Description
Book SynopsisThis volume is a unique collection of essays by an international team of leading scholars investigating the views of pagan and Christian philosophers on causation and creation in late antiquity. The book will be of interest to upper-level students and scholars of philosophy, classics, ancient history and theology.
Trade Review'A fascinating investigation by leading experts into the issues of creation and causation (including moral agency) in a selection of late antique philosophers, 'pagan' and Christian alike.' Ilaria Ramelli, Catholic University, Milan
'Causation and Creation in Late Antiquity contains uniformly excellent scholarly articles, collected around the related themes of the respective origins of the cosmos and of human action.' Matthew W. Knotts, Augustiniana
Table of ContentsIntroduction Anna Marmodoro and Brian D. Prince; Part I. The Origin of the Cosmos: 1. Two early Stoic theories of cosmogony Ricardo Salles; 2. Plotinus' account of demiurgic causation and its philosophical background Riccardo Chiaradonna; 3. Creation and divine providence in Plotinus Christopher Isaac Noble and Nathan M. Powers; 4. Waiting for Philoponus Richard Sorabji; 5. Gregory of Nyssa on the creation of the world Anna Marmodoro; 6. Simplicius on elements and causes in Greek philosophy: critical appraisal or philosophical synthesis? Han Baltussen; Part II. The Origins of Human Agency: 7. Divine and human freedom: Plotinus' new understanding of creative agency Kevin Corrigan; 8. Consciousness and agency in Plotinus D. M. Hutchinson; 9. Neoplatonists on the causes of vegetative life James Wilberding; 10. Astrology and the will in Porphyry of Tyre Aaron P. Johnson; 11. Proclus on the ethics of self-constitution Michael Griffin; 12. Deficient causes: Augustine on creation and angels Gillian Clark; 13. Willed causes and causal willing in Augustine Mark Edwards; References; Index locorum; General index.
