The Elements of Theology

De: Proclus

Narrado por: Peter Wickham

Proclus - or Proclus of Athens, as he is sometimes known - is widely and rightly considered to be one of the most significant later Neoplatonist philosophers. At age 40 (c.437 CE) or so, Proclus became head of the revived Plato’s Academy in Athens. In his role for the next 50 years, the unmarried Proclus worked hard, combining effectively the roles of administrator, teacher and writer. Astronomy, ethics, mathematics, physics, theology - Proclus tackled all of those topics that together fell under the umbrella of philosophy in his time.

The Elements of Theology was his most important work. Elements contains 211 separate propositions. Each proposition, or theorem, is followed by a brief description, or explanation, of the proposition. And each successive proposition builds on those that had come before. Propositions 1 through 112 lay out various Neoplatonic antitheses: 'one' and 'many'; 'cause' and 'effect’; the 'moved' and the 'unmoved'; the 'perpetual' and the 'dated existence in a part of time'; 'wholes and parts'; 'active' and 'passive'; 'finite' and 'infinite'; etc. Propositions 113 through 211 work within and between those now-established antitheses showing the relations between 'divine henads, or gods', 'intelligences' and 'souls.'

Translation: Thomas Taylor.

This recording opens with a helpful introduction to the life and work of Proclus by Mark G. Spencer.

Public Domain (P)2018 Ukemi Productions Ltd

Good, Old-Fashioned Philosophy

most importantly, the narrator gives a good read of this work. he both has a voice you'd mark as good for reading some dusty, forgotten philosophic tone - yet lively enough to make the somewhat oblique content audibly engaging. A fine reading.

the content itself - this is not my first time approaching Proclus, but that's not for the worse. each time I reapproach it's with better - or at least more evolved - understanding.

the only work I believe is a prerequisite to this one is the Parmenides of Plato. a generous reading of the early dialogues of Plato might place that in better context. and it's not important to understand that work entirely, just to encounter it and have a feel for its dialectic twists and turns.

aristotles metaphysics and organon might be a great next stop. the enneads of plotinus will be of interest. and, at some point, you might want to brush up on the hermética. Plato's Timeaus and it's companions are required reading at this point in neoplatonist studies. Ultimately Proclus is just the tip of the iceberg of neoplatonist literature.

it's fun to compare with post-vedic philosophy like the upanishads & also brings it into contact with Buddhist philosophy. The Essence of the Middle Way of Nagarjuna is especially good to read before or after this.

if you want a work that's somewhere in the realm of serious philosophy/monistic mysticism, this is it. but it might not be your first - or last - stop

Ukemi does it again!

It's amazing to have these works available as an audiobook. Not only that but of such great quality. Peter Wickham also read Plotinus's Enneads for Ukemi and now reads Proclus with equal clarity. For anyone with an interest in the Platonic tradition these are a pleasure to own. I really hope they plan to release Proclus's Platonic Theology as well.

Uninterpretable

This may only be an issue with the translation, but I found Proclus to be incredibly repetitive and non-descript. The words "One" and "Multitude" appear far too many times in the first chapter with little to no explanation.