porphyry that ‘’his writings are full of concealed Stoic and Peripatetic doctrines’’ (Henry lvi); a paper by P.A. Meijer has convincingly argued for an important degree of stoic influence in Enn. VI, 9, 1 citing similarities with Seneca, for example. This paper aims to examine possible Stoic influences in Plotinus’ treatise “On Providence” (Enneads 3.2 & 3.3). Notions and arguments that seem strongly Stoic abound. Bréhier has pointed out the numerous Stoic borrowings, especially in chapters 5 and 6 (22). For concision’s sake, fourteen will be listed and compared with similar stoic passages from Epictetus, Seneca and Marcus Aurelius (who like Plotinus lived in Rome) , with a particular emphasis on Seneca’s De Providentia.

academia.edu, 2013

This paper aims to discuss the cogency of Heidegger’s notion of destroying history (BT 19-27), wh... more This paper aims to discuss the cogency of Heidegger’s notion of destroying history (BT 19-27), which is like a concatenation process aimed at extracting what is valuable in history in order to gain insight in the process of disclosing the Being of Dasein. It can be seen as a creative reflection of philosophical texts in order to distill the fundamental aspects that are relevant today and thus can stimulate productive thinking.

I proposes to practically apply this process to a relevant philosophical text to demonstrate what type of conclusions can be derived from the process and what type of disclosures can be determined. The text chosen for this purpose is the seventh treatise of the third Ennead of Plotinus entitled ‘’Eternity and Time’’. Besides being an important text from the Greek philosophical tradition, so important to Heidegger’s project, it is also important because, besides Aristotle’s analysis in Physics (4,10-14), it is the only major ancient Greek work on time that has come down to us. Moreover, the text explicitly places the understanding of Being on the horizon of temporality, a criteria that Heidegger stresses.

Plotinian terms compared to Heideggerian terms:

Eternity. Eternity is described as the radiation of the substratum of the intellectual principle. It is in state of unending, changeless, timelessness. It would be comparable to Heidegger’s notion of Primordial Time (see BT 331).

Time – Time is described as the activity of the soul in the world, and following Plato an image of eternity. Comparable to the temporalization of time (See BT366).

Being – Being is related to eternity; real being in its absolute ideal state is unmanifested. Comparable to Authentic Being. (see BT 267).

Existence – Existence is the manifestation of being in the world of becoming, in reference to the Timaeus. Comparable to "World" (see BT 95).

World Soul, Soul – The dynamic essence which governs the totality of the universe. Comparable to Being in the World (see BT 53). When referring to the human soul as genus, comparable to Dasein (see BT 42).

Futurity - Condition of existence as forward impulse. Comparable to the concept of futural (see BT 325).

Falling. The cosmogonic manifestation of the world soul at a macrocosmic level (Timaeus). Described here as a falling from Eternity into Time. With reference to the Phaedrus, the incarnation of human souls. Comparable to falling, throwness (See BT 176).

Desire – The desire for the soul to create according to ideal principles, the cause of it’s falling. Comparable to care (See BT 193).

Vision – A higher state of being obtained by gaining sight of eternity, considered as the teleologic goal of existence. Comparable to moment of vision (See BT 292).
Being-in-time. A concomitant state of Being-in-the-world. Comparable to within-time.

Academia.edu, 2013

Iamblichus’ Exhortation to Philosophy (Protrepticus), the second volume in a ten-volume Pythago... more Iamblichus’ Exhortation to Philosophy (Protrepticus), the second volume in a ten-volume Pythagorean Encyclopedia, of which four volumes are extent, is noted mainly as a source of eclectic extracts from the protreptic literary form. Iamblichus does however contribute succinct connecting commentary paragraphs that as this paper intends to partly demonstrate, situate the excerpts into his own philosophical system. This paper proposes to examine two of such passages from chapter twenty, source of the Anonymous Iamblichi , a political text from the 4th century BC, both passages dealing with a certain concept of law (nomos), and will attempt to arrive at some conclusions as to what extent these passages represent Iamblichus’ views on political philosophy.

To situate things in the Protrepticus , chapter nineteen contains prominent Platonic ethical, social, political considerations from the Gorgias (506c-508a), the Menexenus (246d-248b) and Laws II (661d). Therefore, inclusion of the late fourth fifth century sophistic social political text that is the Anonymous Iamblichi , into chapter 20 can be seen, on one level, as a continuation of themes presented more explicitly in the previous chapter. According to Des Places, the purpose of that text is to present simpler economic and political considerations for a wider, more popular audience appeal (Protreptique 19). Moreover, according to Cole, the text if not directly, at least thematically, has had an appeal to other Platonist-oriented philosophers.

Cole makes many suggestive comparisons of the Anonymous with book two of Cicero’s On Duties, which is mainly derived from Panaetius, and which contains a more elaborate discussion of themes similar to the Anonymus text. Furthermore, Des Places has described the Platonistic aspects of Panaetius that can be found in book I of Cicero’s On Duties (Platonisme 259-69). Cole also notes that, if the attribution of the text to a follower of Democritus is correct, then the frequent associating of Democritus with Pythagoreanism could have caused to text to be placed in a Pythagorean compilation accessible to Iamblichus. The emphasis on the importance of childhood education in acquiring virtue, what constitutes an honourable life, dream psychology, the importance of following laws for social stability, Protagorean anthropological speculation , theories of tyranny are elements that would give the treatise a Platonist-friendly appeal. Moreover, the use of simple, dualistic opposites could appeal to the outlook of Pythagorean-influenced Platonism found in the Phaedo and Gorgias.

Academia.edu, 2013

This paper proposes to present a basic outline of Proclus’ political philosophy, which is essenti... more This paper proposes to present a basic outline of Proclus’ political philosophy, which is essentially based on an interpretation and development of Plato’s Republic, outlined in his Commentaries on the Republic, including the summary of said work in Plato’s Timaeus, which he has commented on in his Commentaries on the Timaeus.

Treatise XVII of the Commentaries on the Republic, dealing with Aristotle’s objections to the aspects of the central books of the Republic from book II of the Politics, will be used as a starting point because it is a relatively straightforward exposition grounded in the original Platonic and Aristotelian texts. This paper will not be examining Aristotle’s arguments against Plato per se, but will rather try to examine the specifically Proclean views that emerge from the Platonic/Aristotelian debate and use those as a launching-point for further exploration of Proclus’ political philosophy.

Academia.edu, 2013

In the train of the renewed academic interest in neoplatonic natural philosophy, Proclus’ more te... more In the train of the renewed academic interest in neoplatonic natural philosophy, Proclus’ more technical scientific works such as the Hypotyposis Astronomicarum Positionum and the Paraphrasis Ptolemaei Tetrabiblou, are beginning to receive some attention, for the first time since the beginning of printing. The Elements of Physics has been the subject of three significant studies in English by Nikulin, Kutash and Opsomer. Scholarly German translations with Greek and Latin texts having been published in 1909 (Ritzenfeld) and 1948 (Boese) respectively.

The aim of this paper is to examine the Elements of Physics, mainly from an epistemological perspective. I will begin by noticing the Platonic, Euclidean and Aristotelian aspects of the work. The work is distinctive in that it is almost entirely composed of direct paraphrases from the Physics VI and VIII and De Caelo I of Aristotle with no additional commentary and is presented in the format of a textbook in the style of Euclid’s Elements, which is a kind of logical structure that is a familiar part of Proclus’ philosophical repertoire.

The Paper is divided into four sections:
1- Epistemological context of Aristotle and Euclid
2- Comparison with Aristotle's Physics and De Caelo
3- Comparison with Elements of Theology and Commentary on Euclid's Elements; Analysis of Neoplatonic elements
4- Historical influence and relevance to philosophy of science

Academia.edu, 2013

The famous argument for the existence of God is analyzed with a survey of the Greek and Arabic in... more The famous argument for the existence of God is analyzed with a survey of the Greek and Arabic influences of Avicenna's system.

Turning to the text, The Salvation, ‘’Metaphysics,’’ II. 12, it is stated that ‘’at any one and the same time there cannot be for anything that is possible in itself a cause that is possible ad infinitum’’ (II.12.2). Here he’s saying that a possible being cannot have an infinite amount of causes at the same time. Because if that infinite totality of causes would itself have either an internal cause or an external necessary cause. It can’t be internal, because it would either be (a) necessary, which is not an option because everything internal to that totality is possible; then (b) an internal possible cause – which is not an option because that would make it a part of the totality and a part can’t be a cause of the whole. So if that cause is not internal, then it has to be external. It can’t be possible, because all of the possible causes have been established in that inner totality. Therefore it has to be necessary. He concludes the argument by stating that:
Thus, things existing possibly terminate in a cause existing necessarily, in which case not every effect that exists as something possible will have simultaneously with it a cause that exists as something possible, and so an infinite number of causes existing at a single time is impossible. (II.12.2)
This argument can be considered as a subsidiary conclusion to Avicenna’s main argument for the proof of God’s existence (McGinnis 166-67). There are considered to be four main categories of arguments: (1) the metaphysical proof from necessity; (2) the proof from movement; (3) the proof from causality; (4) the proof from ontology (Netton 172-73). The themes are similar to the discussions on the problem of infinite causal regress as discussed for example in book two of Alexander of Aphrodisias’ On Aristotle’s Metaphysics. I think that he is essentially concerned with establishing a logical argument that integrates a hierarchy of ontological causality rather than simply natural causality. In that sense, it could be considered similar to the ‘’a posteriori cosmological arguments’’ of the quinque via of ThomasAquinas (Netton 173).

academia.edu, 2013

I will first start by outlining the major aspects of the Inanna-Dumuzi myth cycle as found in the... more I will first start by outlining the major aspects of the Inanna-Dumuzi myth cycle as found in the major songs, hymns, myths, and stories. Secondly, I shall derive a list of key themes from these materials and compare them with mythical motifs found primarily in Mediterranean Mystery-based cult myths and rituals. Thirdly, I will look at look at the possible symbolic significance of the myths using various structural and comparative examples. The basic question that I will try to address is: can a comparative study of myth and ritual help us determine if the Dumuzi myth cycle formed the basis of a Mystery Religion?

Threre will be comparison to the myths of Cybele-Attis, Isis-Osiris, Demeter-Persephone, Mary-Christ according to a mixed-model comprised mainly of Eliade, Burkert, Propp.

A - Brief Overview of the Inanna – Dumuzi Myth Cycl
1. The Courtship / Sacred Marriage.
2. Inanna’s Descent to the Underworld / Dumuzi’s Death.
3. Lamentations / Return of Dumuzi
B. Comparison with Mystery-Religion myths
1-Consort with Fertility Goddess.
2- Royalty and Shepherding.
3- Death and Journey to the underworld.
4- Symbiotic fertility and seasonal cycles.
5- Ritual Lamentations and searching.
6- Ascent from Underworld / Revival of Dead.
7-Divine Couple and Sacred Marriage. Marriage
C- Symbolic interpretations
a- Gnostic Symbolism.
b- Platonic Symbolism.
c- Structuralist approach.
d- Psychological Interpretation.

academia.edu, 2013

One of the key aspects of the story of the Oresteia is the notion of the bloodshed of a blood rel... more One of the key aspects of the story of the Oresteia is the notion of the bloodshed of a blood relative leading to retributive bloodshed. From this notion springs a wealth of expressions using the word blood. Like the veins flowing through a body there is an elaborate, full, and complex variety woven throughout the fibre of the three plays like motifs in a Wagnerian opera. Blood imagery is used to punctuate various key ideas.

Additionally, various shades of red in relation to various fabric materials are possibly used to create further allusions to blood imagery (Goheen 115). These elements generally appear in the context of scenes with sacrifice rituals and ceremony (or allusions thereof); as Walter Burkert has observed of the Agamemnon, ''through it the language of sacrificial ritual runs like a leitmotiv'' .

The blood-soaked net used to kill Agamemnon, which is equated to a robe, very significantly reappears in the scene where Orestes kills Clytemnestra and Aegysthus (Cho. 972-1043). In his impassioned speech prior to the arrival of the Furies, it becomes the key symbol of his father's murder. Post-Freudian psychoanalytical theorist Melanie Klein equates this episode with a paranoid-psychotic disturbance. Following Freud, she develops a suggestive theory based on the Orestes trilogy, designating it an ''inverted Oedipus Complex''.

The play ends with a procession of women (Eum. 1015-1045). Tellingly, the members are wearing robes of a red (phoenix) colour, which can be linked with the purple tapestry, metaphorically indicating a ''conversion of the (darkly ) lethal carpet into a (perhaps more brightly tinted) symbol of blessing '' (Goheen 125). The examples here then conceivably give an indication of how Aeschylus uses elements of ritual and colour, as well as organic natural elements such as blood that resonate at several levels, from the concrete to the psychological to the metaphysical, thus giving into the complexity of human nature.

academia, 2019

This paper examines the Dyonisian and Orphic symbolic and ritual iconographical aspects of a Cent... more This paper examines the Dyonisian and Orphic symbolic and ritual iconographical aspects of a Centuripe vase from Southern Italy from the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Measuring 70.5 by 34.5 centimeters, the basic form of the vase is that of a bell krater without handles set on a high foot and surmounted by a domed lid ending in an egg-shaped finial (Richter 188), formed of separate sections that have been assembled in production. The vase has been assembled from broken pieces, showing little surface damage. In order to facilitate description and analysis, two very similar Centuripe vases, one in New York, the other in Princeton, are referred to.
A.Description of the iconographic and decorative aspects of the vase, which depicts a scene of three woman and a man in a ritual scene. One woman holds a thyrsus and tympaneum and there is a tripod.
B. Analysis of the elements in relation to the history and development of Greek vase art. Mayo has observed that ‘’death, marriage, and the mysteries is a frequent triad in South Italian and Sicilian vase-painting’’ (283). These aspects will be examined, in the context of feminine themes, to see if they can shed light on the imagery and function of the vase.
1. Feminine aspects
2. Marriage aspects
3. Funerary aspects
4. Dyonisian aspects
5. Orphic aspects
C. Interpretation. Ariadne has often been linked with Aphrodite (Otto 182-85). Figure 29 (de Grummond 92) is a wall painting from Pompeii depicting Dionysus and Ariadne watching a contest between Pan and Eros, aptly illustrating the combination of the worlds of Dionysus and Aphrodite. Figure 30 (Lissarague in Masks 21), from a fifth century Bell krater, depicting what could be a puberty initiation scene, illustrates Dionysus and Ariadne in a ritual context. The Maenad holding the rabbit, a well-known fertility symbol could be an aspect linking Ariadne to Aphrodite.
The portrait on the Montreal Centuripe vase could serve to indicate that the deceased identified herself with Ariadne, as her features resembles the Ariadne figure on the body. The head can be related to the ascension of Aphrodite in a role of chthonian goddess (Calinescu in Mayo 143), and possibly related to Ariadne’s divinization after her revival by Dionysus, where Zeus placed her crown in the heavens (Seyffert 64). As shown in figures 11-14, Centuripe imagery has been related to the Dionysus and Ariadne figures of the frieze of the Villa of Mysteries.

academia.edu, 2013

Chartres has a long of history of being a shrine of worship particularly devoted to the image of ... more Chartres has a long of history of being a shrine of worship particularly devoted to the image of the Virgin Mary. It has long been a center of pilgrimage in her honour, a focal point for people seeking her intercession for healing, to witness the relic of the Tunic of the Virgin, to worship the Lady of the Underground statue, to attend one of the four feasts dedicated to the Virgin (the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, the Annunciation, and the Assumption of the Virgin) ; all attesting to the notion, believed by many Christians of the time, that the Virgin herself regarded the cathedral of Chartres as her own special palace.

This brief study purports to examine the important theological/narrative role she played through a comparative examination of three important examples of the several ‘Enthroned Virgin’ or ‘Madonna and child in Majesty’ iconographic images at Chartres; namely, the Right Porch Tympaneum of the West Façade, the North Rose Window, and the ‘Blue Virgin’ stained glass window.

academia.edu, 2019

Coming in December 2019.... The Hindu worldview is eminently holistic and the thread that connect... more Coming in December 2019.... The Hindu worldview is eminently holistic and the thread that connects all things is of a spiritual, archetypal origin. Divinity is essentially immanent in the world: the divine world of the gods is intimately reflected in the material world. Indeed in several creation myths, the very body of the divine beings are used to form the whole manifested universe. Many aspects of life are conceived as a microcosmic reflection of a macrocosmic archetypal structure. Everything from the human body, the altar, the home, the temple, the city, the king and queen are patterned after a cosmic model which it resembles and this inter-connecting plays a role in maintaining the harmony of the universe. ‘’In the sacred geography of Hinduism every natural feature is invested with significance by mythology and folklore’’ (Michell 68).
At the same time, the world is subject to the entropic forces of death and decay. And so as well as trying to recognize and imitate divine immanence in the world, Hinduism strives to face the reality of death and decline by renewal; and this renewal is realized by re-enacting, re-connecting with the primordial acts of divine creation and the essential eternal archetypes. This is the transcendent aspect and it is realized primarily through ritual and sacrifice. ‘’The orderly arrangement of the cosmos is like the ritual construction of the sacrificial altar, which subsequently re-enacts creation’’(Rodrigues 2006, 48). This essay will show how the divine manifests its imminent and transcendent nature by looking at the themes of Vedic cosmology, temple ritual, and the union with the divine in the Baghavad Gita.

academia.edu, 2019

The analysis will focus mainly on Se Chilbu’s Seven Point commentary. He was a direct student of ... more The analysis will focus mainly on Se Chilbu’s Seven Point commentary. He was a direct student of Chekawa (1101-75) and his commentary is the earliest on record (Jinpa 36). The basic elements of Seven-Point Mind Training (7PMT) consists in training in the two minds of awakening, ultimate awakening mind and conventional awakening mind, based on the notion of bodhicitta, presented in the first two points (Se Chilbu 47), ‘’Presentation of the Preliminaries’’ and ‘’Training in the Two Awakening Minds’’ whereas points four to seven elaborate on various theoretical and practical considerations. Bodhicitta can be defined as “an altruistic intention to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all beings”; this also serves as the definition of conventional awakening mind (Jinpa 256). Ultimate awakening mind can be defined as “the direct realization of emptiness of the fully awakened mind” (256). Se Chilbu uses the terms ‘eliminating self-grasping’ and ‘seeking the well-being of others’ to designate the two awakening minds:

Moreover, one can notice signs of integration of more archaic traditions, possibly deriving from shamanistic Bon heritage. Samuel notes that as ‘’ time went on, the Kadampa came to occupy a similar place to the hereditary shamans of the Nyingmapa and Bonpo as performers of rituals for the lay population’’ (470), and that what ‘’Atisa brought to Tibet, however, was a combination of the clerical and shamanic approaches. His activity was the first important step in the establishment of a Buddhist tradition that would combine both elements’’ (470).

academia.edu, 2020

Dans cette synthèse éclectique du chamanisme, Bouddhisme, Taoïsme, et Confucianisme qui caractéri... more Dans cette synthèse éclectique du chamanisme, Bouddhisme, Taoïsme, et Confucianisme qui caractérise l’esprit du peuple coréen, la vénération ancestrale occupe une place prépondérante. Plus qu’une série de gestes rituelles, elle reflète une vision du monde et un système de valeurs qui forme la base fondamentale de des relations familiales coréennes, une base qui est essentielle pour le fonctionnement de la société entière.
Cette dissertation propose en première partie, d’explorer la pratique de la vénération ancestrale et leurs liens avec les relations familiales à travers l’histoire de la Corée : La période préhistorique, la période des trois royaumes, la dynastie Koryo, et la dynastie Choson. Ensuite je vais dégager les principes essentiels des traditions de vénération familiale et ancestrale coréennes en examinant les valeurs familiales néo-confucéennes, les rôles familiaux dans le contexte de la vénération ancestrale et les éléments de bases des rites ancestraux
Dans la deuxième partie, je vais examiner la question des changements dans la société coréenne dans la l’époque moderne. Par la suite, je vais regarder comment les différentes formes religieuses ont répondu à ces changements. La religion chrétienne (catholique et protestante), les nouvelles religions, ainsi que le confucianisme et le bouddhisme seront examinés. Je vais terminer en m’attardant sur la question de l’avenir de la vénération familiale et ancestrale en corée.

academia.edu, 2013

Academia.edu, 2013

academia.edu, 2013

Revue Horizon Sociologique, 2011

academia.edu, 2019

academia.edu, 2013

Plotinian terms compared to Heideggerian terms:

Time – Time is described as the activity of the soul in the world, and following Plato an image of eternity. Comparable to the temporalization of time (See BT366).

Being – Being is related to eternity; real being in its absolute ideal state is unmanifested. Comparable to Authentic Being. (see BT 267).

Existence – Existence is the manifestation of being in the world of becoming, in reference to the Timaeus. Comparable to "World" (see BT 95).

Futurity - Condition of existence as forward impulse. Comparable to the concept of futural (see BT 325).

Desire – The desire for the soul to create according to ideal principles, the cause of it’s falling. Comparable to care (See BT 193).

Academia.edu, 2013

academia.edu, 2013

Threre will be comparison to the myths of Cybele-Attis, Isis-Osiris, Demeter-Persephone, Mary-Christ according to a mixed-model comprised mainly of Eliade, Burkert, Propp.

academia.edu, 2013

academia, 2019

academia.edu, 2013

academia.edu, 2019

academia.edu, 2020