In his metaphysics commentary syrianus explains his view of the monad and the dyad in a number of places. On aristotle metaphysics 34 by syrianus, 9781472558176, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Syrianus describes the monad as masculine and the dyad as feminine. It is here in syrianus commentary on aristotle s metaphysics that we meet the great teacher syrianus firsthand, the only oeuvre to which he has left us of any regard.
This is because in metaphysics 14, aristotle himself was being thoroughly polemical towards platonism, in particular against the academic doctrine of formnumbers and the whole concept of separable number. Syrianus on aristotle metaphysics 3 4 pdf download. In presenting metaphysics 4, syrianus explains in what sense metaphysics deals with being as being and how this includes the essential attributes of being unitymultiplicity. He employs the doctrine of the two cosmic principles to explain the origin of evil. On aristotle metaphysics 14 ancient commentators on. The one is immediately followed by a supreme monad and dyad.
Syrianus attacked aristotle in his commentary on books and 14 of the metaphysics, just as his pupil proclus was to do later in his commentaries on plato. Syrianus, originally from alexandria, moved to athens and became the head of the academy there after the death of plutarch of athens. This book of the metaphysics begins with an exposition of first philosophy as dealing with being in general, that is, with what is insofar as it has being, as well as the properties that belong in and of itself to anything that has being. Now as is known by anyone who has read the metaphysics of aristotle, the philosopher at times is critical of his master plato, esp in his negative critiques on the transcendent ideas, the fundamental doctrine in platonic metaphysics. In discussing aristotles metaphysics 34, he shows how metaphysics, as a philosophical science, was conceived by the neoplatonic philosophers of late antiquity. Syrianus attacked aristotle in his commentary on books and 14 of the metaphysics, just as his pupil proclus was to do later in his. Syrianus was a greek neoplatonist philosopher, and head of platos academy in athens. In presenting metaphysics 4, syrianus explains in what sense metaphysics deals with being as being and how this includes the essential attributes of being unitymultiplicity, samenessdifference, etc.
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