Lela Alexidze (Tbilisi Ivane Javakhishvili State University, Georgia

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Lela Alexidze (Tbilisi Ivane Javakhishvili State University, Georgia. Faculty of Humanities, Department of Philosophy. Professor of Philosophy. e-mail: [email protected]) Parmenides, Plato’s Parmenides and Proclus’ Commentary on Plato’s Parmenides in Ioane Petritsi’s Commentary on Proclus’ Elements of Theology Ioane Petritsi, the twelfth century Georgian philosopher, was the author of a commentary on Proclus’ Elements of Theology. This commentary is based on the works of Proclus and many other ancient Greek philosophical texts. The name of Parmenides is mentioned several times in the commentary. In some cases, Petritsi refers to the “real” Parmenides, sometimes to Plato’s dialogue Parmenides, and in certain cases he makes reference (directly or indirectly) to Proclus’ Commentary on Plato’s Parmenides. Generally, it is quite difficult to say which one among three above mentioned “Parmenides” is meant by Petritsi and exactly on which sources (the texts of the “real” Parmenides, that of the Plato’s dialogue or of the Proclus’ Commentary) are his comments based on. The aim of this paper is to discuss the following questions and to answer on them as far as it is possible: 1. What did the name “Parmenides” mean for Petritsi generally and how important was “Parmenides”, in his opinion, for Platonic philosophy and for Proclus in particular? On this level of the analysis we shall not make an attempt to find differences between the three above mentioned “Parmenides”; “Parmenides” for us will be, very roughly, just a common guide-name and a symbol of a certain philosophy which can be found in Parmenides, Plato and Proclus as well. Moreover, we shall not make a clear distinction between a person called “Parmenides” and the texts associated with his name (it may be the text of the real “Parmenides”, or the ideas of Proclus exposed in his Commentary on Plato’s Parmenides which might not even be directly related to Parmenides etc). 2. How far is it possible to “separate” in Petritsi’s work the three above mentioned “Parmenides”? On this stage of study we shall try to find exact (as far as it is possible) sources for each “Parmenides” mentioned in Petritsi’s Commentary. 3. How deeply was Petritsi himself aware of the differences between the three “Parmenides” and how important was each of them, in his opinion, for understanding Proclus’ philosophy? And, is it possible to say, how did Petritsi understand Plato’s Parmenides as a dialogue? Was it for him a logical exercise or / and the reflection of the ontological reality? -------------------------------------------------- .

Copy Link

Recommended publications

Damana Melikishvili 236 Ioane Petritsi and John Italus on Two Original
236 Damana Melikishvili IOANE PETRITSI AND JOHN ITALUS ON TWO ORIGINAL CAUSES Damana Melikishvili The great medieval thinker and theologian Ioane Petritsi—“the Platonic Philosopher,” as contemporaries called him—is a representative of a new stage in the history of Christian thought. The study of his literary legacy has great importance for establishing trends of development in philosophy and theology both in Georgia and in the Christian Orient in general and the relationship between those trends with similar processes in Europe. The role of Neoplatonism in the formation of the history of philosophy and medieval theological thought is well known. This philosophical trend, which is considered to be a link between ancient Greek philosophy and medieval thought, also exerted a strong influence on medieval Georgian thought, which is evidenced by the translation of the Corpus Areopagiticum by Ephrem Mtsire (Minor) in the 11th century. There is a listing of textbooks in the Gelati theological-philosophical school known as the Gelati Academy (12–13th centuries); this school was a Georgian analogue of the Mangana School in Constantinople and employed the same trivium-quadrivium system of subjects. This listing of books broadly contains the same Neoplatonic literature that was used as textbooks in medieval European schools.1 It was on the basis of those translations and commentaries that Ephrem Mtsire, Arsen Iqaltoeli, and Ioane Petritsi formed the formal- semantic system of Georgian philosophical-theological terminology. Those thinkers based their intellectual pursuits on the “highest philosophy” that had been established in the medieval centers of learning, in which the Dialectic of John Damascene, which was a compendium of Aristotelian logic based on his commentators, held the main place among the subjects of the so-called trivium-quadrivium.
[Show full text]
CEU Department of Medieval Studies
ANNUAL OF MEDIEVAL STUDIES AT CEU VOL. 18 2012 Central European University Budapest Annualis 2012.indb 1 2012.07.31. 15:59:40 Annualis 2012.indb 2 2012.07.31. 15:59:42 ANNUAL OF MEDIEVAL STUDIES AT CEU VOL. 18 2012 Edited by Judith Rasson and Marianne Sághy Central European University Budapest Department of Medieval Studies Annualis 2012.indb Sec1:1 2012.07.31. 15:59:42 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the permission of the publisher. Editorial Board Niels Gaul, Gerhard Jaritz, György Geréby, Gábor Klaniczay, József Laszlovszky, Marianne Sághy, Katalin Szende Editors Judith Rasson and Marianne Sághy Technical Advisor Annabella Pál Cover Illustration Labskhaldi Gospel, 12th century, 29×22 cm, parchment. Canon Table, detail (4 r) Georgian National Museum. Svanety Museum of History and Ethnography, Mestia. www.museum.ge. Reproduced by permission Department of Medieval Studies Central European University H-1051 Budapest, Nádor u. 9., Hungary Postal address: H-1245 Budapest 5, P.O. Box 1082 E-mail: [email protected] Net: http://medievalstudies.ceu.hu Copies can be ordered at the Department, and from the CEU Press http://www.ceupress.com/order.html ISSN 1219-0616 Non-discrimination policy: CEU does not discriminate on the basis of—including, but not limited to—race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, gender or sexual orientation in administering its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. © Central European University Produced by Archaeolingua Foundation & Publishing House Annualis 2012.indb Sec1:2 2012.07.31.
[Show full text]
Georgia's Philosophical Landscape
Georgia’s Philosophical Landscape – Spiritual Foundations and Perspectives Anastasia Zakariadze, Irakli Brachuli ANNALS of the University of Bucharest Philosophy Series Vol. LXVI, no. 1, 2017 pp. 135 –154. GEORGIA’S PHILOSOPHICAL LANDSCAPE – SPIRITUAL FOUNDATIONS AND PERSPECTIVES ANASTASIA ZAKARIADZE 1, IRAKLI BRACHULI 2 Abstract This article discusses the main trends of Georgian philosophy: its basic principles and perspectives, the importance of the Western, especially the European cultural heritage, and the Georgian contribution to the history of ideas in a global perspective. Metaphysical questions of cognition, truth, identity, virtue and value, wisdom and power, as well as issues of ethical, social, political and aesthetic values, phenomenological, philosophical-theological and linguistic research are central to Georgian philosophy and exemplify its continuing relevance vis-à-vis the Western tradition in its broadest sense. Although philosophical ideas in Georgia rarely matured into a well-balanced, self- sufficient system, one may distinguish as original conceptions some ideas of Christian Neo-Platonism and Aletheological Realism . Keywords: Georgian philosophy, European standard of philosophizing, Christian Neo-Platonism and Aletheological Realism, phenomenological-existential research, linguistic turn, philosophical-theological studies. I. Anthim the Iberian and Name-Symbols in Georgia. In Lieu of an Introduction One of the central figures of Romanian and Georgian cultures, “a great person of the epoch of [the] Enlightenment and a great humanist” 3 1 Professor at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. Email: [email protected]. 2 Associate professor at Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. Email: [email protected]. 3 This issue is recently precisely analyzed by a group of Georgian philosophers, in Zakariadze, A.
[Show full text]
Ketevan BEZARASHVILI 72B, Iosebidze Street, Apt. 127 Tbilisi, 0160 Georgia Telephone:+995( 32) 37 78 08 E-Mail:[email protected]
Ketevan BEZARASHVILI 72b, Iosebidze Street, Apt. 127 Tbilisi, 0160 Georgia Telephone:+995( 32) 37 78 08 E-mail:[email protected] Curriculum Vitae Education Ph.D. Philology, 2004: Tbilisi State Univcersity Thesis title: "Theory and Practice of Rhetoric and Translation according to the Translations of the Writings of Gregory the Theologian" Ph.D. Philology, 1990: Tbilisi State University. (Candidate) Thesis title: “The Georgian Version of Gregory of Nazianzus’ Poetry”. B.A. (Honors), 1978: Tbilisi State University, Philology. Employment 2002 June: Visiting Researcher at the Catholic University of Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. 1998 June-July: Visiting Researcher at the Catholic University of Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. 1995 February: Visiting Researcher at the Catholic University of Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. 1993-1995: Lecturer, Tbilisi Theological Academy. Lecturer, Independent Institute of Foreign Languages. 1991: Senior Researcher, Kekelidze Institute of Manuscripts, Tbilisi. 1990 October-November: Visiting Researcher at the Catholic University of Louvain- la-Neuve, Belgium. 1989 December: Visiting Researcher of “Ivan Dujchev” Research Center for Slavonic-Byzantine Studies at the “Clement Okhridski” University of Sofia, Bulgaria. 1 1986-1991: Researcher, Kekelidze Institute of Manuscripts. 1984-1986: Assistant Researcher, Kekelidze Institute of Manuscripts. 1983: Lecturer, Tbilisi State University. Assistant, Kekelidze Institute of Manuscripts. 1979-1982: Post-graduate student of the Faculty of Old Georgian Literature, Tbilisi State University. Subjects Taught: Byzantine Hymnography Byzantine Epistolography Latin Byzantine-Georgian Literary Interrelations Grants 2004 August - 2007 August: INTAS grant 2000March - 2002 March: INTAS grant 1996 January - 1998 December: INTAS grant Personal Born February 8, 1956, Divorced. A List of Main Publications of K. Bezarashvili for the Last 5 Years: Gelati School (prepared for Pravoslavna% +nciklopedi%).
[Show full text]
Shalva Nutsubidze, Was a Member of the Group of Several Scholars Whose Joint Efforts Re- Sulted in the Creation of the University
PHILOSOPHY IN GEORGIA: FROM NEOPLATONISM TO POSTMODERMISM ivane javaxiSvilis saxelobis Tbilisis saxelmwifo universiteti anastasia zaqariaZe irakli braWuli filosofia saqarTveloSi: neoplatonizmidan postmodernizmamde IVANE JAVAKHISHVILI TBILISI STATE UNIVERSITY ANASTASIA ZAKARIADZE IRAKLI BRACHULI PHILOSOPHY IN GEORGIA: FROM NEOPLATONISM TO POSTMODERMISM This research discusses the main tendencies of Georgian philo- sophy: its basic principles and perspectives, the importance of the Western, especially the European cultural heritage, and the Geor- gian contribution to the history of ideas in a global perspective. Metaphysical issues of cognition, truth, identity, virtue and value, wisdom and power; problems of ethical, social, political and aes- thetic character, as well as phenomenological, philosophical-theo- logical and linguistic research, are central to Georgian philosophy and exemplify its continuing relevance vis-À-vis the Western tradi- tion in its broadest sense. Although philosophical ideas in Georgia rarely matured into a well-balanced and self-sufficient system, as original conceptions one may distinguish some ideas of Christian Neo-Platonism and Alethological Realism. The volume is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. Scientific Editors: Cornelia B. Horn Basil Lourie On the cover there is a portrait sketch of Niko Pirosmani (Nikala) by Pablo Picasso. One of the most influential artists of modernity was never personally acquainted with the early XX cen- tury Georgian primitivist painter, but he knew his works. Pirosma- ni posthumously rose to prominence. Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University Press, 2018 ISBN 978-9941-13-732-7 C O N T E N T S Acknowledgements ............................................................ 7 Editorial Preface ................................................................ 8 In Lieu of an Introduction ............................................... 11 1. Ioane Petritsi and Georgian Neoplatonism ..............
[Show full text]
PHILOSOPHY in GEORGIA: from NEOPLATONISM to POSTMODERMISM Ivane Javaxisvilis Saxelobis Tbilisis Saxelmwifo Universiteti
PHILOSOPHY IN GEORGIA: FROM NEOPLATONISM TO POSTMODERMISM ivane javaxiSvilis saxelobis Tbilisis saxelmwifo universiteti anastasia zaqariaZe irakli braWuli filosofia saqarTveloSi: neoplatonizmidan postmodernizmamde IVANE JAVAKHISHVILI TBILISI STATE UNIVERSITY ANASTASIA ZAKARIADZE IRAKLI BRACHULI PHILOSOPHY IN GEORGIA: FROM NEOPLATONISM TO POSTMODERMISM This research discusses the main tendencies of Georgian phi- losophy: its basic principles and perspectives, the importance of the Western, especially the European cultural heritage, and the Ge- orgian contribution to the history of ideas in a global perspective. Metaphysical issues of cognition, truth, identity, virtue and value, wisdom and power; problems of ethical, social, political and aes- thetic character, as well as phenomenological, philosophical-theo- logical and linguistic research, are central to Georgian philosophy and exemplify its continuing relevance vis-À-vis the Western tradi- tion in its broadest sense. Although philosophical ideas in Georgia rarely matured into a well-balanced and self-sufficient system, as original conceptions one may distinguish some ideas of Christian Neo-Platonism and Alethological Realism. The volume is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Ivane Ja- vakhishvili Tbilisi State University. Scientific Editors: Cornelia B. Horn Basil Lourie On the cover there is a portrait sketch of Niko Pirosmani - (Nikala) by Pablo Picasso. One of the most influential artists of modernity was never personally acquainted with the early XX cen- tury Georgian primitivist painter, but he knew his works. Pirosma- ni posthumously rose to prominence. Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University Press, 2018 ISBN 978-9941-13-732-7 C O N T E N T S Acknowledgments .............................................................. 7 Editorial Preface ................................................................ 8 In Lieu of an Introduction ............................................... 11 1.
[Show full text]
Levan Gigineishvili 194 IOANE PETRITSI's PREFACE to HIS
194 Levan Gigineishvili IOANE PETRITSI’S PREFACE TO HIS ANNOTATED TRANSLATION OF THE BOOK OF PSALMS Levan Gigineishvili Translator’s Foreword Almost a century has passed since Shalva Nutsubidze and Simon Kaukhchishvili established the first and thus far the only edition of Ioane Petritsi’s commentaries accompanying his Georgian translation of Proclus’ Elements of Theology (1937). Their edition was supplemented by Shalva Nutsubidze’s introductory article on the nature of Petritsi’s philosophy and its place in the context of medieval philosophy in Byzantium and Georgia. Despite raising some controversial points, in his comments on thiswork, which was one of the earliest of Petritsi’s studies, Nutsubidze provided pertinent and precise insights, especially in pointing to Petritsi’s unique and pioneering role in the development of philosophical thought in Georgia and in discerning Renaissance features in his philosophy. In fact, preceding Pico Della Mirandola and Marcilio Ficino by several centuries, Petritsi espoused an attitude towards the relationships between Christianity and Greek philosophy that not only opened theway for conceiving the possibil- ity of rapprochement, but that even declared such a rapprochementas necessary. For Petritsi, Plato and the Neoplatonists were in touch with the eternal truth of the order of reality. He found the study of their philosophy to be indispensable for Christians. Moreover, he thought it appropriate to interpret the Bible in the light of Neoplatonic philosophy. There were similar traits in the philosophy of Petritsi’s immediate Byzantine predecessors, Michael Psellus and John Italus. Yet Petritsi was able to reach an even bolder synthesis, creating a comprehensive project of philosophizing Christianity, that is to say, of building a common dis- course on truth for both Christian revelation and Neoplatonic metaphysics.
[Show full text]
Ioane Petritsi's Musical Aesthetics at the Greek-Georgian Cultural
GESJ: Musicology and Cultural Science | No.1(11) ISSN 1512-2018 UDC - 78.01 Ioane Petritsi’s Musical Aesthetics at the Greek-Georgian Cultural Crossroad Nino Pirtskhalava V. Sarajishvili Tbilisi State Conservatoire, 8/10, Griboedov str., Tbilisi, 0108, Georgia Resume: Ioane Petritsi, a Georgian neo-Platonic philosopher, is an alumnus of the Academy of Mangana in Constantinople. When neo-Platonists were persecuted, he fled to his native Georgia where he found shelter. The Pagan Proclus’ Platonic philosophy, translated by Petritsi, actually represents hidden independent ideas of the Georgian philosopher, who masks himself under mere translator and comment-maker. Ioane Petritsi’s musical and esthetical thinking has principal importance in view of the research of the history of the Georgian polyphony, due to the following arguments: musical information presented in the “Interpretation” is directly connected with the author’s philosophical beliefs. The philosophical and theological problems set in the work and the corresponding musical parallels are self-evident and mutually defining. The crux of the most significant Christian thesis – the unity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit – explains and clarifies the essence of musical dialectics of the Georgian philosopher. With his works, Ioane Petritsi not only confirms the existence of polyphony in the 11th century Georgia, but also makes us think that Georgian music had already undergone a long-term development before the 11th century. Had it not been for a long process of development and perfection, Georgian polyphony would not have become the artistic phenomenon of the rank to serve as a reliable argument for the thesis of the Christian credo.
[Show full text]
Studia Patristica Vol
STUDIA PATRISTICA VOL. LVIII Papers presented at the Sixteenth International Conference on Patristic Studies held in Oxford 2011 Edited by MARKUS VINZENT Volume 6: Neoplatonism and Patristics PEETERS LEUVEN – PARIS – WALPOLE, MA 2013 Table of Contents Victor YUDIN, UCL, OVC, Brussels, Belgium Patristic Neoplatonism ........................................................................ 3 Cyril HOVORUN, Kiev, Ukraine Influence of Neoplatonism on Formation of Theological Language ... 13 Luc BRISSON, CNRS, Villejuif, France Clement and Cyril of Alexandria: Confronting Platonism with Chris- tianity ................................................................................................... 19 Alexey R. FOKIN, Moscow, Russia The Doctrine of the ‘Intelligible Triad’ in Neoplatonism and Patristics 45 Jean-Michel COUNET, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium Speech Act in the Demiurge’s Address to the Young Gods in Timaeus 41 A-B. Interpretations of Greek Philosophers and Patristic Receptions ........................................................................................... 73 István PERCZEL, Hungary The Pseudo-Didymian De trinitate and Pseudo-Dionysius the Areo- pagite: A Preliminary Study ............................................................... 83 Andrew LOUTH, Durham, UK Symbolism and the Angels in Dionysios the Areopagite ................... 109 Demetrios BATHRELLOS, Athens, Greece Neo-platonism and Maximus the Confessor on the Knowledge of God .....................................................................................................
[Show full text]
December, 2006
The V. Sarajishvili Tbilisi State #5 Conservatoire 3. The Third International International Symposium on Traditional Research Polyphony 5. Program for the Scientific Center for Sessions of the Third International Symposium on Traditional Traditional Polyphony 6. Georgian Traditional Polyphony Music in 2006 8. New Publications BULLETIN 10. Georgian Ethnomusicologists. Tinatin Zhvania 12. Ethnomusicology. Tinatin Zhvania Georgian Bowed Instruments. 17. Georgian Folk Groups. Ensemble Basiani 19. Field Expedition in Surebi (Guria) 21. Shota Altunashvili: Even a Century Ago It Was Extremely Difficult to Find a Genuine Meskhetian Song Here 24. Georgian Folk Song - New Transcription. Alilo TBILISI. DECEMBER. 2006 2 This volume is published through the support of Ministry of Culture, Monuments Protection and Sport. Editors: Rusudan Tsurtsumia Tamaz Gabisonia Translators: Maia Kachkachishvili Clayton Parr Lorean Ninoshvili Design: Nika Sebiskveradze Giorgi Kokilashvili Computer services: Tamaz Gabisonia Kakhaber Maisuradze © International Research Center for Traditional Polyphony of V. Sarajishvili Tbilisi State Conservatoire, 2006 ISSN 1512 - 2883 Printed by: polygraph Semi-annual bulletin in Georgian and English 3 duce itself to the world and must make an The Third effort to sustain the momentum that has be- gun. There is still much work to be done International in this direction. In short, the Symposium was a success despite some tiny glitches. Scholars from Symposium on 15 countries - Austria, Australia, USA, Bulgaria, Germany, Spain, Japan, Italy, Ca- Traditional nada, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, France, Croatia and Georgia - discussed the gene- sis of polyphony, methods for its documen- Polyphony tation, archival recordings, etc. Especially well represented were regional styles of mul- The Third International Symposium on tipart singing in Georgia and other countri- Traditional Polyphony has been brought to es, including the Mediterranean, which was a conclusion and the time for reflection has represented for the first time.
[Show full text]
Levan Gigineishvili Theology and Philosophy in Medieval Georgia
The Religious Studies Program in association with the Center for Eastern Mediterranean Studies invite you to a lecture by Levan Gigineishvili (Ilia State University) Theology and Philosophy in Medieval Georgia Abstract This presentation addresses the broad-ranging topic of the relationship between philosophy and theology by examining Georgian intellectual culture from the 11th -13th centuries. The 11th century is considered the introduction of philosophy in Georgia, as this is when many new translations (beginning with the translations of John Damascene's "Dialectics") were introduced. It is in the 13th century that the period recognized as the “philosophic boom" culminates (as reflected in the work of poet Shota Rustaveli), followed by centuries of decadence. Ioane Petritsi (12th century) was a key figure in pioneering the philosophic/dialectic method in Georgia. He was both a translator and commentator on Proclus's "Elements of Theology" and is worthy of special note; in fact, Petritsi represents a tradition that blurs the line between philosophy and religion, melding the two into a universal system of metaphysical knowledge. Levan Gigineishvili is an associate professor at Ilia State University (Tbilisi, Georgia). He received a PhD from the CEU Medieval Studies in 2000. His doctoral dissertation, entitled "The Platonic Theology of Ioane Petritsi," was published in book form by Gorgias Press (USA) in 2007. He has taught courses such as Byzantine literature, Christianity and Paganism in Late Antiquity, and the History of Medieval Philosophy at Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University and Ilia State University. He is currently working on an English translation and critical edition of Ioane Petritsi's annotated translation of Proclus' "Elements of Theology." Thursday, November 10, 2011 5:30 PM CEU, Nádor u.
[Show full text]
The Demiurge in Ioane Petritsi's Commentary on Proclus' Elements
The Demiurge in Ioane Petritsi’s Commentary on Proclus’ Elements of Theology LELA ALEXIDZE Tbilisi State University DOI: 10.36446/rlf2021224 l 149 Abstract: Ioane Petritsi, the twelfth century Georgian Christian Neoplatonist, wrote a commentary on Proclus’ Elements of Theology. In his work Petritsi goes far beyond the material contained in Proclus’ Elements, discussing the issues which are the subject of other treatises of ancient Greek philosophers. The aim of this paper is to analyze Petritsi’s point of view on the creator of the visible world, i.e. the demiurge of Plato’s Timaeus. In Petritsi’s commentary, on the one hand, the features of the supreme One and the demiurge as producers of the universe are in certain cases quasi identical, although on the other hand, the demiurge represents a lower level of intellect than the true being and in some cases is absent in places where a reader, following the context of Petritsi’s commentary, expects his presence. Key-words: one, true being, intellect, soul, matter. REVISTA LATINOAMERICANA de FILOSOFÍA Vol. 47 Nº1 l Otoño 2021 El Demiurgo en el Comentario de Ioane Petritsi a los Elementos de teología de Proclo Resumen: Ioane Petritsi, neoplatonista georgiano y cristiano del siglo XII, compuso un comentario sobre los Elementos de Teología de Proclo, en el que va mucho más allá del material abarcado por los Elementos y llega a discutir cuestiones de las que se ocupan los tratados de otros filósofos griegos de la Antigüedad. Este trabajo se propone analizar el punto de vista de Pe- tritsi sobre el creador del mundo visible, es decir, el demiurgo del Timeo de Platón.
[Show full text]