Aristotle and the theology of the living immortals / Richard Bodéüs ; translated by Jan Edward Garrett.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Bodéüs, Richard.

Series:

SUNY series in ancient Greek philosophy

Standardized Title:

Aristote et la théologie des vivants immortels. English

Language:

English

French

Subjects (All):

Aristotle--Religion.

Aristotle.

Religion.

Greece--Religion.

Greece.

Polytheism.

Physical Description:

xi, 375 pages ; 23 cm.

Place of Publication:

New York : State University of New York Press, [2000]

Summary:

This book argues that Aristotle used "the most traditional Greek ideas about the gods" to develop and defend his physical, metaphysical, and ethical teachings. This revolutionary thesis stands in stark contrast to studies of Aristotle's texts that normally portray him as a "natural theologian" using rational tools to elaborate his own conception of God or the gods. Bodeus argues that Aristotle is more closely aligned with popular Greek religion than is usually thought, and attention to the ethical and political writings reveals more about Aristotle's resources for conceiving the gods than study of his theoretical works.

Contents:

Chapter 1. Toward Reconsideration of the Prevailing View

Reasonable opinions about the gods 7

Texts on the margin of Lambda 13

The separate substance of Lambda 20

The notion of natural theology 29

So-called theological science 34

Chapter 2. The Celestial Gods and the Divine Objects of Philosophy

Visible and invisible celestial natures 44

On the proper use of opinion in the celestial physics 49

The testimony of received beliefs regarding the celestial gods 54

The evidence of language 57

The authority of Plato 63

Chapter 3. The Gods of the City in the Stories of the Wise

Theology and science 76

The mythical addition of theology 81

The historical testimony of myths 86

The reason for theology and the discovery of the gods of the city 95

Chapter 4. An Appropriation of the Tradition About the Gods

The existence of the gods: defense of the tradition against the naturalists 106

The logic of received beliefs about the gods 113

The beneficence of the gods: reasonable arguments 120

The god as paradigm of the macrocosm 124

Chapter 5. The Gods as Benefactors: A Reasonable Tenet

From deference to piety 135

The foundations of piety 141

The mutual love of gods and humans 149

The gods and fortune 158

The gods as objects of imitation 168

Appendix Theology and Ways of Speaking 199.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 279-318) and indexes.

ISBN:

0791447278

0791447286

OCLC:

43333480