Brief Notes on Various Topics -- 1

13 January 2024

Brief Notes on Various Topics -- 1

Sometimes I have thoughts about Platonism that can range from an aphorism to a short paragraph.  These thoughts often do not lead to a lengthy post or to an essay.  I thought I would share some of them and see how posting this kind of material works.  If these look worthwhile I might make these brief notes a regular feature of the blog.

1.  Ultimately Platonism is about becoming apophatic, about merging with that which is beyond name and form. 

2.  Youtube Platonism seems, with a few exceptions, to accept the idea of ‘Neoplatonism’ uncritically.  My feeling is that this places Youtube Platonism at least fifty years behind academic Platonism where significant scholars are clear that the idea of ‘Neoplatonism’ is a very recent invention that has no foundation.

3.  I was listening to a talk on Late Classical Platonism when the speaker said that Plotinus presented a highly ‘rational’ version of Platonism, whereas, in contrast, Proclus was more mystical.  I thought that was weird.  I have the exact opposite view; that Plotinus is a mystic and Proclus was the rationalist (I almost said ‘hyper-rationalist’).  For example, see The Elements of Theology by Proclus.  The Elements of Proclus in many ways resembles the Ethics of Spinoza as there is the same kind of systematic structure derived from geometry.  And often Spinoza is thought of as a rationalist because Spinoza considered ultimate nature to be accessible by reason.  I believe Proclus also grants access to ultimate nature to reason; Proclus does this by substituting henads for the Good and the One.

4.  Is Platonism complicated?  I think it is more accurate to say that Platonism isn’t complicated, but at least some of its insights are counterintuitive and that makes it seem complicated when we first encounter it.  And for many this feeling can last for an extended period of time.

5.  This world is full of troubles, strife, conflict, suffering, and difficulties.  Peace and serenity are very rare and do not seem to be able to establish themselves in the material world in which we dwell.  Ennead 1.4, On Well-Being is a wonderful tonic for this situation in which we find ourselves.  Just reading it recently allowed me to, once again, see past the riotous conflagrations of genesis to the realm of true peace found in the Good and the One. 

6.  Asceticism is the method for the Platonic ascent to the Good and the One.