Neo-Platonism And Its Influence

The influence of Neo-Platonism on the officialpoint of view. It was long, however, before Western
Christian philosophy of the succeeding period wasEurope could even begin to fashion for itself new
mainly in the department of psychology. Biblicalinstruments by provisionally working within the
psychology by itself did not of course fix anyprescribed circle of revealed dogma and subordinated
determinate scientific view. Its literal interpretationphilosophy.The very beginning of Scholasticism is
might seem, if anything, favourable to a kind ofdivided by a gulf of more than three centuries from
materialism combined with supernaturalism, like thatthe end of Neo-Platonism; and not for about two
of Tertullian. Even the Pauline conception of "spirit,"centuries more did this lead to any continuous
regarded at once as an infusion of Deity and as theintellectual movement. In the meantime, the elements
highest part of the human soul, lent itself quite easilyof culture that remained had been transmitted by
to a doctrine like that of the Stoics, which identifiedNeo-Platonists or writers influenced by them. An
the divine principle in the world with the corporealespecially important position in this respect is held by
element most remote by its lightness and mobilityBoethius, who was born at Rome about 480, was
from gross matter. For a system, however, that wasConsul in 510, and was executed by order of
to claim on behalf of its supernatural dogmas aTheodoric in 524. In philosophy Boethius represents
certain justification by human reason as a preliminaryan eclectic Neo-Platonism turned to ethical account.
condition to their full reception by faith, the idea ofHis translation of Porphyry's logical work has already
purely immaterial soul and mind was evidently betterbeen mentioned. He also devoted works of his own
adapted.This conception, taken over for the practicalto the exposition of Aristotle's logic. It was when he
purposes of the Church in the scientific form given tohad fallen into disgrace with Theodoric that he wrote
it by the Neo-Platonists, has accordingly maintained itsthe De Consolatione Philosophiae; and the remarkable
ground ever since. The occasional attempts infact has often been noticed that, although certainly a
modern times by sincerely orthodox Christians to fallnominal Christian, he turned in adversity wholly to
back upon an exclusive belief in the resurrection ofheathen philosophy, not making the slightest allusion
the body, interpreted in a materialistic sense, asanywhere to the Christian revelation.The vogue of
against the heathen doctrine of the naturalthe De Consolatione in the Middle Ages is equally
immortality of the soul, have never gained anynoteworthy. Rulers like Alfred, eagerly desirous of
appreciable following. At the end of the ancient worldspreading all the light that was accessible, seem to
Platonic idealism, so far as it was compatible with thehave been drawn by a secret instinct to the work of
dualism necessitated by certain portions of thea man of kindred race, who, though at the extreme
dogmatic system, was decisively adopted. In thebound, had still been in living contact with the
East, Greek ecclesiastical writers such as Nemesius (fl.indigenous culture of the old European world. Another
450), who had derived their culture fromwork much read in the same period was the
NeoPlatonism, transmitted its refutations ofcommentary of Macrobius (fl. 400) on the Somnium
materialism to the next age. In the West, StScipionis extracted from Cicero De Republica.
Augustine, who, as is known, was profoundlyMacrobius seems not to have been even a nominal
influenced by Platonism, and who had read Plotinus inChristian. He quotes Neo-Platonist writers, and, by the
a Latin translation, performed the same philosophicalimpress he has received from their type of thinking,
service. The great positive result was to familiarisefurnishes evidence of the knowledge there was of
the European mind with the elements of certainthem in the West.Gabriel Rise is an expert writer at
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