History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps HoP 199 - Much Ado About Nothing - Eriugena's Periphyseon
Nov 22, 2014
Explore the remarkable thinker Eriugena and his masterpiece Periphyseon. Delve into the three opposite types and God's creation process. Examine the limitations of language in describing God and the problem of non-being. Discover Eriugena's radical metaphysics and the importance of anonymous medieval scholars.
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Eriugena Stood Out Because He Knew Greek
- Peter Adamson compares John Scotus Eriugena to a standout performer like Zepo Marks who gains an edge through a unique skill.
- Eriugena's facility with Greek and adventurous use of Dionysius set him apart in the Carolingian intellectual scene.
Fourfold Division Links Platonic Forms To Trinity
- Eriugena divides all things into four natures by whether they create and are created, linking Platonic causes to Christian Trinity doctrine.
- God is the uncreated creator, the Son/Word are primordial causes, and sensible things participate in those causes.
Creation As Eternal Idea Then Manifestation
- Eriugena reads creation as a two-step process: things are formed as causes within God and then manifest in the created world.
- He identifies primordial causes with the Son, so creation is the Son's manifestation into the world, echoing incarnation.