PHILIP MERLAN

ARCHIVES INTERNATIONALES D'HISTOIRE DES IDEES

II'.ITERNATIONAL ARCHIVES OF THE HISTORY OF IDEAS \ MONOPSYCF{ISMMYSTTCISIVT METACOI\SCIOUSI\ESS

7 PROBLEMS OF THE SOUL rN THE NEOARISTOTELTAN AND .r.ì\r NEOPLATONIC TRADITION..:,. J-i1f\ '."ra\''4rz -\ PHILIP MERLAN ,' o a-1. '-5,Zb )ND EDrr roN \6rct tt, iì,J MONOPSYCHISM MYSTICISM Vtlu*' METACOhISCIOUSNESS

i rr,1rÙllC

N. "4fà$' 5lP il,? {45 f

Directeurs: P. Dibol (Nimègue)-9t-Collins R. Popkin (I{arvey Mudd College,Claremont) Comité de rédaction: J. (St.-Lo_uis Univ.); A. Cronibie (oxforcl)j IrPqqF ka (c_racovieJ;H. de la Fontaine-verwey (Amsterdam); u. badamér (Heidelberg).;.H._GorlhieJ_(P"tll);T. Gregory iRórne); r. B. Jéssop(Hull);A. MARTTNUS NrJr{OFF THE HAGUE Koyré J93{ir); .p. O. Kristeller (tlol:'qrrià Uliv.)i S. Linàroth^ùpsarfi r. / I tg Og Mesnard ((Tours); J. Orcibal (Paris); I.S_.Revah (Paris);G. Sebba(Emofo' IJniv., Atlanta, R. Shackleton (Oxford); G. Tonelli (Pise). secrétaires: P. Golliet (Nimègue) et lìlisabeth Labrousse' (paris) @ 1969, by Martínus Nijhoff, The Hague, Netherlands AIt rights reserued, including the right to trcnslate or to reproduce tlris book or parts thereof ín any form

VXORI

PRINTED IN THE NETHERLANDS PREF'ACE

Part of the material contained in the present book was presenteclin the form of a lecture course given by me at the University of Oxforcl in 196z as a Fulbright Senior Lecturer. Scripps Collegeand the Claremont Graduate School contributed to the cost of researchand publication. The staff of the Honnold Library, claremont, california., was extremely obliging in matters concerninginter-library loans. The page proofs were read in part by Professor Richard Walzer, the University of Oxford. Mr. Salih Alich, Blaisdell Institute, Claremont, California, correctecl many errors occurring in the transliteration from Arabic in Section V. To all these institutions and persons I express my most sincere thanks.

The manuscript was essentially completed early in 196o.

ScrippsCollege, Claremont, California. TABLES OF CONTENTS

I GENERAL

I Introduction I-3 II Three neoaristotelian and neoplatonic concepts: mono- psychism, mysticism, metaconsciousness +4+ III Three Averroistic problems B5-rr3 r Collective immortality and collective perfection in Averroes and Dante Bs-g+ z Ecstatic conjunction, death, and immortalitv in the individuat 94-ro2 3 The double truth theory and the problem of per- sonal immortality in Averroes IO2-r13 w collective consciousness,double consciousness,and metaconsciousness(unconscious consciousness) in Kant and some post-I(antians fr4-r.37 v select bibliography of translations of philosophical works by al-Kindî, al-Fàràbi, Avicenna, ibn_Bà$$a,and Averroes î. r3B-r5o VI Index of names r5î-r54

II ANALYTICAL OF SECTION II

The starting point: Plotinus, Enn. V r. plotinus, principle 6tr,oùx é[or voùtù vor]td and his identifica- tion of the secondùrcóotaor,6 with the demiurge 4_7 Transition to Aristotle: identity of voù6and uoqrú derived from Aristotle's noetics (cf. rB). plurality of voi in Plotinus (cf. zB; 33) 7_ro TABLES OF CONTENTS TABLES oF CONTENTS XI Identification of the demiurge with the voù6 also 15 summary: Plotinus' indebtedness to Alexand.er derived from Aristotle's noetics zz) 39-40 @f. IO 16 Gaps in Alexander's noetics: what kincl of help cloes The principle of incessantactivity of the voù6in Plo- tlre voùq nowlctxíq render to human intelligence? tinus alsoderived from Aristotle's noetics(cf..4; z6) IO_II Typology of answersto this question (St. Thomas; The problem posed by this assertionwith regard fo St. Augustin; Avicenna). Another gap: How does the human voùq:Enn. IV B (on a different occasion, the transformation of human intelligence into the viz. the discussionof the problem of the fall of the voù6rrorlrt"xíq take place? Typology of answersto souls) contains the solution, indicated by the con- this question cept of the unconscious(cf.. z3; 24) 40-4r rr-r3 17 The dichotomy of inteltigiblesin Alexanclet (cî. - 7) All these doctrines with the exception of the one and the problems therein involved containing the solution, i.e. the doctrine of the 4r-42 un- rB The two modes of cognition attendant upon these conscious- (esp.the doctrines connectedwith the two kinds of intelligibtes: intuition and abstraction conceptsof voùqrcowptxíq and voù6na$rTtr,xóc) rooted 42-43 19 some terminological ambiguities resulting from this in Alexander's interpretation of Aristotle's noetics. dichotomy (cf. 7), particularly in St. Augustin One aspect of this interpretation: the necessity 43-44 of zo The problem of the identity of intelligizing with its transforming the human intelligence into the voù6 object ("f. z; ro) resumed"The topic of ideas as nolrlrlxóq (divinization of man) r3-r6 god's thoughts Another aspect of this interpretation: 44-45 Alexander's zr Principles of reasoningas a third kind of intelligibles dichotomy of intelligibles (cf. 17; rg; 3.4) t6-r7 (cf..17 i 28). The problem of the identification of the The doctrine of the transformation (.f. 6): Ibn- voùq nor,1rw6qwith the derniurge resumed (.f. S) Bà[[a and Averroes. The concept of rational 45-46 mys- zz Anticipation of the fusion of Aristotle's noetics with ticism established 17-25 his astronomical system (plurality of intellige'ces Did Porphyry professthis transformation ? Avicen- as movers o{ the spheres),characteristic of Moslem na's criticism of Porphyry z5-26 philosophers,by Alexander +6-+r to Someambiguities attending this concept of transfor- z3 The problem 'IJnion', 'identification', of the incessant activity of the voùq mation. etc. sometimesex- rov,lrrxiqresumed.(.f. +; S). Typologytf irrt.rpreta- press the identity of intelligizing with its object, tions of plotinus this doctrine. The place of (cf. 5). sometimes the identity of human intelligence with A variant in 'IJnion' the text of Aristotle's De ctnimaIII 5, the voù6rror,4rw6q. sometimesonly means 'contact'.'Identity' 43oa22 47-52 sometimesonly meansepistemic z4 Monopsychismand 'identity' the doctrine of metaconsciousness identity as distinguished from ontic z6-27 (unconsciousness)in Plotinus (.f. 5) n Avicenna's ambiguities illustrative 53-55 of all these pos- z5 The problem of monopsychism (mononoism) in sibilities 27-30 Themistius 55-56 rz The problem of Alexander's aud Aristotle's mysticism. z6 The problem 'formal' of the unconscious and of incessant Intelligibles - or 'material' ('contentual', activity of the voù6@f. +; 5) in Leibniz" The at- inhaltlich,'cf.zB) 30-35 tendant problem of anamnesisin its reration to the 13 A comparisonbetween Alexander and Ps. Alexander doctrine of the unconscious(cf. zfl in Leibniz and in regard to the problem of mysticisrn Plotinus 35-37 S6_Sg 14 A third (cf. 6 aspectof this interpretation: ; 7) the z7 Anamnesisand the unconsciousin st. Augustin (cf. causality of the voùqnorryrwíq in Alexander 26) sB-sg 59 XII TABLES OF CONTENTS TABLES OF CONTENTS XIII zB Review of St. Augustine's epistemologyas related to p. rr, n. zi On translating the term voù6nor4mx6q. the problems of the identity of the voùqwith the p. T4, n. 6, On translating the terms voù6úì.r,xó6, 'formal' 7: Buvd,pet,ènlxmltoq, vo4tú (cf. z) ; illumination vs. abstraction; $ripa$ev. on translating the term voùq by intelligentia and vs.'material' ('contentual', inltatliclt')illumination intellectu,.s.Cf. p. 50, n" z. (.f. rz); anamnesisand memory (cf. 37); the un- p.17, n. 3: Nardi's interpretation of Alexander Aphrodisias. conscious(cf. rz). The threepartition of vor;túin St. p. 18, n. r; p. 19, n. r: Bibliographical note on some Moslem and Augustine and in Avicenna (cf. zr) 59-6r Jewish philosophers' attitudes towards the problem of unio. z9 Concluding quotation from Leibniz 614z p. 19, n. r: Bibliographical note on Ibn BàSga and Averroes on the 3o The relation between the One and voù6in Plotinus problem of. unio. and Albinus. Plurality of voÌ in Albinus. The identi- p. r9, n. 3: Moslem and German mysticism (Master Eckhart and fication of the voùqwith the demiurge anticipated by Eckhart the Younger). Albinus 6z-63 p.24, n. r: Averroes on dreams and prophecy (revelation). 3r Two triads in Albinus: god-ideas-matter and god- p. 26, n. z: Did Averroes always profess the possibility or.unio? intelligence-soul 6+-62 p. 28, n. 4i Avicenna on the possibility of the unio. 32 Anticipation of the principle of ènrotpocpdby Albinus 67-68 p. 29, n. r: on the terms ittihad and itti;al and attendant problems. 33 Plotinus on the plurality of voi (cf. z) 68 p. 3r, n.2: What is the object of non-discursiveknowledges according The dichotomy of intelligibles ("f. 17; 19) in Al- 34 Z: to Aristotle? How many kinds of vozlrúare there? cf. p. 3r, binus; intuition and abstractionagain (cf. rB; zB) 68-69 n. 2; P. 45,n. 2-3. 35 The three principles of Plotinus in Apuleius 69-7o p. 3r, n. 3: The problem of formal and material ('contentual', inhalt- 36 Plotinus' combination of metaphysics with psycho- Iich) ilJumination (Augustinism and.Thomism). The conflicting logy 70-7Í interpretationsof St. Augustin. Cf. p. 3r, n. 3 and p. 6o. 37 Anamnesis und memory. From Plato's ideas to p. 33, n. r: The demonologyin Plato's Symposion. innate ideas 72-77 p. 33, n. z: The problem of Aristotle's Platonism" 38 Concluding characteristic of Plotinus 77 p. 37, n- r: Freudenthal on Alexander and Ps. Alexander's. An 39 The problem of selfJ

This is primarily a contribution to the search for the sources of the philosophy of Plotinus and, in connection with it, an investigation of some aspectsof the survival (or revival) of the problems inclicated in the title of the book viz. monopsychism, mysticism, and meta* consciousness,as they come to light on the occasionof such a search" (monopsychism' The term needsno explanation. Howerrer, as used in the title of this book, it is meant to cover not only what can legiti- mately be so called, i.e. the doctrine that all sootlsare ultimately one, but also what could be called mononoism or solmentalism or u,ni,tas intellectus,i.e. the doctrine teaching that there is only one voù6 (ttre translation of this term will be discussedin the text of the book) common to all men. Though these two doctrines are obviously closely related, they are not identical as plurality of souis and unicity of voùqare not mutually exclusive. 'mysticism' The term is admittedly a term on the precise sense of which not everybody agrees. By definition we take it to mean a doctrine teaching that the highest moments of man's existence are those of his absorption into whatever he takes the divine to be, and that this absorption, usually called ecstasy, is an experience sr,t.i gen'eris,distinct from the ordinary human experiences.This definition .leaveson purpose undetermined some questions which almost im- rnediately force themselves on us. What is the nature of the divine into which man feels absorbed in ecstasy? What makes such an ab- sorption ontically possible,i.e. what is the relation betweenman and thedivine? What is the way leading to such ecstasy? Specifically, which aspectsof man's life, both in its somaticand mental components, are significantly engagedin the quest for and achievementof ecstasy? fs ecstasyprimarily an intellectual experienceor an emotional one? INT ROD UCTI ON INTRODUCTION 3 What is precisely the role of consciousness in ecstasy ? To what from the solutions which ,it actually found and establish something extent can the condition of ecsta.s)'be described ? To rvhat extent is like a typology of solutions. The types thus found will be ideal types, it ineffable ? and our interest in attributing them to philosophers who actually All these questions are treated here only incidentally. But another, professedthem will only be second"ry. We shall quote these authors belonging to the sailte context, is of major importance for the present merely as examples. Such a procedure has the advantage of all pro- investigation. It is the question: to what extent is ecstasy a con- ceduresaiming at a typology and later working r,vith ideal types thus tinuation of the intellectual or, as it is usually called, rational activity establishedfor penetrating empirical realitSr.In all likelihood we shall of man's mincL, and to what extent and in what senseis it a brealiing find no representative entirely true to the type of solution which we away from this rational activity and thus, as it is usually expressed, have established.But we shall be able to see\Mith greater clarity what an irrational conclition ? Or, from a slightly different point of vier,v: the issuesactually are. What is empirically vague is therefore closer to lvhat extent is ecstasy a natural conclition of man, to what exterrt to reality - but it is also more obscure. What is non-empirically is it supematural ? To many, ecstasy is considered both strictly precise is more comprehensiblefor the very reason of its remoteness irrational and supernatural in character. Therefore I should like to from the empirical. In other words, in addition to our endeavor to say at the outset that as used here the term ecstasy often designa.tes find out who actually thought what on a specific problem, we shall a condition of rnan's mind which could be called supremely rational time and again try to ascertain what possible solutions existed, rather than irrational ancl to which the term supernatural can be regardlessof actualities. - applied only in a very special sense to inclicate its elevating character fn conclusion,I should like to apologizefor my referencesto Arabic and rarity rather than anything else. Therefore mysticisrn as usecl and Hebrew sources,which essentially are accessibleto me only in here is meant to represent a very special type of mysticisrn which we translation, my knowledge of the two languagesbeing entirely rudi- tentatively will call mysticism of - reason or simply rationalistic mentary. These referencesare exclusively for the sake of perspective mysticism. If this to sotne may sound like a contrad,ictio ir't adiecto, and are simply to remind the reader that the problems here treated rve hope that they will in the end aclmit the legitimacy of the term. are common to Jew, Moslem, and Christian, particularly to those of And after all, it cau always be said that quantity may turn into quality the Middle Ages, when they all belonged to the world of the three and thus the supremely rational condition r,vould be a ne\.v, non- rings, to use Fr. Heer's favorite phrase. They also are to remind the rational quality rather than the supreme degree of reasolì. reader that we can have no adequate picture of the continuity of the 'rnetaconsciousness'. Another term occurring in the title is Perhaps history of Western philosophy, if we omit the world of Islam. Mutatis it wotild have been simpler to speak of the unconscious, but probably mutandis, the historian of philosophy r,vill be inclined to sympathize most readers would take this term to mean that part of man's mind with Goethe'sHerrlich ist der Orient I UbersMittelmeer gedrungen f Nur rvhich is the repository of repressed or suppressed desi,res.But as will uer Hafis liebt und hennt I Weiszwas Calderongesuil,gen, though he on be seen in the proper place, this is not the sense in which the term 'unconscious' the other hand will always remain conscious of the extraordinary is here used; therefore, it seemed preferable to use the - 'metaconsciousness'. indebtednessof Moslem philosophers to the Greek ones including term As shall also be seelt,there is, on the other many of the secondor third ord.er. hand, in spite of the difference, also essential similarity between 'unconscious' r,vhat it desrgnates and what the terrn as it is rnostly used today does. Therefore, the two terms will be used interchangeably. One word on the method: often it is the orthodox historical one. We ascertain lvhat problem has been poseclbv whorr and how he and others solved it. In other worcls, we proceed empirically. But time and again lve shall proceed in a different marìner. After having found r,vhat was empirically saicl ancl by r,vhonr,we shall try to isolate the problem