Middle Platonism
Quick Summary
Middle Platonism was a philosophical movement that flourished from the 1st century BCE to the 3rd century CE, bridging the gap between earlier Platonism and Neoplatonism. It was characterized by a renewed focus on Plato's dialogues and an attempt to synthesize Platonic ideas with other philosophical traditions, particularly Stoicism and Pythagoreanism.1
Key tenets of Middle Platonism include:
* Transcendence of the Divine: Emphasis on a supreme, transcendent principle, often referred to as "the One".1
* Forms in the Divine Mind: The Platonic forms were understood as existing within the divine intellect.1
* Otherworldliness: A strong focus on ascending the mind to the divine and eternal, often described as a "flight from the body".1
* Problem of Evil: Attributing evil to a flawed world soul or to matter.1
Prominent Middle Platonists include Plutarch, Albinus, Apuleius, Atticus, and Numenius of Apamea. This philosophical current significantly influenced early Christian thinkers like Philo Judaeus and Justin Martyr, shaping the development of Christian theology.12
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
PlatonismGreek Platonism from Aristotle through Middle Platonism: its nature and history…next important phase of Platonism, Middle Platonism or pre-Neoplatonism, was significant through the influence that it exerted in more than one direction. In the direction of Jewish culture (further described in a later section), it formed the Greek philosophical background of the efforts of Philo Judaeus (Philo of Alexandria) to…
Read More…next important phase of Platonism, Middle Platonism or pre-Neoplatonism, was significant through the influence that it exerted in more than one direction. In the direction of Jewish culture (further described in a later section), it formed the Greek philosophical background of the efforts of Philo Judaeus (Philo of Alexandria) to…
Read More- PlatonismAugustinian Platonism
…of Christian Platonism; it was Middle Platonic rather than Neoplatonic in that God could not be the One beyond Intellect and Being but was the supreme reality in whose creative mind were the Platonic forms, the eternal patterns or regulative principles of all creation. Perhaps the most distinctive influence of…
Read More…of Christian Platonism; it was Middle Platonic rather than Neoplatonic in that God could not be the One beyond Intellect and Being but was the supreme reality in whose creative mind were the Platonic forms, the eternal patterns or regulative principles of all creation. Perhaps the most distinctive influence of…
Read More