Neoplatonism

themes and the representation of human potential or humanism. The surge of classics can be seen in the art of the time, which often depicted both Greek and Roman gods and goddesses. The new artistic conventions were significantly distinct from those of the Middle Ages, which frequently depicted human figures as flat and without a background, and death was a common theme due to the bubonic plague. However, religion continued to be an important theme in art, and philosophers and artists tried to combine the ideas of Plato with Christian ideals, this practice is referred to as Neoplatonism. Furthermore, there was a rise in the interest of the arts, and many wealthy families served as patrons of the arts. One of the most prominent artists of the time, Sandro Botticelli was commissioned by the Medici…

1) God has placed the desire for happiness in the human heart. The desire for happiness is connected with ethics and morality. All ethical theories insist that ethics is after the good. Plato says that nowhere do we find good, we only find good things. Like beauty; it can be found in things but you cannot find beauty itself. Plato said that reason finds the good that pervades everything. The highest pursuit in life is to contemplate the good. The closest we come to the good is in contemplation.…

Throughout the course of Cultural Perspectives, many texts and authors who have contributed to the Great Conversation have been discussed. Ultimately, each author is attempting to find his or her summum bonum or “highest good.” Although each author has a different definition of summum bonum, the majority agrees on the method required to attain the highest good: balance. Whether that balance be implicitly or explicitly accredited for the summum bonum differs for each author. Lao Tzu’s thoughts…

Finding the “Good Life” When envisioning the “good life,” we often imagine immeasurable happiness, where all burdens in life slip into oblivion. Unfortunately, this world cannot exist for most individuals, posing the question, what is a “good life” in the life we are given? And once we have found the good life, does that mean we have found happiness, which defined here is the highest good for man. On the journey towards a unique “good life” many have attempted isolation, others have acquired a…

Why was Arianism so important in the History of the Church and how did it affect the Church? Well, Arianism was one of the most important and one of Catholicism bigger problems. A heresy which believed that Jesus Christ, was not on par with the Father in regards to his holiness and divinity. They said Jesus was instead “created” by the Lord to do his deeds. It took the Church a long time to prove to everyone that this heresy was false. Arianism was started in the Fourth century by a priest,…

realism, all of which were innovative of his time. Michelangelo received commissions from many prosperous and influential men. Markedly, his David sculpture and Sistine Chapel ceiling paintings, among many other pieces, have been vigilantly preserved, enabling future generations to appreciate the genius of Michelangelo. Further, Michelangelo’s artistic philosophy is an intermingling of Catholicism and the Neoplatonic concept, that “physical beauty may be a channel for the transcendence of…

He wrote many books about cultural and art history. Like Wind, Gombrich also took particular interest in the symbolism present during the Renaissance. The Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes publishes research discussing various disciplines, which often emphasises their link to antiquity. This article in particular article gave immense insight into the concept of Neoplatonic thought and the more philosophical interpretation of the Primavera. Gombrich argued that it was Ficino’s…

The Renaissance had a different type of thinking than the Middle Ages. It was a time of more of a secular thinking rather than overly religious—Christianity still existed in Europe but it was not as vast. According to the textbook, there was a center of humanist study called the Platonic Academy of Philosophy in Florence and it “sponsored Neoplatonism… which sought to revive Platonic ideals in contemporary culture” (Benton et al 7). Even though secular thinking shaped a lot of the ideals of the…

subsequent yearnings for superior knowledge and intellect. Therefore, Augustine’s lust for recognition and his consequential pride leads to his simultaneous lust and desire for philosophical and theological knowledge. Augustine’s desire and pursuit of knowledge can be seen in his intense study of Cicero’s Hortensius and the doctrines of Manicheism and Neoplatonism before his ultimate conversion to Christianity. In Book III, Augustine becomes fascinated by Cicero’s argument of fulfillment of…

belonged to the kingdom of Darkness. Manichean dualism absolved Augustine of the responsibilities for the actions of his “wicked” half. Over time Augustine became skeptical and critical of Manichean theology. Eventually Augustine rejected the views of the Manichees. He came to believe that the human person is a unity and has moral accountability. When presented with the idea of interpreting the Bible non-literally and as symbols of moral and spiritual truth he was drawn back toward…