the means. That Machiavelli’s stated purpose is to “say something that will prove of practical use” (Machiavelli 65) is of particular significance because it both delicately and violently attacks the worth of such philosophical systems as neo-Platonism and the moral burdens of Christianity. In true humanist form‚ Machiavelli cites only historical observation when he writes of the “real truth” that morality is like a powerful noble‚ to be employed only at one’s advantage and‚ when detrimental
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mysticism and the Kabbalah‚ although Medieval Jewish philosophers were heavily influenced by Aristotelianism through the writings of Muslim commentators and interpreters‚4 Kabbalist could be said to owe more to Plato than to Aristotle. Neo-Platonism is a monistic (reality as a unified whole) view of the world‚ which posits as the absolute cause of everything a pure spiritual principle‚ the One‚ the acme of perfection‚ that emanates from itself into lower levels of spiritual existence‚ with the
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besides God. It is not a smooth ride to attain faith. One can fluctuate his faith in certain religions. Although he converted to Manichaeism‚ he became detached in Milan. He loses his faith in finding truth in Manichaeism. Then he converts to Neo-Platonism. which he later rejects. He struggles to create his own views on God. He slowly leans toward Christianity but wavers. In an attempt to stabilize his faith‚ he turns to
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Henry Vaughan’s The Retreate In the poem The Retreate Henry Vaughan deals with the loss of the heavenly glory experienced during the childhood and expresses a fanciful desire to get back that original stage. The theme‚ on the surface level‚ appears very simple; but going into the deeper the reader will find that the poem is founded on the diverse European idealistic‚ psychological‚ religious/mystical and philosophical doctrines in the western culture. On the socio-cultural level‚ the poem can be
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Philosophy‚ states that the “philosophy of Plato is often thought to occupy‚ a kind of middle ground between Christianity and pagan antiquity…various aspects of his thought are considered congenial by many Christian thinkers” Partree’s point is that Platonism was agreeable with Christianity in several key points unlike many other philosophies of the time. Partree goes on to give several examples of common grounds between Platonic thought and Christianity such as‚ “Plato believes in the existence of God
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virtue but a vice‚ according to Augustine; yet politically it has similar effects to virtue: love of honor inhibits other vices. In this respect it is an image or imitation or likeness of real virtue. Augustine’s philosophy was much influenced by neo-Platonism. Plato distinguished especially between two levels of reality: the Forms‚ and the things of our experience‚ which imitate or resemble the Forms in an inferior way. The neo-Platonists extended this to many levels: Reality has many levels‚ each of
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The problems of defining humanism in relation to art are compounded by the notion of‘renaissance’ art. Some scholars unhesitatingly speak of ‘the arts in the age of humanism’ and even ‘the art of humanism’; others resolve to treat the arts in terms independent of any such associations. This division reflects a healthy suspicion about relying on broad categories such as ‘humanism’ and ‘renaissance’ in historical inquiry generally and in art history and criticism in particular. There is an increasing
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century C.E. via the Silk Road trade routes‚ the Chinese thought it was a version of the native Taoist tradition. Buddhist monks and missionaries. P.76 10. In what ways is Christianity syncretistic to Roman religion? St. Augustine transformed Neo-Platonism into powerful Christian philosophy‚ and the birthdate of the unconquered pagan sun god became Christmas‚ which is also the birthdate of Jesus. 11. Why are Charlemagne and the Frankish kingdom important to the spread of Christianity? He spread
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Botticelli early on developed a distinctive artistic style that incorporated Neo-Platonism‚ which was the period of Platonic philosophy that was mystical and religious in nature. This distinct style appealed to the Papacy who asked him to travel to Rome‚ Italy to work on the Sistine Chapel with other great Renaissance artists like Michelangelo
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directing the world in its revolutionary course of change. sublime” expresses clearly his Platonism or idealism‚ explaining meanwhile his radicalism‚ atheism‚ pragmatic theory of poetry and defects in writing poetry. Key words and phrase: 1. truth‚ beauty‚ goodness radicalism‚ atheism 2. intellectual beauty 3. shadow 4. the awful shadow 5. the sublime and the beautiful 6. the ethical sublime 7. Platonism‚ idealism‚ 1 I. Truth‚ Beauty‚ Goodness Truth‚ beauty‚ and goodness are said to be
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