Philosophy and exegesis in Simplicius : the methodology of a commentator / Han Baltussen.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Baltussen, Han.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Simplicius, of Cilicia.

Simplicius.

Methodology.

Physical Description:

xii, 292 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

London : Duckworth, 2008.

Summary:

This is the first book-length study in English of the interpretative and philosophical approach of the commentaries of Simplicius of Cilicia (c. AD 530). Simplicius??? work, marked by doctrinal complexity and scholarship, is unusually self-conscious, learned and rich in its sources. Consequently, he is one of those rare authors who is of interest to ancient philosophers, historians and classicists alike. The book argues that our understanding of Simplicius??? methodology will be greatly enhanced if we study how his scholarly approach impacts on his philosophical exegesis. His commentaries are placed in their intellectual context and several case studies shed light on his critical treatment of earlier philosophers and his at times polemical use of previous commentaries. The investigation opens up connections with broader issues, such as the reception of Presocratic philosophy within the commentary tradition, the nature and purpose of his commentaries, and the demise of pagan philosophy.

Contents:

Introduction: Simplicius of Cilicia and Philosophy in Late Antiquity 1

0.1 Philosophy in Late Antiquity: eclecticism, syncretism and 'post-classicism' 10

0.2 Simplicius of Cilicia: life and works 12

0.3 Method and outline of this study 14

1 The Scholar and His Books 21

1.1 The author: philosophical and intellectual context 24

1.2 Scholarly pursuits: exegetical objectives and practices 31

1.3 A puzzle about location 48

1.4 Of books and men: Simplicius' scholarly method 51

2 Rethinking Early Greek Philosophy? Origins of Ancient Wisdom 54

2.1 What we have thanks to Simplicius 63

2.2 Two views on unity and plurality: Parmenides and Empedocles 68

2.3 A special case: Anaxagoras 78

2.4 The unity of Greek philosophy 84

3 Towards a Canon: the Early Peripatetics 88

3.1 Succeeding Aristotle, understanding Aristotle 89

3.2 Teaching Aristotle: Theophrastus and Eudemus 91

3.3 Simplicius and the early Peripatetics 104

4 Ghost in the Machine? The Role of Alexander of Aphrodisias 107

4.1 Two commentators, two traditions 111

4.2 Alexander the pioneer: exegetical format and style 114

4.3 Simplicius' use of Alexander 121

4.4 Disagreeing with Alexander 129

4.5 The ghost in the machine and the making of commentary 132

5 Platonist Commentators: Sources and Inspiration 136

5.1 A new Platonism: Plotinus 140

5.2 Harmonising strategies: from Porphyry to Proclus 147

5.3 Simplicius' teachers 158

5.4 Two outsiders: Galen and Themistius 166

5.5 Platonist exegesis from Plotinus to Simplicius 169

6 Polemic and Exegesis in Simplicius: Defending Pagan Theology 172

6.1 Polemic and philosophy: a very brief history 173

6.2 Against the Christian Philoponus: defending Platonism or paganism? 176

6.3 Extensive quotation and disagreement: Alexander revisited 188

6.4 The rhetoric of interpretation 193

Epilogue: Simplicius and Greek Philosophy: The Last Pagan Gospel? 196

7.1 The commentator's craft 197

7.2 Simplicius on Simplicius: self-image and self-presentation 198

7.3 Exegesis and philosophy: a complex relationship 201

7.4 The methodology of a commentator: a final appraisal 208

Appendix I The 'Library' of Simplicius 211

Appendix II A New Evidence on Alexander 216

Appendix II B Distribution of Alexander References in in Phys 217

Appendix III Sumphonia in Simplicius 218.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 221-282) and indexes.

ISBN:

071563500X

9780715635001

OCLC:

163616699