Platonist Discourses on Dualism: First Century BC to Third Century AD

Since at least Plato, dualism – the idea that there are two distinct types of reality that possibly have different origins – is a central topic of philosophy, which addresses the concept from a wide range of perspectives: metaphysics, psychology, epistemology, and ethics. In the Imperial Age (27 BC–AD 284) this issue is infused with non-Greek influences and perspectives (e.g. Gnosticism, Hermeticism), hailing mostly from the Eastern part of the Roman Empire. Some of these lead to a stronger form of dualism, whereby matter and evil are said to arise from a separate evil principle. Toward the end of the Imperial Age and the rise of Neoplatonism, this view will be resolutely rejected in favour of a clear-cut monism.

Until now there still exists no true inclusive overview of this concept in the Imperial Age. The principal reason for this is the relatively recent exploration of philosophy in this period, as well as the exclusion of sources not strictly philosophical. This two-day workshop organized by Rareș Marinescu will bring together an interdisciplinary team of scholars tasked with considering such an inclusive overview might be achieved.

Speakers

• Kasra Abdavi Azar (KU Leuven/Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg)
• Dylan M. Burns (University of Amsterdam)
• Lloyd Gerson (University of Toronto)
• Phillip Horky (Durham University)
• Rareș Marinescu (University of Toronto)
• Arianna Piazzalunga (University of Turin)
• Denis Robichaud (University of Notre Dame)
• Christian Wildberg (University of Pittsburgh)

The event is generously sponsored by SSHRC, the Department of Classics, the Department of Philosophy, and the Collaborative Specialization in Ancient and Medieval Philosophy at the University of Toronto.