Birth Of A Worldview, A Review Essay

Birth of a Worldview, a Review Essay
In Birth of a Worldview: Early Christianity in its Jewish and Pagan Context, Robert Doran attempts
to analyze the development of Christianity in the early period of its formation and how it related to
the Jewish and the pagan (Roman) religions throughout its development in early times. The text
begins with a historical outline of the development of the early Christian world and then delves into
a more theological analysis in the latter portions. The development of the book mirrors the
development of Christianity itself, which was focused early on with finding ways to worship and
expand the faith in a world that was very anti–Christian. Once it had become more accepted
throughout the world, Christian writing and thought about ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
Now that Christianity was favored, many Christians sought to suppress pagan religions. However,
the Edict of Milan promoted acceptance of all religions and so pagan practices were tolerated
throughout much of the fourth century, although this too was to change toward the latter part of the
century, when in 392 emperor Theodosius issued a decree which banned many pagan activities. As a
result of these elements, Christianity had seen drastic changes during a time span of approximately
one hundred years.
The following chapter, Cosmos: The Quest for Order, looks at the development of cosmology as it
related to Christianity during the religion's early years. The Christian ideas on cosmology were
heavily influenced by Stoicism and Platonism, two of the leading philosophic traditions of the time
period (34.) Both schools of thought followed the belief that the universe exhibited clear signs of
order in its design which were clearly the work of a creator.
The Stoic contribution to Christian theology was primarily with the concept of logos, or word,
which is used in the Gospel of John to refer to the Word of God (John 1:1–3.) Plato contributed the
idea of an incorporeal mind or soul which is separate from the body. Philo of Alexandria later used
this concept to explain the two different creation accounts in Genesis 1 and Genesis 2, explaining
that one relates to the world
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Pythagoras, Plato, And Plotinus
Philosophers have been known to take the ideas and teachings of other philosophies and then shape
their own philosophies from them. Even if they do not outright claim they have done so or that they
were influenced by an earlier philosophy, one can still find links between philosophers and their
theories. Pythagoras, Plato, and Plotinus, though from all different historical and philosophical
periods, formed philosophies similar to one another or built upon aspects from one another's.
Pythagoras (Ancient History Encyclopedia)
Pythagoras, am Ionian Greek mathematician and philosopher during the naturalist period, is known
for the creation of the Pythagoreanism movement. Although very little reliable information about
him has been written due to the lack of his own writings, he still served as a major contributor to
philosophy, religion, and mathematics. Pythagorean thought emphasized personal salvation,
reincarnation, numerology, and focused on a strict religious, philosophical, and mathematical
regime. Pythagoras also believed in the value and the power of numbers, believing the elements of
numbers could be found in all things. He felt a person should study mathematics in an effort to
pursue enlightenment and understanding of the world.
Since the life of Pythagoras is greatly unknown, other than the fact that he was born in 570 BC, one
can piece together the historical events which might have impacted his life and teachings. He lived
during the Greek Archaic Period when the

The Physical Pain, Mental Suffering, and Moral Wickedness...
Evil refers to physical pain, mental suffering and moral wickedness. This pain includes such major
scourges as poverty, oppression, persecution, war, all injustice, indignity and inequality that occur in
human societies. It is however, important to note that although a great deal of pain and suffering are
caused by human action, there is much more that arises from natural causes as bacteria and
earthquakes, storm, fire, lightening, flood and drought. Another type of evil that can be identified is
mental evil. Evil in Plutonian sense is referred to as the absence of Good and Perfection. In this state
of nothingness, as regarded the process of necessary emanation from the One, evil precedes from
matter. Matter is the principle of Evil (Stump 134). From the matter, Evil is considered as the stage
where irrationality or lack of perfection prevails, Evil in the Plutonian differs from African
understanding of Evil. In African point of view Evil is considered as the lack of good between the
individuals and always is associated with devil and not only a state of nothingness as defined by
Plotinus. Evil is associated with the devil; it is a rival god that contends conflict with the good gods.
Plotinus describe evil as the lack of "something" lack of perfection; lack of forms for the material
body (formless), which is not in itself essentially evil. The descent of the soul to matter or material
body makes the soul vulnerable to the inclinations of Evil. It can also be explained as

Greek Philosopher 'Plotinus's Enneads'
Delaina Storey Pope Huma 1315 February 2, 2016 Enneads 1.6 by Plotinus Summary In Volume 6
of Enneads, the Greek philosopher Plotinus gives his standpoint on what defines beauty. This
passage is noteworthy because of the way it contradicts the aesthetics of his day and age. Plotinus
begins by asking his audience to consider what beauty is. He offers the example of some things
being beautiful by "the nature of the objects themselves," and something instead are beautiful "by
participation," such as being virtuous (Plotinus 1). He prompts the audience to ask themselves
whether beauty is sensory– since one may see or hear things they consider beautiful, what catches
the attention of someone ultimately leading to a feeling of attraction to certain things (Plotinus 1)? ...
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Plotinus refers to the other philosophers of his time stating, "nearly everyone says that it is good
proportion of the parts to the whole, with the addition of the parts to the whole, with the addition of
good colour which produces visible beauty..." and defines being beautiful as being "well–
proportioned and measured" (Plotinus 1). Plotinus' first rebuttal is, if beauty lies in being well
proportioned, then it is the parts put together properly that makes something beautiful– so that the
parts themselves would not hold any beauty. He illustrates this by stating "the parts will not have the
property of beauty by themselves, but will contribute to the beauty of the whole." He gives
examples of simple parts that are beautiful on their own such as, though an entire song is beautiful,
one note may hold beauty all the same (Plotinus 1). Plotinus strengthens his argument by asking
where knowledge and virtue, two beautiful things, were to fit into the common Greek aesthetic.
Knowledge and virtue cannot be of good proportion yet we still consider these beautiful, do we not
(Plotinus

Humanist Art And Philosophy Of The Renaissance
Humanist Art and Philosophy of the Renaissance
Throughout the ages, people have sought for wisdom and truth through philosophical discovery. The
work of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and the other ancient thinkers have bewildered and amazed people
through centuries of study and analysis. However, with the shift of time and belief systems, the
central focus of the European culture concerned not secular wisdom but divine inspiration, causing
for the period we now refer to as the Dark Ages. But as the flame of the church began to be
dampened by suffering and new Humanistic ideals, people like the immensely influential Marsilio
Ficino began to share the ideas of antiquity once again. A Renaissance, or rebirth, of the human
intellect was instigated, and with that came the invigoration of artistic pursuit. Reflecting the
thinking of philosophers of the time, painters and sculptors like Titian, Michelangelo and Raphael
used their craft to "advertise" this wisdom to the masses. The philosophy of Marsilio Ficino
overlapped with the symbolism of famous paintings privy to the Humanism of the Renaissance.
Ancient philosophers were a tremendous inspiration to the people of the Renaissance– this is
perhaps made most apparent in Raphael's School of Athens, a mural painted in the library of a Papal
Apartment in the Vatican between the year 1509 and 1511. The scene depicts a congregation of
philosophers from the past interspersed with High Renaissance artists and patrons. In the centre

Essay on Plotinus, Augustine, Aquinas, K.Wojtyla on...
Plotinus, Augustine, Aquinas, K.Wojtyla on Person and Ego
ABSTRACT: Today the connection between "person" and the "I" is acknowledged in many respects
but not always analyzed. The need to relate it to the reality of the human being has sparked the
present investigation of the philosophical anthropology of four thinkers from the late ancient,
medieval, and contemporary periods. Although it may seem that the question of the role of the "I"
with respect to the human being hinges on the larger problem of objectivity v. subjectivity, this does
not seem to be the case. Many topics, however, are necessarily entailed in this investigation such as
individuality and universality, soul and body, consciousness and action, substance and history, the ...
(2) He reconciled the apparent contradictions with the use of new punctuation for the most decisive
text against individual forms for human beings. The passages often taken as contradictions applied
to quite other realities. Plotinus position is to be taken from Ennead V,7,1 lines 18–23:
No, there cannot be the same forming principle for different individuals, and one man will not serve
as model for several men differing from each other not only by reason of their matter but with a vast
number of special differences of form. Men are not related to their form as portraits of Socrates are
to their original, but their different structures must result from different forming principles.
As Armstrong points out, Plotinus' higher self is not simply identical with the individual form of a
particular human being. The higher self which Plotinus interprets as the intellect or Nous which does
not come down is nevertheless said to be a soul. In Ennead V.3 humans are described as reasoning
souls, wandering between embodiment and intellect. But humans can transcend their reasoning souls
and identify themselves with their higher soul or intellect and even transcend that to arrive at union
with the One, an unknowable Selfhood to which, according to J.P. O'Daly, (3) it is urged on by love,
given by the Good, which is what the One's Selfhood is.
The composite human being, that is, the human person as embodied rational soul is rightly
represented by its higher self or the "I" as

Plotinus's Conception Of God
Plotinus's Neoplatonism conception of God originated from Plato's Theory of Forms. Plato proposed
that a perfected reality existed in a realm of Forms. However, Plotinus believed that perfection
emanated, not from Forms, but from the One–an abstract concept that he perceived as god. Further,
Plotinus postulated that because the One or god emulated pure perfection, then god rose above all
else and was indefinable. To truly experience god, a spiritual unity of the soul and god must occur.
The "vision" born from this union of the soul and god was viewed as the height of spiritual
fulfillment. When researching Plotinus's conception of god, one particular quote from him stood out.
In his writings, The Enneads, Plotinus wrote that "this All

Idealism Vs. Idealism : The Theory That Ideas And Thoughts...
Idealism is the theory that ideas and thoughts make up the actual fundamental reality of the world.
In an overview, it is any philosophy that argues that the only things that are knowable lies in
consciousness. This also states that we can never truly tell if anything in the outside world really
exists. Things that are real are only mental, nothing physical if proven to be real. The stages of
Idealism's development have been in a constant change since the times of Plato up to Berkeley. In
Idealism, there are many branches of this way of life ranging from Subjective to Objective to even
as far as Buddhist. The two main versions of Idealism are those of Subjectivism and Objective. The
Subjective view of Idealism is based on that the mind and ideas are truly the things we know and
understand. "Thus, objects exist by virtue of our perception of them, as ideas residing in our
awareness and in the consciousness of the Divine Being, or God" (Philosophy Basics). Along with
that, state is that if there is anything in the realm outside of our mind, that it is unjustified because it
is not a thought or is not in our mind. The main supporter that made Subjective Idealism to be what
it is was George Berkeley. George Berkeley crafted his thoughts and ideas out of the ideas of
Empiricism whom he shared common thought with John Locke and David Hume. Empiricism ties
in with Idealism by the way it uses sensory perception and experiences as a form ideas. Berkeley
later tied it all together by

St. Augustine Accepts Platonic Concept Essay
St. Augustine was a Christian Platonist. He Christianizes many of Plato's Greek concepts. In
Confessions, St. Augustine used many Neo–plationic terms and ideas but in Book VII is when he
finally has a revelation about the similarities of Philosophy and Christianity. In class, we have
discussed a number of ways in which St. Augustine accepts the ideas of Plato; one of those being the
theory of forms. Plato's theory of forms describes the divine to be in the invisible, perfect, intangible
world. St. Augustine believed that Plato's theory of the forms was compatible with his Christian
beliefs because of a vision he had while trying to picture God.
We are introduced to the Forms in Plato's dialogue the Phaedo. The Theory of Forms says that ...
The Neoplatonists believed in the idea of God, who is the creator of but they mention nothing about
the idea that Christ dwells with us in the flesh. Augustine also makes two other criticisms of
Neoplatonism. He is upset at the fact that the Neoplatonists do not give praise to God, and he says
that it is tainted by their polytheist tendencies in their writings. He would, however, receive a
revelation through God that withheld with the philosophical concept of the Theory of the Forms.
These problems did not withstand his interest in St. Augustine's new reading. St. Augustine couldn't
rap his head around the idea of something that was not made of matter (taking up space) existing. So
he tried to see God in a physical sense. He had no conception of spiritual substance. Trying to
picture God as "a secret breath of life" when he shouldn't of been trying to "picture" Him at all. In
Chapter 17 of book VII, St Augustine described how he had this "vision" of God. He did not
physically see the God, but he saw the "invisible things, understood by the things which are made"
He experienced this world of being that Plato talks about without seeing with the physical eye. It
was an encounter with God. This encounter took place in the existence that Plato calls the "World of
Being." St. Augustine spoke about the two different worlds and how one was pure

Plotinus's Argumentative Essay
In comparison, Plotinus, a pagan, believed not in personal God but of 'the One.' The One is a divine
higher power that good and beauty come from. He spoke of the Soul drawing us up to the One and
the Body dragging us down to the earth. It is what Plotinus refers to as the Three Hypostases. "There
exists a Principle which transcends Being; this is The One, whose nature we have sought to establish
in so far as such matters lend themselves to proof. Upon The One follows immediately the Principle
which is at once Being and the Intellectual–Principle. Third comes Principle, Soul" (Plotinus–
Ennead V:10). Plotinus said that our Soul is what pulls us up to the One, which is God. He said that
the struggle is in the pulling up from the Soul and the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It is the body that causes us to perform evil. "The admonition to sever soul from body is not, of
course, to be understood spatially–that separation stands made in Nature–the reference is to holding
our rank, to use of our thinking, to an attitude of alienation from the body in the effort to lead up and
attach to the over–world, equally with one another, that phase of soul seated here and alone, having
to do with body, creating, moulding, spending its care upon it" (Saunders 259–260). When we are
dragged down by the Body to the things of this world, we cannot experience unity with the One.
Augustine would say that unless we are connected to God, we cannot experience his love.
To resume, Augustine said that we are also the 'light in darkness.' When God said, "Let there be
light," it figuratively showed what happened when we came to know Him. He shined His light into
our darkness. Though we are in the light, it is about believing not seeing. We will not always be able
to see with our eyes but we are to believe anyway. This is called faith. It is not something we can
grasp through our senses. It is a spiritual act that happens within us. "In this state, however, it is a
matter of believing, not seeing, for 'our rescue is from hope' and 'hope that sees is not hope'" (Page

The Myers Biggs Report
The Myers Biggs test gave an accurate description of my personality. The philosopher's that I was
matched up with was Jesus. I felt an immediate connected with jesus because his teachings influence
my decisions I make everyday. In my religion, Jesus is the central part of it. Everything evolves
around him and without him nothing would of ever existed. My faith influences me every day. Many
Religions have particular beliefs they want people to follow. They expect people to follow these
guidelines. Having guidelines show their followers, their basic principles that they expect them to
follow. When guidelines are put in place for me they help me to make the best decision possible in
any problem I am presented with. Through the teachings of Jesus,

Comparing Aesthete's Philosophical Approach To Art
Over the course of several months the meaning and understanding of aesthetics and its application to
art have taken place as a means to expanding the mind of a budding aesthete. Multiple respected
aesthetes have been discussed regarding their philosophical approach to art and the theories
influencing their philosophical stance. Some theories have been refuted while others have been
regarded yet the insight provided by these aesthetes has been profound. Several of these aesthetes
studied have helped in shaping one particular individual's viewpoint in the creation of her own
philosophy of art. Art and its significance can be appreciated by critics willing to understand the
artist is in control of creating and expressing herself through ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
The emotional feeling that is felt by individuals is credited to what Collingwood mentioned as the
Cezanne–Berenson approach. Not everyone will feel the magnetic pull of art causing the observer to
notice the artwork but when it does occur, a person will exhibit a reaction to the artwork. The
reaction, based on the Cezanne–Berenson approach, will be emotional and physical, a goal of the
artist in her artwork. The emotional reaction will most likely be due to the person's taste as the art is
drawing the person in to the artwork; the person can feel the emotion within the artwork, he can feel
what the artist is hoping to make him feel. The physical reaction will be a subconscious imaginary
response of muscular movements by the observer as if he is in the art feeling the sensations of his
parts and limbs moving as he puts himself in the artwork. The observer has become one with the art
encapsulated by sensory

Good And Evil : Good Or Evil?
Good and evil are very difficult terms to define. Some would seek help from their religions to help
them determine whether a person is good or evil. Within Judaism and Christianity there are many
ideas about who or what is good or evil. Many of these ideas contradict one another. It seems as
though good and evil is based more on perspective than a set in stone definition. "Good" people in
Judaism and Christianity are people who fear their God and strive to please Him. Sometimes they
would even do sacrifice rituals. The Book of Job clearly shows a man who fears his God so much
that even when he loses everything he owns, he is just as faithful. Job only questioned God's
motives for a moment. When God appeared in a Theophany, Job was overwhelmed and believed
God when he said that Job was just a small part of the world He created and that Job could not
possibly comprehend the universe as a whole. The book of Job is seen as a test of faith. The author
of the Book of Job would define the evil in the world as a test of faith. Not everyone believed that
evil was a test of faith. Many people questioned why God would have to take everything away and
make them suffer like that, especially for someone as good and loyal as Job. Job's friends in the
story believe that Job must have done something to deserve such punishment. They would define
evil as a divine punishment. However, this idea was abandoned on November 1, 1755 when the
Lisbon earthquake killed 50,000 people and destroyed

Essay about Remarks on the Spoudaios in Plotinus
Remarks on the Spoudaios in Plotinus
Who is the Plotinian spoudaios and what is his function in the Enneads? This question turns out to
be fundamental, especially when trying to make out an ethical dimension in Plotinus. Treatise I 4
[46] offers, concerning that question, not only the longest sustained discussion of the spoudaios, but
also shows how highly problematic it is to figure out more precisely his characteristics. This is due
to the terminological ambiguity with the term sophos, which is also the reason why the two terms
are often considered synonymous by translators. It appears in I 4 that this ambiguity is closely
related to the question of aisthesis. And this is also perhaps the main problematic point concerning
the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In a search for specifical studies on the spoudaios in Plotinus, it appears that there aren't any, beside
Heiser's remarks(1) which are based on the conception that the spoudaios is indeed already and fully
an accomplished sage.(2)
Other studies on the spoudaios–and they are rare–refer mainly to the Aristotelian connotation of this
term;(3) yet, it is indeed in and with Aristotle that the spoudaios obtains his specifical sense.
Therefore, before trying to show who the Plotinian spoudaios is, a brief analysis of this term seems
not only helpful but also necessary.
2. Brief etymological analysis
According to the LSJ(4) spoudaios (spoude) originally meant being in haste, quick, (for a person)
being earnest, serious, zealous, and changed gradually to good, excellent, the sense of good
becomming more and more a moral character, making therefore spoudaios synonymous with
agathon. Not only is spoudaios used for persons, it can also describe things being worth serious
attention, weighty, but also good and excellent in their kind.(5)
Generally one can say that this term made a transformation from a more outer description of being
serious, to a more inner quality of moral virtue and goodness.
3. The spoudaios in Plato, Aristotle and the Stoics
3.1. Plato
While spoude occurs frequently in Plato, mostly opposed to paidia,(6) the term of

Augustine's Problem Of Evil
Augustine was a prominent figure who lived in the days of late antiquity. He brought almost four
centuries of debate regarding Christian doctrine. He was determined to solve the puzzle that was
"the Problem of Evil" that many Christians failed to do so themselves. The Christian God was
supposed to be both perfectly good and almighty. However, many raised the questions, if God is
good, then where does the devil come from? Stated in the textbook, The Great Conversation, the
Problem of Evil is explained as the following:
"If God is omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all knowing), and perfectly good, then there can
be no evil because being all powerful, He could do something about any existing evil; being all
knowing, He would know about any existing evil and being perfectly good, He would want to
eliminate any existing evil. But there is no evil, therefore God is either not all powerful (He can't do
anything about the evil), not all knowing (He ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The first possibility was represented by a movement call Manicheanism. According to the textbook,
"Manicheanism was a sect founded by the Babylonian Mani in the third century" (page 228). Mani
combined themes from Persian religion of Zoroastrianism and Christianity. The sect was often
thought of as a heresy while the Christian church sought out an orthodox viewpoint of truth. From
the Manichees point of view, the reason there is evil is that there is no omnipotent good power; there
are two equal powers, good and evil. Manichees continued to explain that the good part of ourselves
is the soul and the evil part is the body. They also tried to solve the theoretical problem of evil by
denying the infinite perfection of God and believing that the soul is untouched by the evil of the
body. With that, Augustine noticed that some doctrines were obscure. He found Manicheanism to be
unhelpful in a practical sense; it did not offer the wisdom he was

Neoplatonism : St Augustine And St. Augustine's Confessions
Neoplatonism is defined as a modern term used to describe a period of Platonic philosophy
beginning with the work of Plotinus. (Moore) Plotinus being the founder of Neoplatonism, was an
explorer of Plato's teachings. Neoplatonism intertwines the philosophy of Plato with Christianity, as
well as other religious beliefs. St. Augustine was known for using Neoplatonism on many occasions,
especially in his work, Confessions, which is also seen as the autobiography of St. Augustine. In
Confessions, the reader can see how Augustine justifies his past actions using Neoplatonism to
reconcile Christian doctrine, why Manichaeism interfered with his conversion to Christianity, and
why it was it was difficult to convert to Christianity from Manichaeism. Augustine uses
Neoplatonism when he refuses to speculate how the soul joins the body to become an infant. In
Augustine's Confessions, Book 1, he states, "What, Lord, do I wish to say except that I do not know
whence I came to be in this mortal life or, as I may call it this living death." (1301; Anthology of
World Literature) Like Greek philosopher, Socrates, he refuses to speculate on things he doesn't
know or in this case remember. Another way he uses Neoplatonism, is at the end of Book 1, when he
lists all his sins as a small boy, and paints them as lesser sins of an adult, and him still having good
attributes, but only through and because of God. His sins were due to "misdirection" of the material
world and ways of the world instead

Tangible Spirit World: Summary
Fig. 30. Andrea, Della Valle Satyr, Capitoline Museums, Italy, believed to be a statuette (telamon) of
Pan, 1534.
Tangible Spirit World
I
n antiquity, people forcefully believed in a tangible spirit world. The practice of being hysterical and
possessed appears to have occurred as an everyday happening and 'being filled with lust' became
known as a sign of having a 'religious experience' described as a 'sacred or divine frenzy.' As
mentioned, even aristocratic, Roman women became shameless during such festivals as
Bacchanalia, by being immersed in possession by the "spirits of lust;" calling the attack as being
overwhelmed with religion. Indeed, the ancient Orphic Hymns connect being "religious" as being
possessed by Pan. Numerous references chiefly recognize Pan as being the main provider of this
'religious' infilling.
According to Iamblichus (245 to 325 B.C., a well respected philosopher, follower of Plato mostly,
and apologist: pagan defender) ancient possession transpired as a continuous incident; specifically,
he describes 'Pan Possession' in his day as if it existed fervidly as something very much within his
reader's experience. Moreover, Iamblichus believed in two types of possession, calling one as ...
Intrinsically, it is rather significant the numerous ancient sources, there are for Pan. The list
includes: Apollodorus, Diodorus Siculus, Euripides Ficino, Herodotus, Hyginus, Nonnius, Ovid,
Pausanias, Pindar, Plato, Socrates and Statius. The great philosopher, Socrates, wrote a 'Prayer to
Pan' and referred to Pan as the highest god: "Oh dear Pan and all the other Gods of this place grant
that I may be beautiful inside. Let all my external possessions be in friendly harmony with what is
within. May I consider the wise man rich. As for gold, let me have as much as a moderate man could
bear and carry with

Saint Augustine: How He Fused Classical Culture (I.E.,...
Saint Augustine:
How he fused Classical culture (i.e., both Stoicism and Platonism) with Christianity
In Augustine's day there were many religions available to choose from some of which had many
gods. St. Augustine was born to a pagan father and a Christian mother. He lived a life of immorality
until his early thirties when he suddenly took a new path. During his upbringing his parents began to
instill their beliefs and way of living which he later began to question. Though his mother taught and
raised him as a Christian he did not fully accept the faith. Instead, during his education, he became
fascinated with the writings of the great philosophers such as Plato. The ideas expressed in the
writings of the great philosophers, such as ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
By replacing the absoluteness of Stoicism with absoluteness of God Augustine had successfully
incorporated Stoicism into Christianity. After being sent to study in Carthage he became influenced
by the Manichean religion and converted to their ways. The views that the Manicheans held stayed
with Augustine for sometime but were eventually rejected by the time of his conversion. It was after
a long struggle with the demons of his youth that he converted back to Christianity. In 387 A.D., at
the age of 32, he was baptized and began to feel like all his misdeeds had been washed away.
Although Augustine incorporated Stoicism into Christianity he still was able to incorporate
Platonism as well to help connect classical culture with Christianity. These two philosophies are
what Augustine had come to identify with after his vast studying and trying other religions.
Throughout the Confessions of Saint Augustine there is a great allusion toward Platonist ideals,
especially that of dual realities and the concept of a higher, more absolute reality. According to
Platonists there is the reality that we hold before us and there is another true reality. The central
point of Platonism was the participation of the soul in a supra–sensible world. This concept is easily
integrated into Christianity if one views conversion to

St. Augustine's Conversion to Christianity Essay
St. Augustine's Conversion to Christianity Aurelius Augustinius, St. Augustine, was born in 354
A.D. in Tagaste, a town in North Africa. Born just over a century before the fall of Rome, Augustine
would live his entire life within the Roman empire. Augustine was a great Christian thinker and
wrote numerous works which survive today, and offer us a vivid glimpse into the period. His works
and thoughts on Christ, the nature of God, the role of the Church, and myriad other topics, shaped
much of medieval thought. He would remain a major influence for 1000 years after he died. Two of
his works stand out as possibly the most important of his writings: City of God, and Confessions.
Augustine's Confessions is the first ever ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
From an early age, his parents stressed studies, particularly in rhetoric. IN 873 A.D. Augustine was
studying in Carthage where he was first exposed to the works of Cicero. After reading Hortensius
Augustine became enamored of philosophy. As he put it, "The book excited and inflamed me...,"(P.
39) and he "...longed after immortal wisdom." (P. 38). With this, he had found a new purpose in life,
and set out the find wisdom and truth. Cicero's writings were eloquent, and as such appealed to
Augustine's intellect. It was a short time after his exposure to Classical philosophy that Augustine
joined the Manicheans. The Manicheans believed that spiritual salvation and the grace of God could
only be achieved through study and interpretation of the Bible and other works to find specialized,
secret knowledge. The Manicheans held a certain appeal for Augustine. The belief that only through
higher reasoning and study could one achieve grace, fit with Augustine's own perception of the
value of reasoning, and classical rationalism. Augustine was a skilled rhetorician and orator, and had
a great deal of confidence in his intellectual superiority. The Manicheans also felt themselves
intellectually superior, and Augustine was drawn to this sect in part, because of his intellectual
snobbery. Though Augustine remained involved with the Manichees for nine years, he questioned
certain of their beliefs from the

The Fifth Ennead
In The Fifth Ennead, Plotinus presents the displacement of the soul within the cosmos. In order to
know its place in the universe it must have self–knowledge. The One is a divine soul which is
identical to the soul within every human on earth, and when an earthly soul is not pursuing itself in
the One it is alienated. The soul is displaced from its home in the One every time it is distracts itself
with the material or bodily world, for it has two parts that work against each other. One part is the
soul in relation to itself, and the other part is the soul in relation to matter. The soul relates itself to
matter in the way that it is confined to a body, furthermore, it suffers because it is trapped within a
body. Plotinus says the only way ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It is the dynamism of experience that distracts the bodily part of the soul and therefore the part of it
that connects to the One. Of course soul maintains its identity to the Divine indefinitely, but it
experiences through matter and cannot avoid experiencing through matter while it is within the
body. It therefore tries to find value of itself within the world when it is set apart from its essence.
Plotinus suggests that soul is the power within the body when he says: "For what is body but earth,
and even if it be fire..., what (but soul) is its burning power?" (113). But the true radiance of the soul
is, in a way, confined to the body. The soul must strive to maintain self–awareness, yet it does not
need to remove itself from the body to do this. Therefore, it must learn not to experience itself
within the body meaning it must learn not to experience the soul in matter. However, the soul in
matter is what overwhelms it with earthly emotion. For example, the experience of fear can distract
a human from what it really loves, therefore, fear could distract the soul from its higher good. The
soul forgets its place whilst strong emotion that relates directly to terrestrial matter throws it off
course. It is the soul within matter in which creates experience or emotion that holds the soul to the
body, and therefore to itself in the material

Chapter Two The Concept Of Christian Philosophy:. . After
Chapter Two the Concept of Christian Philosophy:
After looking at the problem of Christian philosophy and why it should receive such a name. Now
we will see what is the concept of Christian philosophy. The easiest way to understand the concept
of Christian philosophy is to know the reason many cultured men who were not christian at all but
converted to Christianity in different historic period. It would be interesting to know why many
philosophers are drawn to Christian in order to get a meaningful solution to their philosophical
problem rather than they could have found in philosophy as such. To understand better the concept
of Christian philosophy it would be good to go back to the origins of the binning of Christian
influence on ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In the Jewish religion salvation is obtained through the observance of the laws and the obedience of
God who manifested himself in powerfull and glorious way to his people (Israel). On the other hand
the Greek's salvation was gained by a way of certitude of will by the natural light of reason. So what
did Christianity offer both Jewish religion and Hellenistic thought? Christianity confess that
salvation is given by faith in Christ crucified which is a huge scandal to the Jewish who were
waiting for powerful Messaih and were offered a scandalous weak God and for the Greeks whom
only search for intelligence and were offered the absurdity of a God–man who was crucified on a
cross like a thief and was raised after three days. Christianity was just a scandal for the world and
was in opposotion to the wordly wisdom. It is written in the Scripture: " I will distroy the wisdom of
the wise, and the prudence of the prudent I will reject.Where is the wise? Where is the scribe?
Where is the disputer of this world? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the World? For seeing
that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom kwew not God"2. The wisdom of God distroys the
wordly wisdom because through God's wisdom we receive the knolegde of Him. The foolishness of
God is wiser than men's, for example the Greeks who searched for wisdom were never able to know
God. The foolishness of the cross and the weakness of the Son of God is wiser and stronger than

Plotinus's View Of Evil
Plotinus is a philosopher that was born around the year 204. He was heavily influenced by Plato. He
spent much of his live in Alexandria, Egypt and Rome, Italy. Plotinus' works are important in the
study of metaphysics, the nature of reality, and aesthetics, the philosophy of art. His teachings and
philosophy are referred to as Neoplatonism by historians. He did not create any written record of his
teachings. The Enneads is his teachings as compiled by his follower Porphyry.
Plotinus' view of reality begins with the One, the source of all beings, but not a being itself. The One
is not a god, but it is divine, beautiful, and flawless, as well as intangible and ineffable. The second
level is intellect, or noūs. This stage is essentially the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He begins by stating that a pure soul is intelligent and capable of reason. A pure soul is entirely free
from the body and matter. Because it is away from matter, the pure soul is also close to the One,
where it originated. The more intelligent the soul is, the more beautiful it is. This is because
intelligence is beauty that comes from within the soul and does not come from another source.
Plotinus states that one would be correct in saying that goodness, intelligence, and beauty are key to
becoming godlike because those qualities are similar to the One and originate from the One. He also
says that beauty is genuine reality; this is because beauty and reality are pure and lasting, like the
One. Opposite of this is ugliness, because it is fleeting and impure. At the end of the passage,
Plotinus reasons that evil and ugliness are one, as are good and beauty. The reason evil and ugliness
are one is because they repel the soul, and beauty and goodness are one because they attract the

What Is Plotinus Argument For The Existence Of The One?
Consider Plotinus' argument for the existence of the One. Are you convinced by this argument? Are
you satisfied with Plotinus' characterization of the One as God? Explain your position.
Plotinus' argument for the existence of the one, seems convincing. For these reasons, first Plotinus
takes Plato's forms theory, and claims that if all things have a true essence, but one super form exists
that connects all and represents God. Next, is the separation of the one true God from what Plato
called forms, so people could learn this true essence but this God was pure goodness and
unfathomable. Humans lack the ability and understanding to describe this one God.
As a Christian, this philosophical theory relates to how I understand God, and It seems

Augustine Of Hippo Research Paper
God will often use a series of people, events, or songs to speak to a nonbeliever. It is fascinating that
one of the greatest and best–known theologians of all times, Saint Augustine of Hippo, was not
always a believer. In fact, he was quite the heathen before his conversion, and his conversion
experience really shaped his life thereafter.
Augustine was born to a Christian mother and a pagan father.1 Before his conversion, Augustine
shifted through a plethora of views and religions. As a young student, Augustine centered his studies
on philosophy.2 He later became attracted to Manichaeism, a form of Gnosticism. He began to have
doubts and sought answers from Faustus, but never received answers from him. During a period of
skepticism, Augustine ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no plans to satisfy the fleshly desires" (HCSB). It was at
this time that he "[contemplated] Christianity seriously."8 Augustine was baptized in 387 and "found
his way back to the faith of his childhood and turned his back on his oratorical career."9 In 391,
Augustine was ordained "for the catholic church at Hippo," and by 396 he was "the sole bishop of
the community."10
Ferguson writes that Augustine's life was a "major influence in theology for both Catholics and
Protestants."11 Saint Augustine's life and writings would be quoted and studied by many other
theologians, including Protestant leaders like Martin Luther and John Calvin. Despite having gone
astray in his youth, Saint Augustine of Hippo was led out of paganism to Christ, and became one of
the strongest theological voices for

Plotinus's First Ennead: An Analysis
In Plotinus' Sixth Tracate of his First Ennead, he focuses on beauty, Plotinus makes the statement
"all loveliness in this world comes by communion in ideal form" (6.2) is made because everybody
as a collective body must consider all things that are considered beautiful. Also, everybody will
assume the most idealistic type of beauty and everybody will notice something beautiful in the same
way mentally or spiritually. When deciding if a material thing is beautiful, it is generally perceived
right away and those who are able to recognize it as truly beautiful, then it will be welcomed by
everybody. On the other hand, everybody on a similar level rejects something that is ugly mentally
or spiritually. In Sum, all people see something that

Greek And Roman Contributions To Religion
The ancient Greek and Roman worlds made significant contributions to both the religion and ways
of thinking. Greek and Roman religion was polytheistic, and they worshiped many gods and
goddesses. Members of both groups strongly believed the gods influenced all natural wonders. Each
Greek polis, had its own set of important gods and goddesses and their own particular way to honor
and worship them. Eventually, most Greeks identified a pantheon of twelve major deities. These
gods and goddesses were called Olympian gods by the Greeks, and apparently lived on Mount
Olympus in northern Greece, led by Zeus and his wife Hera. While the deities were connected to the
political life of the city–state, all citizens were expected to participate in public worship as part of
their duty to the state. As for the Romans, who greatly admired the culture of the Greeks, later
identified their own deities with powers similar to the Greek gods. Greek religion and later Roman
religion, had no specific rules of proper behaviors or principles to follow. Each individual was free
to decide regarding their actions, as long as they participated in the official worship ceremonies. The
Greco–Roman philosophy was revolutionary in the antiquity of human thought. It relied on logical
reasoning, established the first scientific vocabulary, and laid the foundation that showed change
from Greek to Roman domination. The Greco–Roman philosophy focused on asking unbiased
questions that favored no particular

Mystical Experiences By Walter T. Stace Analysis
2. Mystical Experiences by Walter T. Stace In English literature, after William James and Evelyn
Underhill, Walter Terence Stace is the most popular philosopher to be referred for mysticism. His
most renowned works in the field of mysticism are 'Mysticism and Philosophy (1960)'. In this work
of mysticism Stace discusses his thoughts about mystical experiences with illustrations from world
literature. It is considered to be the masterpiece by W. T. Stace. Stace considers visions, voices,
insights, and powerful dreams to be non mystical as he says nonsensuous and nonintellectual union
only can help one attain mysticism. In his book, Stace prefers sacred texts from several
philosophical schools to describe mysticism and further classifies them ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
It is not the phenomenal ego but the "True or Greater Self" that experiences unity with the Absolute,
or in other words becomes/is the Absolute. For Happold the mystical consciousness is: "Particular
form of consciousness, out of which arise types of experience, akin to, but not to be confused or
equated with, those labeled 'religious', and which results in a special sort of spirituality, giving that
word a wide connotation, and predisposition to interrogate and interpret the universe in particular
way. Further, I have regarded it as a tenable hypothesis that this 'mystical consciousness' is, of its
nature, in some way a development and extension of rational consciousness, resulting in an
enlargement and refining of perception, and consequently having a noetic quality, so that through it
knowledge of the 'real' is gained which could not be gained through rational

Stanze Per La Giostra
The Italian Renaissance brought forth many iconic pieces that we are familiar with in modern day
culture. Sandro Botticelli painted one of the most recognized and appreciated works of art from that
era, The Birth of Venus (1482–1485). It is currently being displayed at the Galleria degli Uffizi in
Florence, Italy. The piece depicts a nude Venus, the goddess of love, elegantly standing upon a
seashell on the shore. The painting is thought to have been inspired by Ovid's Metamorphoses as
well as Angelo Poliziano's poem "Stanze per la Giostra" (1475–1478). His poem tells the story of a
goddess, born of the sea, being blown to shore by the zephyrs upon a seashell. There is a clear
thematic connection between the two pieces of humanism and beauty ideals because the poem
describes glorified divine beauty ideals while the painting displays personified mythical characters
who embody elegance and grace.
The relationship between the two works is that they were both commissioned by the Medici court.
The Medici family, also known as the House of Medici, were a wealthy, banking family who ruled
during the 13th century in Florence, Italy (History.com Staff 2009). During that time, powerful
families such as the Medici's ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Poliziano wrote the piece using ottava rima, an Italian stanza form composed of eight 11–syllable
lines, rhyming abababcc (The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica 1998). The poem was never
finished because in 1476, Simonetta fell ill and died. Then in 1478, tensions grew between Lorenzo
and the Pazzi family. The head of the Pazzi family, Francesco Pazzi, created a conspiracy along with
other members of the Pazzi family to overthrow the Medici family by murdering Lorenzo and
Giuliano Medici ("Stanzas on the

Augustine Research Paper
Many great classical thinkers had a profound influence on later great thinkers. Plato and Aristotle
are just two examples that come to mind out of many. It would be interesting to ponder the
possibility as to whether or not the thought of later times would have the same ground that it has if it
were not for these great thinkers that came before.
In the early period of Christianity, the influence of Plato's philosophical criticisms of art can be seen
in effect in Augustine's view of the imagination as profane. One can question as to whether
Augustine's view of original sin would have been so negative if he had not imbibed the Platonic
conception of the Fall of the soul. The combination of Biblical and Hellenic elements made
Christian philosophy, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Alfarabi is probably the least important of these, he is primarily significant because he was a pioneer
in the invocation of Aristotle as a philosophical authority (essentially paving the way for the Golden
Age of Muslim Aristotelianism). He is said to have believed in the unity of the thought of Plato and
Aristotle. Also, his work shows a confluence of their theories. An example of this is his claim that
God is simultaneously identical with the 'neo–Platonic One' and with Aristotle's 'Self–Thinking
Thought'. When we look at Avicenna however, we find the development of a Muslim philosophy
more independent of theological constraints as well as an Aristotelianism less apologetic to
supposed Platonic doctrine (philosopheruk). With this being said, Avicenna rejects the conception of
a divine creation of the world in time and follows Aristotle in considering the primary aim of
philosophy to be the study of being qua being. Algazali demonstrated a critical backlash against the
Aristotelianism of Avicenna, within the Islamic tradition. In his work 'The Incoherence of the
Philosophers', he attacks the inconsistency of the philosophical positions of Alfarabi and Avicenna
with orthodox Koranic interpretation (philosopheruk). This work is significant philosophically
because it does not rule out the possibility of philosophy de jure, but rather points to the misuse of
philosophy by both of his predecessors. In other words, he was concerned with the philosophical
ideas of the eternity of the world and the rejection of bodily resurrection, ideas which he regarded
not simply as theologically 'heterodox' but as the result of a misapplication of Aristotelian logical

Reasons For St Augustine 's Conversion
Thesis This paper will explore the factors leading to Saint Augustine's conversion. This conversion
was believed to be the result of an ultimate battle of sexual desire with spirit.
St Augustine Biography Info
Augustine of Hippo was born on November 13, in AD 354, in Thagaste (modern day Souk Ahras,
Algeria), and died on August 28, in AD 430, in modern–day Annaba, Algeria (then known as Hippo
Regius). It was in the latter city where he was named Bishop 35 years prior to his death. It is a
challenge to encapsulate renowned personalities, and with St. Augustine, this task is even more
difficult (Augustine of Hippo).
A theologian and philosopher, Augustine dithered between an earlier, positive Hellenistic outlook,
and a pessimistic Christian outlook later on in his life. Shifting from one extreme to another,
Augustine accommodated several diverse disciplines and philosophies into his comprehensive
yearning to understand a world which seemed so beset with loss, trouble and discord, in theory as
well as practice. Therefore, one of Augustine's most admired traits, and inventive elements of his
written documents, is that he could connect diverging characteristics of the four Hellenistic schools
of philosophy (Platonists, Epicureans, Skeptics, and Stoics) with various Christian ideological
doctrines.
Between Skeptic influences in Rome's New Academy to the influence of Ambrose, The Bishop of
Milan, Augustine was drifting swiftly away from Manichaeism, to the onset of his grand

Augustine Admissions
Augustine was given ëPlatonic books' in a Latin interpretation by Marius Victorinus and, he says,
they changed his life. The Platonism Augustine experienced at Milan, in books and dialog
gatherings and Ambrose's proclaiming, was ëNew Platonism' (Neoplatonism), which embarked to
elucidate Plato in the conviction that he had comprehended the interminable truth and had explained
it in a steady philosophical framework which was passed on by his adherents. It required incredible
creativity of brain to accommodate Plato's different investigations in believed, Aristotle's evaluate,
and the contentions of their successors, and many civil arguments proceeded among the New
Platonists. Milanese Neoplatonism was especially impacted by the third–century scholar Plotinus,
an amazing parsimonious who declined to give formal philosophical addresses, and by his student
Porphyry, who changed Plotinus' concise ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Plotinus' style, and additionally his contentions, is heard in the Admissions, both in the persevering
series of inquiries with which Augustine seeks after a troublesome issue and in intermittent flashes
of admonishment.Augustine was given ëPlatonic books' in a Latin interpretation by Marius
Victorinus and, he says, they changed his life. The Platonism Augustine experienced at Milan, in
books and dialog gatherings and Ambrose's proclaiming, was ëNew Platonism' (Neoplatonism),
which embarked to elucidate Plato in the conviction that he had comprehended the interminable
truth and had explained it in a steady philosophical framework which was passed on by his
adherents. It required incredible creativity of brain to accommodate Plato's different investigations
in believed, Aristotle's evaluate, and the contentions of their successors, and many civil arguments
proceeded among the New

Essay on Boethius and Plato's God
Plato was born in Athens, Greece around 427 B.C. He was always interested in politics, until he
witnessed his mentor and teacher, Socrates, death. After learning of the callousness of politics, Plato
changed his mind and eventually opened up The Academy, which is considered if not the first, one
of the first Universities. Students at the Academy studied many different fields of science, including
biological and astronomical. The students also studied many other fields, such as math. Plato
developed many views that were mathematical in nature. He expressed these views through his
writings. According to Dr. Calkins of Andrew University, "Timaeus is probably the most renowned
of Plato's thirty–five dialogues. [In it] Plato expresses that he ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Boethius was involved in a consulship for most of his life, and is probably most admired for the
translations he completed in his lifetime, which include, Porphyry's Introduction to the Categories of
Aristotle and probably Aristotle's Metaphysics, Physics, De Generatione et Corruptione, De Anima,
and Poetics (Watts 16). Boethius was imprisoned and then executed in 524 AD, while imprisoned
and before his execution he wrote his best known work, The Consolation of Philosophy. In relation
to Plato's Demiurge, Boethius, being a Christian worships God. Watts, in summarizing in part the
The Consolation of Philosophy, says, "Philosophy descends to Boethius form on high (I, 3) and
leads him back through various paths to God Himself... and the realization that God is the supreme
good..." (Watts 25).
In order to compare or contrast the two entities, the characteristics must be explained. In a 2005
Bryn Mawr Classical Review of T.K. Johansen's Plato's Natural Philosophy: A Study of the Timaeus
Critias, they explicate the Demiurges existence by saying, ."..the existence of the demiurge as an
inference to the best explanation of the order and beauty of the cosmos. (Bryn Mawr 1).The
Demiurge is also classified as an "external cause of order." This is connected with the orders of
"being and becoming" expressed in Plato's Timaeus.

Definition Of True Beauty Essay
Tyler Bennett Professor Chad Brodbeck ENC 1101 Composition 1 31 October 2017 True Beauty
When asked to describe beauty, one's initial response is to comment on physical attributes such as
hair, eyes, and facial structure. Rarely will the answer entail traits such as selflessness and
intelligence. Merriam Webster defines beauty as "the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person or
thing that gives pleasure to the senses or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit." Inner and outer
beauty stimulates the mind in some way. Many believe physical attributes define beauty, yet one
cannot exemplify true beauty without the harmony of personality, interaction, and physical
attributes. Architecturally speaking, Vitruvius emphasizes that "Order is the balanced adjustment of
the details of the work separately, and as to the whole, the arrangement of the proportion with a view
to a symmetrical result" (Vitruvius 26–27). Vitruvius was a Roman architect who wrote the book De
architectura, which many architects used for their own work in Rome. As seen in his works,
symmetry appears often. Another philosopher, who goes by the name of Plotinus, asserts that:
"Almost everyone declares that the symmetry of parts towards each other and towards a whole,
with, besides, a certain charm of colour, constitutes the beauty recognized by the eye, that in visible
things, as indeed in all else, universally, the beautiful thing is essentially symmetrical, patterned."
(Plotinus 21 [Ennead 1.6]) Plotinus

Plato And Augustine Of Hippo
Some of the most famous people of the ancient world were philosophers. These certain individuals
became more well–known than many war heroes and kings because of the ways in which they
thought about, and perceived the world. Historians along with other people became fascinated with
their ideas. This resulted in their ideas becoming the foundation for the ways in the world thinks
today. Some of these people include Plato, and Augustine of Hippo. These men thought about the
ways of the world unlike any others had before them. They were not satisfied with the knowledge
that world gave them, and so they continued to ask questions and dig deeper until they were able to
find an answer. These two men both lived in times where the people around them were very
confused. This lead to both of them being very influential in their separate times. Plato's way of
thinking came from his teacher, another great Greek philosopher, Socrates. Plato was born in 427
B.C. and was member of a very wealthy, upper class family in the Greek city–state of Athens. He
was given the opportunity to study under Socrates and became his disciple. Socrates taught Plato
much of his knowledge and wisdom, which resulted in him also becoming a great philosopher.
Socrates didn't do any of his own writings, so we can learn about him from what Plato writes about
him. Plato was very similar to Socrates in the way that he thought but unlike Socrates, Plato was a
teacher as well as a philosopher. He created the

Heraclitus Ethos Pathos And Logos
Seetha Aribindi
Heraclitus was one of the natural philosophers from Ephesus in Asia Minor, circa 540–480 B.C. ,
who believed that constant change or flow was the basic characteristic of nature. He believed the
world was characterized by opposites and it would cease to exist without their constant interplay.
"God is day and night, winter and summer, war and peace, hunger and satiety," he said, believing
God can be seen most clearly in constant transformations and contrasts in nature. (p 28) But instead
of God he used the greek word "logos" which means reason, as he believed that there must be a kind
of "universal reason" or "universal law" guiding everybody and everything that happens in nature.
Thus amid constant flux and opposites throughout nature, Heraclitus believed an Entity or one–ness
, called God or "logos" was the source of everything. Aristotle, the last of the great Greek
philosophers, circa 384–322 B.C. and the first of Europe's great biologists , who studied at Plato's
academy. He believed that everything in the natural world can be categorized into nonliving things
with no potential for change, and living ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He believed that faith was the most important factor in matters of God. He termed three stages of
life. The lowest being aesthetic – relating to the world of senses, concerned with enjoyment , where
one is slave to his own desires and mood, which may lead to angst or feeling of emptiness in due
course. The second termed ethical – filled with seriousness and moral ethics similar to elaborated by
Kant, which may become tiresome and may not completely satisfy. The third stage religious – which
although may be "terrible to jump into the open arms of living God... it is the only path to
redemption" (p295). Although he was referring to Christianity, his existential philosophy became
widespread in 20th

Plato Vs Greek
Q: Compare and contrast Plato's views on imitative art in Republic Book X with his views on Eros
and artistic creativity in the selection read from the Symposium? While there appear to be great
differences between Plato's criticism of imitative art in Book X of the Republic and his account of
artistic creativity in the Symposium, I believe that most of these can be reconciled by a careful
attention to the theory of Forms and the distinct purposes of the two works.
In Book X of the Republic, Plato infamously banishes the tragic poets from his ideal city as a threat
to justice and order. Here it is helpful to know something about Plato's theory of Forms. For Plato,
the world of appearances is deceptive. The material objects we come to know ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
Plotinus' account in On Beauty is nearly identical to plato's, except that it is predicated on a monist
rather than a dualist ontology. According to Plotinus the world consists in a single principle, the
One, of which lower species of being are merely gradations. While Plotinus recognized the One in
Plato's Form of the Good, he denied that such a form was transcendent. The objects of the world are
emanations of the One and not distinct instantiations. Just as as light is refracted into a rainbow of
lesser constituents by passing it through a prism, the One is refracted into lesser lights as one
descends into the material world. The first emanation of the One is Intellect, which contains Platonic
Forms such as Beauty. When we see "beautiful" objects our souls recognize the form of Beauty,
which is a higher emanation of the One, and there is a resonance between the beauty within
ourselves and the beauty without. In a manner similar to Plato, Plotinus traces a hierarchy of beauty
from material objects (e.g. faces) to the form of beauty itself to ultimate source of the

The Ideas Of Beauty And Art In Antiquity And The Middle Ages
The first two chapters of "Theories of Art: From Plato to Winckelmann" by Moshe Barasch
chronologically describe the ideas of beauty and art in Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Each thinker
offered new insight, building off the ones before him. From this, humanity's train of thought could
be realized. As I walked through the thoughts of Antiquity to the Middle Ages, I observed a
development in the way people understood and defined Beauty–a movement from the objective to
the subjective to a relationship between the two. These shifts in viewpoint show the development
towards, what I believe to be, a more complete understanding of Beauty, which has both external
and internal qualities.
For Barasch, Antiquity is the first era to bring up ideas about beauty and art. Thinkers of this time
valued logic and reason, mostly viewing nature objectively. In other words, they often explained
reality as if it were separate from themselves. Antiquity is also the time of the Ancient Greeks with
their ideal human forms becoming manifest in their sculptures.
Combining both Antiquity's logical mindset and its sculptural development towards the ideal,
Polyclitus wrote a treatise, the Canon, for the working artist looking to achieve beauty in his works.
Rather than instructions for creating a specific human form, it contained pages of mathematical
proportions of the human body*. It was Polyclitus' understanding that Beauty was symmetrical,
harmonious proportions. For me, his definition of Beauty

The Existence Of God And The Renaissance Era
During the medieval period in philosophy, the existence of God was a philosophical topic that was
shared by most of the well–known philosophers and theologians of the time. The very name
"medieval" (meaning, "the in–between time") philosophy suggests the tendency of modern thinkers
to go directly from Aristotle to the Renaissance era. What seems to justify this attitude is the
tendency of philosophers during this period to seek truth along with orthodoxy.
Most of the medieval thinkers from religions such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam were pre–
occupied with an attempt to synthesis philosophy with religion. From an earlier time, the
Neoplatonism philosophy of Plotinus seemed to provide the most convenient intellectual support for
religious doctrine (philosophypages). Later in the medieval era however, due especially to the work
of the Arabic–language thinkers, Aristotle 's metaphysics gained wide acceptance. The main goal
was to provide a respectable philosophical foundation for theological positions. As a result, most of
that foundation was effectively absorbed into the theology itself. In a way, it seems much of what we
now regard as Christian doctrine has its origins in Greek philosophy more than in the Biblical
tradition itself.
One cannot look far into medieval philosophy without coming across Augustine of Hippo, a North
African rhetorician and devotee of Manichaeanism who converted to Christianity under the

Finding The Will by Losing One's Self
In our philosophy of art class we have looked at many different classical views on art and beauty.
Such ideals as Plato's criticisms on art, Aristotle's idea of exemplary beauty and Plotinus' splendor
were discussed in class, and now we look at different philosophers and their attempt to create a
theory that holds true for all previous philosophies and more modern ideals; modern ideals such as
taste, aesthetics, and imagination. The philosopher that I think did this very well incorporating not
only classical philosophers such as Aristotle and Plato but also modern concepts such as imagination
and aesthetics is Nietzsche. Nietzsche's philosophy on life and on art is deceptively simple. He
believes that we are all part of a large will, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Coming from a more modern time he was able to look at each of these philosophers and come up
with his own philosophy that allows for a little of each of these men's ideals as well as a little space
for his own, and for the modern era from which he comes.
One classical philosopher that has a few ideals in common with Nietzsche is Plato. The theories of
Nietzsche's work with different ideals from Plato, but also have a few snags, or points of
disagreement. It is Nietzsche's view on the plight of human life and losing our congruence with The
Will that allows him to agree with some of Plato's teachings. When working with Plato's theories on
ideal beauty, inspiration, and his criticisms of art and the human condition Nietzsche tends to agree,
however the two philosophers' how and why are inconsistent between the two philosophers'
theories.
For Nietzsche and Plato the human condition is full of lies and misnomers. For Plato this is based
off shadows, or illusionary markers that are inconsistent with the truth. This shadows come from the
human condition, more importantly our reliance on our senses to learn what is real. Plato believed
that what people perceived was just a copy of the original shape or truth, and due to different
perceptions between people would never be in true form. Nietzsche on the other hand does not
believe that our failings or shadows are based on

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