The Great Conversation

28 January 2023

The Great Conversation

“Plotinus’ student Porphyry . . . developed an elaborate account of the virtues’ role in the process of unification (for which see his Letter to Marcella and Launching Points to the Intelligibles).  Iamblichus, Porphyry’s student, applies the term henosis to his own version of unification.  Iamblichus’ practice of theurgy, a type of ritual magic intended to invoke the presence of divine beings, deviates from the purely meditative and contemplative practices Plotinus advocated.  Nevertheless, his goal – to become one with the divine, hence henosis – is clearly inspired by Plotinus’ teachings regarding purification and its telos. . .

“Given the long history of the Platonic tradition and the breadth of its influence, we should not expect universal agreement regarding the details of purification and unification.  Philosophers have struggled, with themselves and with one another, to arrive at precise formulations: does unification occur only after death or is it available to the living?  Does unification mean likeness to god through a life of virtue, participation in the divine energies, or a merging of our soul with the divine essence?  Must we actually become one with the divine or are we by nature already united with the source of our being and have only to realize and live in the awareness of this intimate bond?  Such questions illuminate the layers of interpretative tensions and the substantive concerns that this tradition must continually address.  But beneath the inevitable differences and disagreements there is a consensus, maintained for more than two thousand years, that the human being is in some way bound up with the divine source of all being, that his fullest life consists in contemplating and actively participating in the outpouring energy of this divinity, and that this life can be achieved only through the disciplined practice of purification.”

(Mark Anderson, Pure: Modernity, Philosophy, and the One, Sophia Perennis, San Rafael, CA, 2009, pages 82-84, ISBN: 9781597310949)

 

1.  I think of the Platonic tradition as a great conversation, a timeless conversation, that has continued for over 2,500 years.  When I say that the Platonic conversation is a ‘timeless’ conversation I mean in part that it is a conversation about that which transcends time, and is therefore eternal, and partly each speaker in the conversation is an instantiation into the temporal world of that which is timeless; each speaker is the timeless embodied.

2.  Think of it this way:  Each performance of a piece of music is an instantiation of music that is written down and passed along.  The written music is silent, yet at the same time the written music is the source for countless musical, sonic, presentations.  In a similar way, the great Platonic Sages present to people the reality of the transcendent and eternal through means that are ephemeral.

3.  Platonic Sages instantiate The One through the practices of purification.  That is why, as Anderson writes, purification is foundational for Platonism.  It is also why Platonism is a way of life and not only a way of thinking or believing.  In this context, “way of life” refers to practices such as vegetarianism/veganism, refraining from alcohol and drugs, and sexual restraint, as well as other ascetic practices.  When a Platonist practices these modes of ascetic purification the Platonist embodies the ‘Dharma’ of Platonism in a way that is easy for others to perceive.  It is an indication that this Platonist is walking the Way that they are talking about.

4.  There are many issues, some apparent, some subtle, that generate disagreement among Platonic Sages.  It would be strange if that were not the case.  Given that we dwell in the realm that is the most differentiated, the farthest from Unity, it makes sense in the Platonic scheme of things that this would be the case.  But the theme of purification is foundational for all of them, just as a blueprint can be the source of numerous houses, or an oak tree be the source of numerous subsequent oak trees.

5.  In modernity purification is not considered necessary for a philosopher.  I have had conversations with contemporary philosophers who have never heard of purification in a philosophical context.  This is because they have been guided by analytic views of what philosophy is, as well as by the materialist biases of the culture at large. 

(As an aside, I sometimes imagine that the practices of  purification might at some time in the future, be considered prerequisites for studying philosophy.  I mean that if someone applied to study philosophy they would be asked if they are, for example, vegetarians; and if they are not, the applicant would be told that this is a prerequisite for philosophical study.  This is, of course, just a fantasy; but in some ways I think it makes sense.  Such a prerequisite operates in studies such as calculus where trigonometry is a prerequisite, or in music where certain pieces are learned before moving on to more difficult and sophisticated pieces, in sports where a certain weight, height, and musculature are prerequisites for participation, etc.  Seen from this perspective, vegetarianism, abstinence from alcohol and drugs, and sexual restraint make sense as prerequisites for the study of philosophy.)

Platonism, in spite of its numerous, and sometimes conflicting, interpretations, is a deeply resilient tradition.  By ‘resilient’ I mean that the Platonic tradition has managed to remain a significant presence in spite of the ups and downs of history.  I think Platonism has accomplished this because of its foundation in its purifications which is the first step on the ascent to The One whose voice is the Platonic tradition itself.