Apophatic Language: Unsaying the Higher Reality

Apophatic language, the unsaying of higher reality, is a significant and intriguing element in Western Esotericism. Apophasis refers to the practice of negative theology, where God or the first principle transcends human thought and language. Apophatic philosophers make negative statements about this reality, denying even the denials. In this episode, the focus is on the historical development of apophatic language in late antiquity and its connection to esotericism. The rise of apophatic language reflects a rational conclusion that human language has limits in accurately describing the true nature of reality. This language of unsaying becomes a performative act of writing or speech, involving assertions that are then deconstructed, revealing the inherent paradoxes and limitations of language in expressing the ineffable.