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Title: Approaches to the Monism of Proclus the Neoplatonist

Approaches to the Monism of Proclus the Neoplatonist

Metaphysical and Epistemological Foundations

by Christos Terezis (Author) Lydia Petridou (Author)
©2026 Monographs 128 Pages
Theology & Philosophy

Summary

In this study, the authors discuss two major topics in Proclus the Neoplatonist, which are interesting from a metaphysical and an epistemological point of view. Specifically, based on Proclus’ Commentary on Plato's Parmenides and Theology of Plato, they investigate first the metaphysical archetypal world and its projections in the natural world and, second the monistic polytheism and the “agonizing adventures” of analogy as an ontological and methodological method. The two chapters share as their common basis the feasibility of a relationship between the metaphysical and the physical world and are incorporated into a broader theoretical objective: to highlight certain aspects of the way in which Proclus persistently establishes the monistic paradigm, both ontologically and epistemologically. Having in mind the dualistic paradigm adopted by Plato, the main question is whether Neoplatonism constitutes a natural linear continuation of early Platonism or a different School of thought.

Table Of Contents

  • Cover
  • Half Title
  • Title
  • Copyright
  • Table of Contents
  • Introduction
  • Chapter I The relationship between archetypes and images according to Proclus: The metaphysical immanence
  • Introduction
  • I. 1. Forms and parts of the body
  • I. 2. Forms and accidents
  • I. 3. Forms and technique
  • I. 4. Forms and evil
  • I. 5. Towards a quasi-epistemological foundation
  • Conclusions
  • Chapter II Monistic polytheism according to Proclus: The “agonizing adventures” of analogy
  • Introduction
  • II. 1. Scientific premises
  • II. 2. The relation of the monad with the multitude
  • II. 3. The causal function of mediations
  • II. 4. The immanent presence of the Good
  • II. 5. The multimodal presence of Ideas-Forms
  • II. 6. The prospect of an imminent meeting of the sensible with the metaphysical world
  • II. 7. Plato’s Parmenides and the metaphysical and cosmological foundations
  • II. 8. The Good reverts in order to validate ontological integrities and projections
  • II. 9. Extensions
  • Epilogue
  • Bibliography

Contents

  1. Introduction

  2. Chapter I The relationship between archetypes and images according to Proclus: The metaphysical immanence

    1. Introduction

    2. I. 1. Forms and parts of the body

    3. I. 2. Forms and accidents

    4. I. 3. Forms and technique

    5. I. 4. Forms and evil

    6. I. 5. Towards a quasi-epistemological foundation

    7. Conclusions

  3. Chapter II Monistic polytheism according to Proclus: The “agonizing adventures” of analogy

    1. Introduction

    2. II. 1. Scientific premises

    3. II. 2. The relation of the monad with the multitude

    4. II. 3. The causal function of mediations

    5. II. 4. The immanent presence of the Good

    6. II. 5. The multimodal presence of Ideas-Forms

    7. II. 6. The prospect of an imminent meeting of the sensible with the metaphysical world

    8. II. 7. Plato’s Parmenides and the metaphysical and cosmological foundations

    9. II. 8. The Good reverts in order to validate ontological integrities and projections

    10. II. 9. Extensions

  4. Epilogue

  5. Bibliography

Introduction

The Neoplatonic School of Athens represents, in a broad sense, the final period of the Academy, which Plato founded after his return from his first trip to Sicily in 387 BC. However, between the initial and final periods of the Academy, historical and intellectual conditions inevitably changed significantly. The last chronologically scholars of the Neoplatonic period of the Academy include Plutarch of Athens (350–432 AD), who is considered the first Neoplatonist of Athens, Syrianus (432–37 AD), Proclus (412–85 AD), and Damascius (458–? AD). They were, in fact, thinkers who were surrounded by a mature group of collaborators, a factor that contributed to the emergence of a body of writings that was impressive both in terms of quantity and scientific concerns. On the whole, from a religious-theological point of view, they belonged to the “faction” of the nationalists, with a clear insistence on polytheism, which they organised under the terms of a hierarchical paradigm. As an illustration, we refer to the following verse of Proclus, which belongs to the broader thematic section dealing with the laws which govern the metaphysical world and which are described in their application through the activities of those gods who were the reference persons of the ancient Greek religious tradition:

Τῶν μὲν γὰρ εἰμαρμένων νόμων οὐ μόνον θεοὶ κρείττους, ἀλλὰ καὶ ψυχαὶ μερικαὶ ζῶσαι κατὰ νοῦν καὶ τῷ τῆς προνοίας ἑαυτὰς ἐπιδοῦσαι φωτί· καὶ τῶν Διίων νόμων οἱ Κρόνιοι θεοὶ κατ’ οὐσίαν ἐξῄρηνται, καὶ τῶν Κρονίων οἱ συνεκτικοὶ καὶ τελεσιουργοί· τῷ δὲ τῆς Ἀδραστείας θεσμῷ πάντα ὑπήκοα, καὶ πᾶσαι διανομαὶ θεῶν καὶ μέτρα πάντα καὶ φρουραὶ διὰ τοῦτον ὑφεστήκασι.1

Details

Pages
128
Publication Year
2026
ISBN (PDF)
9783631950623
ISBN (ePUB)
9783631950630
ISBN (Softcover)
9783631950616
DOI
10.3726/b23654
Language
English
Publication date
2026 (September)
Keywords
Lydia Petridou Christos Terezis Good multitude monad evil accidents Dualism Plato Plato’s Theology analogy Commentary on Parmenides Ideas-Forms epistemology metaphysics Monism Proclus Neoplatonism
Published
Berlin, Bruxelles, Chennai, Lausanne, New York, Oxford, 2026. 128 pp.
Product Safety
Peter Lang Group AG

Biographical notes

Christos Terezis (Author) Lydia Petridou (Author)

Christos Ath. Terezis holds a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Ioannina, Greece, and a PhD in Theology from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He was a Professor at the University of Patras, Greece, and the Hellenic Open University. He has published more than 300 peer-reviewed articles in Greek and international journals and 50 books. Lydia Chr. Petridou holds a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Patras, Greece. She is an Adjunct Professor at the Hellenic Open University and conducted post-doctoral research in the Department of Philosophy at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. She has published over 60 peer-reviewed articles in Greek and international journals and 9 books.

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Title: Approaches to the Monism of Proclus the Neoplatonist