History of Philosophy Works-in-Progress Luncheon: Samuel Pell, Loving the Unknowable: Aquinas and Ficino on the Metaphysics of Emanation and Union
Please join us for this week's History of Philosophy Works-in-Progress Luncheon! This week's presenter is Samuel Pell (Philosophy, University of Notre Dame), who will present on "Loving the Unknowable: Aquinas and Ficino on the Metaphysics of Emanation and Union."
Each meeting consists of a presentation by a graduate student, visiting scholar, or faculty member on a project that they are working on in the history of philosophy, followed by a period of comments/questions from other participants. The workshop is designed to give contributors the opportunity to develop ideas and receive helpful feedback on projects/papers in a friendly and low stakes environment.
Lunch is provided for registered attendees.
Abstract: In commenting on Dionysius’ Divine Names, Marsilio Ficino was treading ground that had already been covered by St. Thomas Aquinas. I will explore the ways in which the text of Ficino’s commentary makes reference to Aquinas’, subtly critiquing and altering his predecessor’s interpretation to advance his own metaphysics. This is especially evident in his interpretation of Dionysius on the participation of creatures in God. Dionysius uses the analogies of wax impressions generated from a single seal and of lines emanating from a single point to explain the relationship between God and creatures. While Aquinas takes the wax analogy to be controlling, explicating the relationship between God and creatures as one of efficient causation, Ficino takes the line analogy to be controlling, believing that God partially constitutes all creatures insofar as they share in his unity. Ficino’s Neoplatonic metaphysics gives him two advantages over Aquinas in his explication of divine charity. To Ficino, love allows for the possibility of a contemplative union with God even in this life, and his interpretation of love as the principle of union between God and creatures allows him to explain how loving God unites us to Him.
Originally published at historyofphilosophy.nd.edu. Please check their website for the most up-to-date information about this event.