2019-01-13 NSPRM - Proclus - The Theology of Plato (Book 3, Chap 5) - The Derivation of Matter As a Prelude for the Pathologos - Free Audiobook

Synopsis

Pierre leads the Noetic Society Parmenides study group through another morning of study. Lately we've been taking a break from the Parmenides, going through Proclus' Theology of Plato(*) instead, in order to see how Proclus lays out the 14 orders of gods implied in the Parmenides.

Today we study book 5 of chapter 3.

Attendees

Pierre, Barbara, David, Regina, JulieH, Eldar, JeffS

Highlights

• Laying down the metaphysics for the genealogy of the gods.

• PG: How do you account for the existence of matter?

• If you knew, what5 should you be able to do, as a consequence?

• If you understand this chapter and subsequent 2 or 3 chapters, you'll understand the necessary existence of the pathologos. (Because the next level of creation is “man” -- but what we (Man) create is the pathologos. Also, it is noble because it has a paradigm (DC).)

• DC: How can the copy be so corrupt?

• If you understand philosophical midwifery, you'll understand the necessity to return to metaphysics.

• One : Being : Whole-of-things as Man : Pathologos : ?

• Similitude to the creative process

• We started reading Chapter 5.

• 3 things are necessary in everything that is mixed: Beauty, Truth, and Symmetry (which will be covered in chapter 6)

• Going back over the chapter 5, more slowly

• 29 goals: Power and morphe, 1st two sentences

• The origin of form and an “imperfect power”

• The role of Beauty in evolution

• Holograms

• Multitude in capacity (Taylor avoided translating with the Aristotelian “potential”)

• Imitation requires Mind

• Is imitation an essential part of the pathologos? If so, therefore the pathologos only occurs with the advent of language.

• Every pathologos presupposes Providence (2 reasons cited)

• DC: Pathologos to Problem as Bound to Infinite

• “Concauses”: “underlying”

• Dynamis: Capacity vs potential. (The difference between these two terms: With 'capacity' there is an implied participation in the higher)

• Evolution inherent: is there something going on? Or is it just biology? (Answer: Species are trying to perfect themselves, reach their teleos.)

• 'Noetic' vs 'Noeric' -- from the 'map' of 12/27 NSPRM.

• We take a peek at the first 2 sentences of Book 6 coming up. (around 1:22:10)

• Reference to Socrates on the mixed requiring Beauty, Truth, Symmetry: Was this from Timeaus? Philebus? Iamblichus. Epistles

• For next time: Read book 3, chapters 6 and 7

• Study proper ends around 1:28:00 or so..

More Info

• (*) Proclus' Theology of Plato (Thomas Taylor translation): Volume Eight in the Thomas Taylor series, ISBN-10: 978-1898910-077, as published by Prometheus Trust and available in the UK through them directly, or in the USA through Opening Mind Associates.

• The NS Parmenides Study Group

• Plato's Parmenides: The Juan and Maria Balboa Translation

• Pierre Grimes and Philosophical Midwifery

• The Noetic Society

• The Pierre Grimes and the Noetic Society collection here on archive.org.