Year: 1920
Type: article
Abstract: ^yEO-PLATOXISM represents the last stand of Greekthonght ^as an interpretation of the world and of life.What specnlation had undertaken, and what Christianity claimed through revelation.neo-I'latonism as the last effort of ?Iellenism now sought through illumination.The Greek hecame a mystic.Another name for illu- mination is "the ecstatic state."Despite imperial favor the old state religion declined.Incoming cults either failed of approval or proved wanting.Christianity outlived them all.To the Greek mind-for captive Greece did the Empire's thinking-there was only one way open.This Galilean cult must be fought with its own weapons.The Christian and the philosopher were now theologians, and each regarded his way as the way of salvation.The first impulse was from Alexandria, the home of Clement and Origen.The first stage was the attempt to formulate a distinct working theory, to determine a new standpoint.Later scholars resorted to eclecticism but this first move was an attempt to move into new ground.Recognizing that there was some truth luiderlying the success of the new Christian teaching, philosophers sought some such point of view for themselves.For revelation they i)ut illumina- tion.The first was .This scholar's rare modesty, or at least reluctance to make known any facts concerning his career or to permit himself to be painted, has left us with very few details as to his life and person.While yet a young man he gave himself to ])hilosophy and after trying several masters became a jmpil of Ammonius .Saccas.At forty he was himself a teacher in Rome .\bout2?^I'lolinus began to write.His treatises, fifty-four in number, were edited by his discii)le Porphyry.His death is obscured by wonderful stories, but he was loved
Author: Wallace N. Stearns
Language: English
Subfield: Philosophy
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W841964992