The Magician and the Fool Podcast E37 The Parmenides with Greg Shaw and Edward Butler
Jan 21, 2021
Join brilliant thinkers Gregory Shaw, a renowned philosopher, and Edward Butler, an acclaimed scholar, as they dive deep into Plato's challenging dialog, the Parmenides. They unpack the intriguing concept of 'the One that is not' and explore the dynamics of polytheism versus monotheism. The discussion covers the intricate nature of henads, the philosophical critiques of monotheism, and the spiritual implications of ancient practices like theurgy. Their engaging conversation bridges philosophical theory and practical spirituality, offering fresh insights into divine experience.
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Layered Transmission Symbolizes Mediation
- Plato frames the Parmenides with layered transmission to symbolize mediated access to metaphysical principles.
- Proclus reads these narrative layers as intentional signs of how the intelligible reaches the sensible world.
Danger Of Contracting The Divine
- Plotinus warned against contracting the divine into a single, totalizing One because it erases plurality and consequences follow.
- This critique helped shape Neoplatonism's insistence on a non-reified first principle.
Negativity As Creative Freedom
- The 'One That Is Not' is a negative principle that enables things to exist without totalizing them.
- Its negativity releases unique things into being more fully than a dominant unity would.