Proclus on the Theology of Plato (Neoplatonism: Theology for Wanderers in the New Millennium, Book One
Synopsis
What is the essential difference between the teachings of Plato and the New Platonism or Neoplatonism? It is the difference which is undoubtedly rooted in the point that the entire world of the learned since the time of Plato had fallen into decline. The old ways were not sufficient to meet the neurosis of the dying dynasties. Neoplatonism is then primarily to be defined as a motion of Platonism toward theology. In other words, it is the rise of Platonism as a religion. The five-part archival audio tape series upon which this pamphlet series is based ("Doctrines of Neoplatonism," transcribed by Clarke E. Johnston), was given by Manly P. Hall in 1983 to students who were interested in learning more about the ancient wisdom. It seemed to have been one of his favorite subjects down through the years, for he spoke and wrote about it frequently during his long career. In fact, the foreword to his book "Lectures on Ancient Philosophy" declared that the basis of it was Neoplatonism. In the last few years of his life, Mr. Hall said that after years of study and reflection, he had come to believe that the doctrines of Neoplatonism had descended to us in a purer form than nearly any other philosophical system. This system seemed more suitable to we active, extroverted Western people. He believed this was true because though it was as deep and thorough as any other approach to enlightenment, its precepts were more easily understood and their relative simplicity tended to impel an interested person to put them into practice by beginning to learn to live a more philosophic life. The material in this series provides an excellent overview of Neoplatonism that we hope those who read it may be inspired to study the subject themselves. As anyone who has spent time in such study and learned its value will tell you, it is worth all the time you can give it, with its maximum value coming from the disciplined application of its precepts to your daily life. Neoplatonism puts great emph
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About the Author
Manly P. Hall, the Philosophical Research Society's first president, was a seeker and lover of wisdom, the very definition of a philosopher. He had the courage and the raw intellectual energy to look for wisdom in places most men had long since forgotten about, or never knew existed. He lived in an era when most Americans did not look toward other cultures and traditions, without looking down. Yet during such times, Manly P. Hall spoke, and wrote extensively, of the wisdom found in all ancient traditions. In an age when serious study of "other religions" was anathema to most, he found deep cross-cultural threads and revealed many interconnected roots of modern religious expression. Neither Guru nor Saint, he made no claim of perfection, far from it; but his work is exceedingly rare in its grand scope, detail and synthesis. He embraced the wisdom of every tradition, and, with a fluid command of their obscure and complex contents, worked to express their unifying truths. His legacy is over 200 printed volumes, 8000 lectures, a hand picked library which is one of the finest in the field, and a Society and University that continue in his spirit of universal exploration and learning.
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