Approaches to the Monism of Proclus Neoplatonist: Metaphysical and Epistemological Foundations

In this study, the authors discuss two major topics in Proclus the Neoplatonist. Specifically, based on Proclus’ Commentary of the Parmenides and Plato's Theology, they investigate the metaphysical archetypal world, its projections in the natural world, the monistic polytheism and the “agonizing adventures” of analogy as a method. In this study, the authors discuss two major topics in Proclus the Neoplatonist, which are interesting from a metaphysical and an epistemological point of view. Specifically, based on Proclus’ Commentary on Plato's Parmenides and Theology of Plato, they investigate first the metaphysical archetypal world and its projections in the natural world and, second the monistic polytheism and the “agonizing adventures” of analogy as an ontological and methodological method. The two chapters share as their common basis the feasibility of a relationship between the metaphysical and the physical world and are incorporated into a broader theoretical objective: to highlight certain aspects of the way in which Proclus persistently establishes the monistic paradigm, both ontologically and epistemologically. Having in mind the dualistic paradigm adopted by Plato, the main question is whether Neoplatonism constitutes a natural linear continuation of early Platonism or a different School of thought.