Plato's Gods (Ashgate Studies in the History of Philosophical Theology)

This book presents a comprehensive study into Plato's theological doctrines, offering an important re-valuation of the status of Plato's gods and the relation between metaphysics and theology according to Plato. Starting from an examination of Plato's views of religion and the relation between religion and morality, Gerd Van Riel investigates Plato's innovative ways of speaking about the gods. This theology displays a number of diverging tendencies - viewing the gods as perfect moral actors, as cosmological principles or as celestial bodies whilst remaining true to traditional anthropomorphic representations. Plato's views are shown to be unified by the emphasis on the goodness of the gods in both their cosmological and their moral functions. Van Riel shows that recent interpretations of Plato's theology are thoroughly metaphysical, starting from aristotelian patterns. A new reading of the basic texts leads to the conclusion that in Plato the gods aren't metaphysical principles but souls who transmit the metaphysical order to sensible reality. The metaphysical principles play the role of a fated order to which the gods have to comply. This book will be invaluable to readers interested in philosophical theology and intellectual history. Plato Moulded The Entire Tradition Of Philosophical Theology. This Book Presents A Comprehensive Study Into Plato's Theological Doctrines, Offering An Important Explanation Of The Entire Platonic 'system' And Plato's Innovations In The Field Of Philosophical Theology. Part I : Plato's Religion -- Plato On The Origin Of Religion -- Piety And The Service Of The Gods -- Religion And Morality -- Becoming Like God. Part Ii : Plato's Theology -- Introduction -- Plato's Hesitation In Speaking Abou The Gods -- 'gods' Or 'the God'? -- Patterns For Speaking About The Gods -- Cosmology And Morality -- The Existence Of The Gods As Souls -- Plato's Pantheon. Part Iii : Theology And Metaphysics -- Introdction -- 'de-aristotelianizing' Plato's Theology -- Soul And Intellect -- Plato's Gods And Plato's Metaphysics. Gerd Van Riel. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "This book presents a comprehensive study into Plato's theological doctrines, offering an important re-valuation of the status of Plato's gods and the relation between metaphysics and theology according to Plato. Starting from an examination of Plato's views of religion and the relation between religion and morality, Gerd Van Riel investigates Plato's innovative ways of speaking about the gods. This theology displays a number of diverging tendencies - viewing the gods as perfect moral actors, as cosmological principles or as celestial bodies whilst remaining true to traditional anthropomorphic representations. Plato's views are shown to be unified by the emphasis on the goodness of the gods in both their cosmological and their moral functions."--Résumé de l'éditeur Cover 1 Contents 6 Preface 8 Introduction 10 1: Plato’s Religion 14 1 Plato on the Origin of Religion 14 2 Piety and the Service of the Gods 21 3 Religion and Morality 23 4 Becoming Like God 28 2: Plato’s Theology 34 1 Introduction 34 2 Plato’s Hesitation in Speaking about the Gods 39 3 ‘Gods’ or ‘the God’? 43 4 Patterns for Speaking about the Gods 47 5 Cosmology and Morality 51 6 The Existence of the Gods as Souls 54 7 Plato’s Pantheon 62 3: Theology and Metaphysics 70 1 Introduction 70 2 ‘De-Aristotelianizing’ Plato’s Theology 73 3 Soul and Intellect (Νοῦς) 77 4 Plato’s Gods and Plato’s Metaphysics 112 Conclusion 128 Bibliography 132 General Index 138 References to Ancient Authors 142