“Very dear to the Gods”. The Role Model of Neoplatonism or Proclus as a 'Holy Man' (original) (raw)

2023, in Hernández de la Fuente, D. & Alvíz Fernández, M. (eds.) (2023). Shaping the “Divine Man”. Holiness, Charisma and Leadership in the Graeco-Roman World. Steiner, Stuttgart. ISBN 978-3-515-13398-2

Proclus was not only a philosopher representative of late Neoplatonism, but also an eminent figure related to divinity. By analysing the 'Life of Proclus' by Marinus of Neapolis, it is possible to explore certain characteristic features of the “divine man”, associated with the virtues and experiences of the philosopher himself. Proclus is represented as a paradigmatic example of the man who possesses the virtues to lead a full life. This chapter will deal with the categorization of Proclus as theios aner and his reflection as a model, in keeping with Neoplatonic thought.

Proclus as Theios Aner

A study of how Proclus' biographer Marinus constructs his master as a divine man, loving the gods and in turn beloved of them.

Proclus and the Neoplatonic Syllogistic

Elements of Theology, On the Parmenides, and Platonic Theology. It is shown that Proclus employs interpretations over a linear semantic structure with operators for scalar negations (hypernegation/alpha-intensivum and privative negation). A natural deduction system for scalar negations and the classical syllogistic (as reconstructed by Corcoran and Smiley) is shown to be sound and complete for the non-Boolean linear structures. It is explained how Proclus' syllogistic presupposes converting the tree of genera and species from Plato's diairesis into the Neoplatonic linear hierarchy of Being by use of scalar hyper and privative negations. privative negation, Neoplatonism, via negativa, negative theology. As a young man Proclus briefly studied Aristotle and mathematics in Alexandria. Later in Athens he spent almost two years studying under Syrianus, reading among other works of Aristotle all his logical treatises 5 . Logic was part of the curriculum in the Academy under Proclus who urged it upon those who would study more advanced philosophy. 6 Proclus gives evidence of his general sympathy for logical methods by setting out the doctrines of the Elements of Theology in the quasi-mathematical form of propositions followed by scholia, and more clearly by inventing mathematical proofs, some of deep interest, in his commentary on Euclid's

The metaphysical "monistic" approach of the Platonic Timaeus by the Neo-Platonist Proclus

Journal of Ancient Philosophy 14/1 (2020), 116-160.

In this article, we focus on Proclus’ commentary on Plato’s Timaeus (30a.3-6) about how the divine Demiurge intervenes in matter. It is an interesting extract due to the fact that Proclus manages to combine philosophical perspective with theological interpretation and scientific analysis. In the six chapters of the article, we present the theory on dualism established by the representatives of Middle Platonism, we approach the question of the production of the corporeal hypostases, we examine limit and unlimited as productive powers, we explain production in the sense of co-production as well as why matter without qualities is excluded from the entire procedure, and we discuss the principle of the supremacy of the supreme Principle. The most important conclusion drawn according to Proclus, who adopts moderate skepticism, is that, although in his early dialogues Plato tends to dualism, he does this for methodological purposes, for Plato’s views are actually connected with ontological monism.

Proclus’ aporetic epistemology

Proclus and his legacy, 2017

I contend that Proclus’ conception of the soul is, in a certain respect, closer to Plotinus’ than he, himself, would allow. However, to see this similarity one has to grasp the common epistemological and ontological problems shared by Plotinus, Porphyry, Iamblichus and Proclus. Of course, there is a certain systematic coherence within Proclus’ account of the soul as descended, but there also remain fundamental problems or ambiguities, which Proclus in fact shares with all of his predecessors. Proclus develops what I will call a robust soul where not only is the soul descended, but, in that descended state as a soul, Proclus aims to imbue it with an inherent capacity to engage both in mathematical sciences and the like and in metaphysics / theology / highest dialectic. Yet insofar as the soul is robust and descended, it opens Proclus up to problems where the soul must precisely stop being soul - and here he merely recasts Plotinus' double soul in his own key. However, in this, we only see the common problem and tension within all pagan Neoplatonism and which Damascius goes some way to resolve.

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