Physics and Philosophy of Nature in Greek Neoplatonism

Traditional scholarship has generally neglected the philosophy of nature in Greek Neoplatonism. In the last few decades, however, this attitude has changed radically. Natural philosophy has increasingly been regarded as a crucial aspect of late antique thought. Furthermore, several studies have outlined the impressive historical legacy of Neoplatonic physics. Building on this new interest, the ten papers published here concentrate on Neoplatonic philosophy of nature from Plotinus to Simplicius, and on its main conceptual features and its relation to the previous philosophical and scientific traditions. The papers were presented at a conference sponsored by the European Science Foundation in Castelvecchio Pascoli in June 2006. This volume makes an important contribution to the understanding of Greek Neoplatonism and its historical significance.

Riccardo Chiaradonna, Ph.D. (2001) in Philosophy, 'La Sapienza’ University of Rome, is Associate Professor of Ancient Philosophy at the University of 'Roma Tre'. He has published extensively on Neoplatonism including Sostanza movimento analogia. Plotino critico di Aristotele (Naples 2002).

Franco Trabattoni, Ph.D. (1980) in Philosophy, University of Milan, is Professor of Ancient Philosophy at the University of Milan. His publications include Scrivere nell'anima. Verità dialettica e persuasione in Platone (Florence 1994); Platone (Rome 1998); La verità nascosta. Oralità e scrittura in Platone e nella Grecia classica (Rome 2005).

"[...]this is a very valuable volume, which contains a wealth of interesting material and, even if one may not agree with everything in it, a great number of thought-provoking discussions." Marije Martijn in Aestimatio: Critical Reviews in the History of Science 9 (2012)