Neoplatonic Pedagogy and the Alcibiades I: Crafting the Contemplative

Many philosophers in the ancient world shared a unitary vision of philosophy – meaning 'love of wisdom' – not just as a theoretical discipline, but as a way of life. Specifically, for the late Neoplatonic thinkers, philosophy began with self-knowledge, which led to a person's inner conversion or transformation into a lover, a human being erotically striving toward the totality of the real. This metamorphosis amounted to a complete existential conversion. It was initiated by learned guides who cultivated higher and higher levels of virtue in their students, leading, in the end, to their vision of the Good, or the One. In this book, James M. Ambury closely analyses two central texts in this tradition: the commentaries by Proclus (412–485 AD) and Olympiodorus (495–560 AD) on the Platonic Alcibiades I. Ambury's powerful study illuminates the way philosophy was conceived during a crucial period of its history, in the lecture halls of late antiquity. Cover Half-title Title page Imprints page Dedication Epigraph Table of Contents Acknowledgements List of Abbreviations Introduction: Curriculum and Contemplative Chapter 1 The Self-Knowledge Necessity: Opening Remarks Chapter 2 Exalting Eros: Proem (103a1–106c2) Socrates’ First Speech Alcibiades’ First Reply and First Brief Exchange Socrates’ Second Speech Alcibiades’ Second Reply and Second Brief Exchange Chapter 3 How Should I Live?: The Elenctic Section (106c3–119a7) The First Syllogism: Shunning Surrender The Second Syllogism: Withstanding Withdrawal The Third Syllogism: Refusing Responsibility The Fourth Syllogism: Obstructing One’s Self The Fifth Syllogism: Psychoparalytic Place The Sixth Syllogism: Desiderative Dead End The Seventh Syllogism: Borderlands Between Chapter 4 What Do I Want?: The Protreptic Section (119a8–124a8) The Eighth Syllogism: Erotic Intensification Chapter 5 Who Am I?: The Maieutic Section (124a8–135e8) The Ninth Syllogism: Agalmic Awareness The Tenth Syllogism: Desire’s Destination Bibliography Names Index Passages Index Subject Index