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Introduction

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 December 2021

Julie K. Ward
Affiliation:
Loyola University, Chicago
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Summary

The introductory chapter explains an initial problem concerning the ambiguous application of the term 'theoria' both to the practice of festival-attendance and to philosophical study, or contemplation. While the two referents appear to have little in common, a closer examination reveals a common feature of theoria, namely, the idea of observing, or beholding, something divine or of high significance. The notion of acting as an observer of the divine, or like a divine spectator, serves as central common element running throughout the kinds of theoria and allowing us to understand why Plato and Aristotle chose to borrow a term referring to festival-attendance to signify what they describe as an activity of our highest capacity, the mind.

Type
Chapter
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Searching for the Divine in Plato and Aristotle
Philosophical Theoria and Traditional Practice
, pp. 1 - 11
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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  • Introduction
  • Julie K. Ward, Loyola University, Chicago
  • Book: Searching for the Divine in Plato and Aristotle
  • Online publication: 09 December 2021
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009023580.001
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  • Introduction
  • Julie K. Ward, Loyola University, Chicago
  • Book: Searching for the Divine in Plato and Aristotle
  • Online publication: 09 December 2021
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009023580.001
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Introduction
  • Julie K. Ward, Loyola University, Chicago
  • Book: Searching for the Divine in Plato and Aristotle
  • Online publication: 09 December 2021
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009023580.001
Available formats
×