Panagiotis Thanassas
Logos and Forms in Phaedo 96a-102a:
Socrates’ autobiography in Phaedo signifies an attempt
to incorporate earlier philosophical thinking in a progressive
evolution culminating in the Platonic theory of Forms. In
the “second sailing”, the “hypothesis of Forms”
is not a hypothetical assumption, an arbitrary claim or conjecture,
but something to be “sup-posed” prior to any further
knowledge or statement. The careful reading and reconstruction
of the famous simile of the “sun in eclipse” leads
to crucial consequences concerning the attempt to “take
refuge in the logoi”. The Forms “sup-posed”
in the logoi do not indicate a new “transcendent”
object, but aim at the same target as that of the senses:
at the truth of beings of our world. The “second sailing”
follows a different route, but has the same direction as the
“first sailing” of the physiologoi.
Jens Halfwassen
Henologie bei Platon und Plotin
Aristotle construed metaphysics primarily in terms of ontology,
whereas Plato had developed a different approach to the philosophy
of principles. The main task of the metaphysical theory of
principles is the quest for the absolute. For Plato, however,
the absolute is the one; and this idea – most influentially
advocated by Plotinus – is the foundation of a tradition
that construes metaphysics mainly in terms of henology. The
central aspects of this doctrine are the idea of the transcendence
of the absolute one, the perspective of negative theology,
and – in Plotinus – a genuinely philosophical kind
of mysticism.
Marcel van Ackeren
Theoretisch glücklich: Bedeutung und Zusammenhang
der Glücksbestimmungen in Aristoteles’ Nikomachischer
Ethik
In his Nicomachean Ethics Aristotle gives us two definitions
of happiness (eudaimonia): In book I he defines eudaimonia
as activity in accordance with the best and most perfect virtue,
and very much later in the treatise, in book X, he states
that the contemplative life of the philosopher is the most
blessed life, and the life of the politician only second in
rank. This paper argues that most interpreters have misunderstood
the first definition (i.e. they have not correctly identified
the best and most perfect virtue) due to the temptation to
read the first book with the tenth in mind. A new interpretation
of the first definition is corroborated and linked with Aristotle’s
statements in book X, so that the entire work seems to be
more consistent. Furthermore, a solution to the vexed problem
whether moral virtues play a role in the contemplative life
is suggested.
Norbert Winkler
Thomas von Aquin und Meister Eckhart: Klugheits- oder Gewissensethik
This essay deals with the contrary opinions of Thomas Aquinas
and Meister Eckhart on synderesis and conscience. In his theory,
Thomas Aquinas focuses more on prudence and less on conscience.
Meister Eckhart is the proponent of an attitude ethics focusing
on the notion of scintilla animae. For Thomas Aquinas, the
Aristotelian thinker, the practical syllogism links judgement
to spiritual values, whereas Meister Eckhart gives priority
to self-predication. By means of self-predication, action
and normativity can be combined immediately; the practical
syllogism combines them in an indirect way.
Gerhard Faden
Meister Eckharts Dialektik
This article tries to point out the dialectical and paradoxical
character of Eckhart’s thought, which permits him at
once to affirm and to negate categories such as being, nothingness,
personality, substance, origin, creation, image. In this way,
Eckhart can unite a personal-theistic and a non-personal-atheistic
view. A dialectical structure can also be seen in Eckhart’s
ethics. Further, the dialectical interpretation can elucidate
the ambivalence in the concept of the scintilla animae. The
origin and aim of Eckhart’s dialectics proves to consist
in the concept of non-distinction.
Zdzislaw Kuksewicz
Maître Théodoric, averroïste d’Erfurt
du XIVe siècle
We know of three commentaries on Aristotle by Theodoricus
de Magdeburg: The Quaestiones super De physica, the Quaestiones
super De substantia orbis, and the Quaestiones super De anima.
This paper presents an analysis of some of Thedoricus’
s questions with regard to three main topics: (1) Matter and
Substance, (2) God (Quaestiones super De physica, super De
substantia orbis), and (3) Man and Soul (Quaestiones super
De anima). The investigation of the first two works –
and of the first two topics respectively – starts with
an assessment of their contents. It turns out, however, that
Super De physica scarcely differs from Super De substantia
orbis and that the few differences are rather superficial.
Theodoricus’ s Super De anima mainly expounds the theory
of the intellect. The analysis concentrates on his role in
the debates with other Latin Averroists such as John of Jandun.
It is evident that Theodoricus, even in his disagreement with
other philosophers, essentially relies on Averroistic thought;
but he also strikes out in new directions. These two characteristics
of his philosophy – consistency and originality –
mark him as an outstanding thinker in the tradition of Latin
Averroism.
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