Nature as an Instrumental Cause in Proclus
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Rareș Ilie Marinescu
Abstract
In this paper I focus on Proclus’ concept of the instrumental cause in his commentary on the Timaeus (In Tim.). Unlike earlier Neoplatonists who do not make much use of this type of causality, Proclus relates the instrumental cause to the hypostasis of nature (φύσις). The Demiurge uses nature as an instrument in his ordering and creation of the cosmos. How does Proclus arrive at this understanding of nature? I argue that the definition of nature as an instrumental cause is in part based on his critical reception of Aristotle who identifies nature with the formal, efficient, and/or final cause. That is, Proclus did not develop his views on the causality of nature only by looking at the Timaeus (and other Platonic sources), but also by engaging with Aristotle’s rich – and, to a certain extent, authoritative – reflections on this issue.
Acknowledgment
I express my gratitude to Myrto Hatzimichali, Jan Opsomer, Gábor Betegh, James Warren and the anonymous referees of this journal for the helpful discussions and suggestions.
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Funding information: I benefited from funding by the German Cusanuswerk and the Faculty of Classics, Cambridge. Research for this paper has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No. [885273]) / Advanced Grant, acronym: PlatoViaAristotle.
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Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Research Articles
- Measuring the End: Heraclitus and Diogenes of Babylon on the Great Year and Ekpyrosis
- Nature as an Instrumental Cause in Proclus
- Alexander of Aphrodisias’ Theory of Action and the Capacity of Doing Otherwise
- Being and the Philosopher’s Object in Plato’s Sophist
- Plato on Sunaitia
- The Sophists’ Detractors and Plato’s Representation of Socrates
- From Dunamis as Active/Passive Capacity to Dunamis as Nature in Aristotle’s Metaphysics Theta
- Aristotle on Compulsive Affections and the Natural Capacity to Withstand
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Research Articles
- Measuring the End: Heraclitus and Diogenes of Babylon on the Great Year and Ekpyrosis
- Nature as an Instrumental Cause in Proclus
- Alexander of Aphrodisias’ Theory of Action and the Capacity of Doing Otherwise
- Being and the Philosopher’s Object in Plato’s Sophist
- Plato on Sunaitia
- The Sophists’ Detractors and Plato’s Representation of Socrates
- From Dunamis as Active/Passive Capacity to Dunamis as Nature in Aristotle’s Metaphysics Theta
- Aristotle on Compulsive Affections and the Natural Capacity to Withstand
