The standard modern view of Plato is that his philosophy is centred on Forms (or Ideas) – and from one point of view, that is unarguably true. In the Republic (476a) Socrates makes the distinction between genuine philosophers and “lovers of sights and sounds” – the former pursuing the real being of Ideas, such as Beauty, while the latter do not recognize Ideas as having their own independent reality – considering beauty, in our example, as merely a quality appearing in material things. Ideas, then, as the primary entities of the intelligible world constantly draw the eye of the Platonist to themselves, and this separates Platonism from the scientific naturalism of the modern. Lloyd Gerson puts it starkly; “. . .insofar as we recognize Platonism as committed to an articulation of the intelligible world and to its causal role in explaining all reality, Platonism itself can hardly be expected to survive the banishment of the subject matter of philosophy as he conceives of it.”
But perhaps this is not the full story. Transcending even the beauties and creative power of ideas lie, at least according to the Platonists of antiquity, Gods – Gods who “ride on beings” and who are themselves the half-hidden producers of the Ideas we call real beings. Again, going back to the standard view of Plato, we can make no distinction between ideas and Gods – they are one and the same thing, and very often one reads modern commentators on Plato making an explicit identification of the two. This is, I think, understandable because the nature of the Gods in the Platonic tradition is largely revealed by their offspring – ideas – while they in themselves are unrevealed. As Proclus says (Elements, proposition 115), “Every God is superessential, supervital, and superintellectual” – and since the superessential is not being, we cannot properly call that which is being (i.e an idea) a God.
This session is an opportunity to give time and attention to this somewhat neglected but important doctrine of the ancient Platonists. I hope that we can not only explore how ideas and Gods can be more clearly understood in themselves, and in relation to each other, but also how their difference works out in the subsequent metaphysics of the tradition. There are difficulties that will need some collective thought and discussion – not the least is the question of difference itself which in the Sophist (at 252b) is identified as a real being, and which has its place especially in the order of intellect. If the different and the same are two of the Sophist’s five great genera of being, how can difference be active in an order of things which transcend being?
We will be drawing on this paper ideas and gods texts to inspire our discussions
These open sessions usually run twice on the same day to accommodate different time zones (see below for details about how to register). They take particular topics or passages from Plato and other writers in the tradition – these are open to anyone interested, and they attract a wide range of participants. We usually begin with a short 5 or 10 minute introduction to the subject in hand and (when appropriate) a reading of a short text: this leaves a good hour or so to discuss the ideas which arise.
There are no fees payable. The Trust sees the Platonic tradition as a spiritual one: not only a guide for the outer life, but especially to be treasured for its assistance in the cultivation of the inner self – the soul – for, says Plato in the Timeaus, “we are not terrestrial plants, but blossoms of heaven.” We understand the tradition to be profound and cohesive, and one that repays the long-term effort required to truly embed oneself in it. Our approach is not exclusive – we value other traditions for their insights – nor is it dogmatic or an attempt to proselytise: however we are serious in our attempts to fathom the depths of the tradition, to identify its foundations, and where its teachings seem to run counter to accepted thinking to investigate them thoroughly rather than rejecting them prematurely. Thus our point of focus is on the teachings of the tradition and most especially our own inner response to them.
By joining our studies you are making no commitment beyond that of co-operating with us in our exploration of those truths which have inspired a company of men and women most luminous in their understanding, and unsparingly generous in their teaching.
You must register separately for the two sessions- links below:
To register for the Americas time zone session (7.30pm EDT), please click here.
To register for the UK time zone (7.45pm BST) please click here.