Proclus on nature: philosophy of nature and its methods in Proclus' Commentary on Plato's Timaeus (Philosophia Antiqua)

372 Pages·2010·2.61 MB·English

by  Marije Martijn

Proclus on Nature
Philosophia Antiqua
A Series of Studies on Ancient Philosophy
PreviousEditors
J.H. Waszink†
W.J. Verdenius†
J.C.M. Van Winden
Editedby
K.A. Algra
F.A.J. De Haas
J. Mansfeld
C.J. Rowe
D.T. Runia
Ch. Wildberg
VOLUME121
Proclus on Nature
Philosophy of Nature
and Its Methods in Proclus’ Commentary
on Plato’s Timaeus
by
Marije Martijn
LEIDEN•BOSTON
2010
Thisbookisprintedonacid-freepaper.
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Martijn,Marije.
Proclusonnature:philosophyofnatureanditsmethodsinProclus'CommentaryonPlato's
Timaeus/byMarijeMartijn.
p.cm.–(Philosophiaantiqua;v.121)
Basedontheauthor'sthesis(PhD)–LeidenUniversity.
Includesbibliographicalreferences(p.)andindex.
ISBN978-90-04-18191-5(hardback:alk.paper)
1.Proclus,ca.410-485.OntheTimaeus.2.Philosophyofnature.3.Plato.Timaeus.I.Title.
II.Series.
B387.P763M372010
113–dc22
2009044695
ISSN: 0079-1687
ISBN: 978-90-04-18191-5
Copyright2010byKoninklijkeBrillNV,Leiden,TheNetherlands.
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CONTENTS
Acknowledgements.................................................... ix
ChapterOne.Introduction............................................ 1
. Preliminaries..................................................... 1
. Philosophyofnatureastheology ............................... 7
. Πρ(cid:4)ψηλα(cid:9)(cid:10)ματα—theprooemiumoftheTimaeus........... 10
ChapterTwo.PlatonicΦ(cid:13)σιςaccordingtoProclus .................. 19
. Introduction ..................................................... 19
. Theessenceofnature............................................ 23
. Nature,soul,andthenatural.................................... 24
. TheontologicallevelofNature.................................. 39
. Nature’sworking................................................. 55
. Conclusion....................................................... 65
ChapterThree.Theprooemium:thegeometricalmethodof
physiologia .......................................................... 67
. Introduction—(cid:9)υσι(cid:4)λ(cid:4)γ(cid:19)α,(cid:20)ε(cid:4)λ(cid:4)γ(cid:19)α,andthegeometrical
methodoftheTimaeus.......................................... 67
. Theconstituentsofthegeometricalmethodinthe
prooemium ...................................................... 71
. Afterthestartingpoints—Proclustakesstock.................. 132
. Inconclusion .................................................... 159
ChapterFour.Aftertheprooemium:mathematics,thesenses,and
life ................................................................... 163
. Introduction ..................................................... 163
. BookIII:IntermediatePhilosophyofNatureandmathematics166
. BooksIVandV:LowerPhilosophyofNature,theSenses,
andLife .......................................................... 204
. Generalconclusion.............................................. 214
. Appendix:TheElementsofPhysics............................. 216
ChapterFive.DiscourseandReality:Theε(cid:22)κ(cid:24)ςλ(cid:25)γ(cid:4)ς............... 219
. Introduction ..................................................... 219
. Theε(cid:22)κ(cid:24)ςλ(cid:25)γ(cid:4)ςtoday—aselection ............................ 222
viii contents
. Proclusontheε(cid:22)κ(cid:24)ςλ(cid:25)γ(cid:4)ς:preliminaries ..................... 226
. Thenatureoftheε(cid:22)κ(cid:24)ςλ(cid:25)γ(cid:4)ς:resemblance ................... 229
. Unlikeness ....................................................... 240
. Atrueandlikelystory........................................... 271
. Thepracticeofdiscourse:assimilation ......................... 276
. Inconclusion:(cid:9)υσι(cid:4)λ(cid:4)γ(cid:19)αasscientificmimesis............... 293
ChapterSix.Conclusion............................................... 297
. Introduction ..................................................... 297
. ChapterII:Nature............................................... 297
. ChapterIII:Theologicalphilosophyofnature.................. 299
. ChapterIV:Mathematical,empirical,biologicalphilosophy
ofnature ......................................................... 300
. ChapterV:Thelikelystory...................................... 301
Bibliography ........................................................... 303
Indexrerum............................................................ 321
Indexlocorum ......................................................... 333
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Of Proclus’ immensely dense and variegated philosophical system, the
part concerning the sensible world is by far the most fascinating, as it
combines a very demanding idealist metaphysics with the givenness of
everydaylifeinthematerialworld.Thisiswherethetruechallengelies
for a Neoplatonist: how to maintain the standards of idealism without
denyingthegiven?
Thisstudyaimstocontributetomeetingthegrowinginterestinthose
lowerechelonsofNeoplatonicrealitybygivinginsightintohowProclus
performs his Herculean task of ‘saving the phenomenal’. He does so by
weaving an intricate web that relates philosophy of nature to theology,
without reducing the former to the latter. I owe Proclus an apology, as
Ihavenotalwaysbeennicetohiminthepast:Inowadmitthathehas
absolutelyconvincedme,ifnotofthetruthofhissystem,thenatleastof
itsbeautyandsophistication.
This book is based on a doctoral dissertation that was financially
supported,asPhDproject,bytheNetherlandsOrganisationforScientific
Research (NWO) and executed at what was at that time the Faculty of
Philosophy at Leiden University. It owes a lot to those whoassisted me
in my academic coming of age: my supervisors David Runia and Frans
de Haas, and many other dear colleagues in Leiden and Amsterdam,
the members of OIKOS, the CAW, the Academia Platonica, and the
inhabitants of the De Wulf Mansion Centre for Ancient Philosophy. I
thank Alain Lernould, Alessandro Linguiti, Jan Opsomer and Carlos
Steelforcarefullycommentingonearlierversionsofthisbook,andStefan
Pedersen for correcting my English. I claim sole responsibility for any
remaining flaws. I also want to acknowledge the kind permission of
RodopitoprintthetablefromLowry()intheappendixofchapterii.
Last, but most certainly not least, I want to thank those who made the
givenmeettheideal,bygivingmelife,food,shelter,anextendedfamily,
andalltheloveapersoncouldwant.
Translationsaremine,unlessotherwiseindicated.Smallcapitalsareused
forcross-referencestosectionsandtextsquoted.