This book provides a rigorous and accessible account of participation in the divine, a pivotal concept in Western philosophy and theology. It brings together contributions from leading scholars of the Platonic tradition, challenging the distinction between philosophy and theology and offering insights into figures who do not fit neatly into modern academic divisions. The essays analyze and explore this key concept in the history of Western thought, from antiquity to the modern era.
This book explores the philosophical underpinnings of relational ontology, arguing that relationality is more fundamental than individual existence in understanding reality. It examines the philosophies of Heidegger and Neoplatonism, and their convergence with contemporary physics and biology. The author challenges traditional ontological perspectives and offers a new way of understanding the nature of reality. The book is a significant contribution to the field of philosophy, offering a fresh perspective on some of the most fundamental questions about existence. It is a must-read for anyone interested in ontology, metaphysics, or the philosophy of science.
Augustine's De Trinitate is a profound exploration of the doctrine of the Trinity, offering insights into the nature of God and the relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The Symposium is a philosophical dialogue written by Plato around 370 BCE. It depicts a friendly contest of extemporaneous speeches given by a group of notable Athenian men, including Socrates, Alcibiades, and Aristophanes, in praise of Eros, the god of love. The dialogue is structured as a series of speeches, each developing the ideas of the previous one, and culminates in Socrates' speech, which recounts his conversation with the wise woman Diotima. The work explores various aspects of love, including its benefits, its connection to philosophy, and its role in human happiness. The setting is a banquet at the house of the tragedian Agathon, where the men engage in drinking and conversation, leading to heartfelt and noble speeches about love[1][2][5].
What if the deepest truth of reality lies not in substances or isolated things, but in the pure relationality that connects everything?
John Vervaeke is joined by renowned scholar Douglas Hedley to explore James Filler's groundbreaking work "Heidegger, Neoplatonism, and the History of Being." John and Douglas examine the profound implications of viewing ultimate reality as fundamentally relational rather than substantial, uncovering significant convergences between Heidegger's later thought and the ancient Neoplatonic tradition. The dialogue goes into how Neoplatonic metaphysics offers potent solutions to the philosophical dilemmas posed by modernity and postmodernity, and why the notion of strong transcendence is essential yet challenging in contemporary thought. Douglas enriches the discourse with reflections on imagination, symbolism, and theological significance within the Neoplatonic heritage.
Douglas Hedley is Professor of the Philosophy of Religion at Cambridge University. He was educated at Keble College, Oxford and at the University of Munich, and has previously taught at Nottingham University. He is the Director of the Cambridge Centre for the Study of Platonism and co-chair of the Platonism and Neoplatonism section of the American Academy of Religion. Dr Hedley’s work centers on concepts of imagination, violence, and the sublime, and he has published widely, from early modern philosophy—particularly the Cambridge Platonists—to Coleridge. He is the Principal Investigator for the AHRC grant on The Cambridge Platonists at the Origins of Enlightenment: Texts, Debates, and Reception (1650-1730), and is co-editor of the Series Studies in Philosophical Theology.
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Notes:
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(0:00) Introduction to the Lectern
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(01:30) Douglas Headley's Background and Interests
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(03:30) Overview of James Filler's Argument
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(05:30) Critique of Substance Ontology
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(9:00) Neoplatonism and the Trinity
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(9:30) Lectern Dialogues: Philosophical Connections: Relational Ontology and the Modern Crisis
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(10:30) Heidegger's Misreading of Plato
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(16:30) Heidegger's Theological Influences
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(26:00) Modernity, Postmodernity, and Transcendence
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(34:30) Eastern Orthodox Christianity and Neoplatonism
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(36:15) Pushback on the Trinity Concept
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(40:00) Greek and Russian Orthodox Traditions
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(43:00) Western Theology and Neoplatonism
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(49:30) Dialogical Model of the Self
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(55:00) Christian Neoplatonism and Love
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(59:30) Embodiment and Transcendence
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(01:04:30) Final Thoughts and Parting Words
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Ideas, People, and Works Mentioned in this Episode
Substance Ontology vs. Relational Ontology
Heidegger’s Relationship to Neoplatonism
James Filler's Philosophical Contribution
The Trinity as Relational Symbolism
Mysticism and Theology
Embodiment and the Contemporary Crisis of Meaning
James Filler
Plotinus
Iamblichus
St. Augustine
Marius Victorinus
Jonathan Pageau
"The Iconic Imagination" by Douglas Hedley
"Participation in the Divine"
"Process and Reality" by Alfred North Whitehead
"Symposium" by Plato
Dr. John Vervaeke 
