| Philo |
| Western philosopher |
| Antiquity |
|
|
| School / tradition | Platonism , Alexandrian Jewish philosophy |
|---|
| Main interests | Metaphysics , theology , epistemology , cosmology , ethics |
|---|
| Notable ideas | doctrine of the Logos , allegory |
|---|
| Major works | Allegorical commentary of the Bible |
|---|
| Influenced by | Plato , Medio-Platonism , Nopythagorisme , Stoicism |
|---|
| Influenced | Early Christianity , the Fathers of the Church , Neoplatonism |
|---|
change  |
Philo of Alexandria (c. 12 BC - circa 54 AD) is a philosopher Hellenized Jew born in Alexandria. The few biographical details about him are in his own works, especially ad Legatio Caium or Legation to Caius (Caligula Embassy in) and in Josephus (Antiquities xviii. 8, 1; xix. 5, 1; xx 5. 2). The only event whose date is certain is that besides participation in the embassy that the Jews of Alexandria sent to the Emperor Caligula in AD 40 to ask for her protection as a result of anti-Jewish riots , which they had been subjected by the Greeks. His age at that time, 50 to 70 years, is uncertain. Eusebius of Caesarea quotes extensively in the Ecclesiastical History Sections XVIII and XIX in which he describes the lives of therapists in Alexandria.
/ / Introduction
It symbolizes Judaism of Alexandria, step toward Christianity , since it is both derived from Judaism and of Hellenism. For Christians, is Jewish Philo. But for Orthodox Jews, he and his community of Alexandria are the prototypes of "assimilated Jews." Like other defectors later, Flavius Josephus , Spinoza and Freud , the Biblical culture, its commitment to the Jewish people feed his universalist thinking. He is convinced that the monotheism of Moses is universal and he wants to convince his Greek readers.
Familiar with the Greek philosophical systems, Philo is so influenced by Plato that marries the same style, but with the Hellenistic Jews of Alexandria. Often cited this game of words of a contemporary: "Platonised Philo, Plato philonise. His lyrics are interesting for the study of philosophy Neo-Platonic, but especially for his reading of the Bible , he read the translation of the Septuagint. It is of particular biblical allegories. It is quite possible that he was ignorant of Hebrew, but the issue is controversial.
System philosophical and religious
His philosophical system is summarized in three theses Bible:
- The transcendence of God and the unknowability of God. Man can not grasp the essence of God nor by the senses nor the intellect. Philo raises here a clear limit to the power of philosophy and theology. Philo created the negative theology: in the I.67, he describes God as ineffable and as incomprehensible We find this argument to the unknowability of God in Cappadocian ( Basil of Caesarea , John Chrysostom ).
- The emptiness of man. The earth does not belong to man. The dialogue between God and man implies that the revealed law is opaque and dull, like that of master and slave. Moreover, reversing the famous maxim of Socrates , Philo states that man does not even know himself.
- Prophetic mediation between God and man.
The Cosmos and man have captured something divine, which allows the latter to reflect it. Therefore they are both images of God.
God is doing to him what is not by the principle of Love is a gift. The mechanism of this transmission is based on the theory confusing (and relatively incidental in Philo's thought, but having great success) Powers, Angels, and especially the logos.
The Divine Powers
The Powers are the divine attributes of God, the Logos is the Wisdom himself, his creative power. The Angels are emanations of God, hypostases called "Son of God," "Ancient of Angels", etc.. Then there are the archetypes of Creation, a kind of verbs, ideas, places and pictures of all the created order. Finally, the human mind, soul and intelligence, are themselves likely to open logos and other powers whose entanglement, hierarchy, harmony, form the structure of the world.
This theory is a kind of synthesis around the words of the Greek Bible about God, creation and prophecy. Combining the language of Bible to the mysticism of Plato and the mystery of the Orient, it inspired (although being distorted by the way) the gnosis , philosophy of Plotinus ...
Disciples and successors
According to Claude Tresmontant , Philo of Alexandria would have influenced the early Christian communities.
According Ceslas Spicq , OP , author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, he said Apollos from Alexandria, is a disciple of Philo converted to Christianity. Bibliography Works of Philo of Alexandria, translated into French
- Editions du Cerf, collection works of Philo of Alexandria, bilingual, directed by Roger Arnaldez, Pouilloux Jean Claude Montdsert, 1961 ff. :
- Alexander (De animalibus), volume 36, 1988, 228 p. "Alexander or the animal soul."
- Apologia pro Iudaeis. "Apology for the Jews." Record on the Essenes.
- From Abrahamo, Volume 20, 1966, 140 p. "From Abraham." On Abraham as "living law".
- From aeternitatis mundi, Volume 30, 1969, 180 p., ISBN 2-204-03743-5. "In the eternity of the world."
- De agricultura, Volume 9, 1976, 104 p. ISBN 2-204-03723-0. "In the culture of the earth." On Genesis IX, 20-21.
- Of cherubim, Volume 3, 1963, 84 p. "The cherubim." On Genesis III, 24 - IV, 2.
- Linguarum or confusion, Volume 13, 1963, 192 p. "In the confusion of tongues". On Genesis XI, 1-9.
- From congressu eruditionis, Volume 16, 1967, 272 p. "The union and education." On Genesis, XVI, 1-6.
- From Decalogo, volume 23, 1965, 168 p. "From the Ten Commandments." The Act generally.
- From ebrietate. From sobrietate, volumes 11 and 12, 1952, 164 p. "Of drunkenness. "From the sobriety". On Genesis IX, 21-27.
- De fuga and inventione, volume 17, 1970, 332 p. "Escape and discover." On Genesis XVI, 6-14.
- From gigantibus, volumes 7, 1963, 156 p. "Giants". On Genesis 6.
- From Iosepho, Volume 21, 1964, 156 p. "From Joseph. On Joseph as "living law".
- Migratione of Abraham, volume 14, 1965, 248 p. "From the migration of Abraham." On Genesis XII, 1-4.
- From mutationes nominum, Volume 18, 1964, 164 p. "Change of name." On Genesis XVII, 1-22.
- From Opificio mundi, Volume 1, 1961, 260 p. "From manufacturing world." The concept of Creation. Dualistic interpretation of Plato. On Genesis I.
- From plantatione, Volume 10, 1963, 112 p., ISBN 2-204-03724-9. "From planting.
- From posteritate Caini, Volume 6, 1972, 160 p. "From the seed of Cain". On Genesis IV, 16-22.
- From praemiis and poena. From exsecrationibus, vol. 27, 1961, 132 p., ISBN 2-204-03740-0. "Rewards and Punishments." "Curses".
- Providentia, Volume 35, 1973, 376 p. "From Providence.
- Sacrifiis of Cain and Abel, Volume 4, 1966, 212 p. "The sacrifices of Abel and Cain. On Genesis IV, 2-4.
- From somniis, Volume 19, 1962, 248 p. ISBN 2-204-03732-X. "Dreams". On Jacob and Joseph, Genesis XXVIII, 10-18 and XXXVII, XL, XLI ..
- De legibus specialibus, volume 24 (Book I, II) and 25 (Books III, IV), 1975 and 1970, 400 and 368 p. "Special laws. The law of Moses.
- From virtutibus, Volume 26, 1962, 164 p. "Virtues".
- De vita contemplativa, Volume 29, 1963, 152 p. "From the contemplative life." Therapists on the sect.
- De vita Mosis, Volume 22, 1967, 324 p. "In the life of Moses." On Moses as "living law".
- Hypothetica, Volume 37.
- In Flaccum, Volume 31, 1967, 196 p. "Against Flaccus. Flaccus against the governor, who had supported a popular uprising against the Jews of Alexandria.
- Legatio ad Caium , Volume 32, 1972, 432 p. On the embassy to Caligula in 39-40.
- Legum allegoriae, Volume 2, 1962, 320 p. "Allegories of the Laws." On Genesis II and III.
- Quaestiones in Exodum I-II, Volume 34c, 1992, 300 p. "Questions about Exodus I and II.
- Genesim Quaestiones in III-VI, vol. 34, 1984, ISBN 2-204-02228-4.
- Quaestiones in and solve Exodum I and II, 1992, ISBN 2-204-04312-5. "Questions and Answers on Exodus I and II. Armenian version, Greek fragments.
- Quaestiones in and solve Genesim I-II, Volume 34, 1979, 336 p. "Questions and Answers on Genesis I and II. Armenian version.
- Quaestiones in and solve Genesim III-IV-V-VI, volume 34b, 1984, 552 p. Armenian version.
- Qaestiones and solve in Genesim and in Exodum, Volume 33, 1978, 316 p. Greek fragments.
- Quis rerum divinarum heres sit, volume 15, 1966, 348 p. "The heir of divine goods. On Genesis XV, 1-18.
- Quod deterius potior insidiari soleat, Volume 5, 1965, 128 p. "Evil attacks willingly well. On Genesis IV, 8-15.
- Quod omnis liber sit probus, volume 28, 1974, 272 p. "Let every good man is free". Some pages on the Essenes.
- Quod Deus sit immutabilis, vol. 8. "God does not change." On Genesis VI, 4-12.
Studies on Philo of Alexandria
- FILWNOS IOUDAIOU SUGGRAMMATA .* Philo Iudaei qua extant omnia opera. Partim ab Adriano Turnebo. Davide has Hoeschelio partim. Huic novissimae Editiones accesseries variae lectiones and elegantissimus Septenario Libellus eiusdem of Philo, and Providentia Dei fragmentation. Lutetiae Parisiorum. 1640. Cum privilegio Regis. Company Booksellers Paris 1640. The first edition in Greek of some parts of Philo were published in 1553 by Adrian Turnebus. Fdric Morel gave in 1616 completed an edition of some unpublished works that were missing from Turnebus, and placing translations of Bude , Gelenius , and his own. David Hoeschele who in turn issued various treaties unpublished, seven printers learned French (Sebastian and Gabriel Cramoisy , Denis Moreau , Claude Sonnius , Jean Branchu , Thierry Denis and Denis Bechet ) gave in 1640 this edition "complete", reprinted, or counterfeit in 1691 in Wittenberg.
- Edouard Herriot , Philo the Jew: An Essay on the Jewish school of Alexandria, Paris, Hachette, 1898.
- Emile Brehier - Philo of Alexandria, Doctor of Letters thesis defended in 1908.
- B. Decharneux, S. Inowlocki (eds.), Philo of Alexandria. A thinker at the intersection of cultures Greco-Roman, Eastern, Jewish and Christian, Brepols Publishers, Turnhout 2009, ISBN 978-2-503-52885-4
- Jean Danielou , Philo of Alexandria, Fayard, Paris, 1958.
- Valentin Nikiprowetzky, Commentary of Scripture in Philo of Alexandria, Brill, Leiden, 1977.
- Benny Levy , The Logos and the letter. Philo of Alexandria against the Pharisees, Verdier, 1988.
- Decharneux Baldwin, Angel, diviner and the prophet. Paths of speech in the works of Philo of Alexandria said the Jew ", Brussels, Editions de l'Universit de Bruxelles, 1994.
- Mireille Hadas-Lebel, Philo of Alexandria. A thinker in the Diaspora, Fayard, 2003, ISBN 2-213-61740-6.
References
- Ceslas Spicq, The Epistle to the Hebrews, Volume I Collection "Biblical Sources," Gabalda, 1952. Pages 39-91.
See also
Related articles
External Links
Loading ...