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Byzantine Philosophy
Western studies tend to view Byzantine philosophy either as a minor offshoot of western European thought, or a handy storehouse for documents and ideas until they are needed. A scholar of philosophy (Aristotle U. of Thessaloniki), Tatakis (1896-1996) finds the view limiting, pointing out that during the Roman period, few Greeks learned Latin but Romans were not considered educated without a founding in Greek, and that Byzantine Christianity has its own trajectory unconcerned with how it deviates from western orthodoxy. He covers the period from early Christianity to the end of Byzantium. Moutafakis (philosophy, Cleveland State U.) translates the French La Philosophie Byzantine published by Presses Universitaires de France in 1949. Annotation (c)2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
- GenresPhilosophyChristianity
544 pages, Hardcover
First published March 15, 2003
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May 23, 2019
An Unknown Era
What an excellent, rare, and highly informative book. If you ever wondered what on earth happened to the Greeks and their philosophy after the Romans and Christianity came to be, this is the book to read. It is also one of the only books to read.
Basil Tatakis (Βασίλης Τατάκης) first published this book in French 1949 by the ‘Presses Universitaires de France’. The present edition was published in 2003 by ‘Hackett’ and was translated by Nicholas Moutafakis. Tatakis’ book starts from the 4th century up until the fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans.
In the beginning, the Byzantines had become obsessed with Christianity that came to demand a new ‘Know Thyself’ (Tatakis, 2003, p. 3). They shunned the pagan philosophers (Ancient Greeks for you and me) and where committed to Christian mysticism (Tatakis, 2003, p. 7). During the 6th and 7th centuries, love gave way to reason as the way to truth, which is ineffable; an advocator of this view was Zacharias, Bishop of Mitilini (Tatakis, 2003, p. 25). By the end of these two centuries, we have Maximos the Confessor (580-662) who has the honour of introducing to Christian thought the Neo-Platonism of Pseudo-Dionysius (Tatakis, 2003, p. 65). During the 8th, 9th and 10th centuries we have the iconoclasm debate, which in essence argued against the depiction of holy things, though in the end, adherents of this idea where defeated. Then after Photios, the study of classics starts to creep into the public domain once again. Michael Psellos, the person who brought pagan thinkers back into fashion with passion, dominated the 11th and 12th centuries. Though a devout Christian, he looked back onto Aristotle and Plato in order to argue for Christianity (Tatakis, 2003, p. 239). Indeed, for him, Plato is the forerunner of Christianity (Tatakis, 2003, p. 149). In general, the 11th and 12th centuries saw the development of humanism, something that is evident in one of the last Byzantine thinkers, Plethon. Plethon wished to return to Hellenism, and claimed in a letter to the emperor that “we, who have you as our lord and master, are of Hellenic race” (Tatakis, 2003, p. 189). Such was his obsession that he lived permanently in the Peloponnese, as it is there where the Hellenic race sprang. Plethon is also a big figure in the Renaissance, as he is responsible, amongst others, of transferring knowledge of the ancients across the Ionian. In the end, the Byzantium fell, but, Tatakis says, we have still a lot to learn from it (Tatakis, 2003, p. 265).
All in all, what is interesting about this book is how one sees a slow merging of ideas. Ancient thought never really left, and a slow reconciliation between dogma and rationality slowly took place. Given enough time, I think that reason would have prevailed dogma, but sadly this development was cut short. Thankfully, this merging continued on in the ‘Western’ lands, something that we should all be thankful of. Tatakis says that we should invest more time in the Byzantine empire, for it was not simply a vessel which preserved all ancient texts, but where Christianity and rationality first came to blows with one another. All in all, an excellent and insightful read.
Bibliography:
Tatakis, B. (2003) Byzantine Philosophy [1949]. 1st edn. Edited by N. J. Moutafakis. Cambridge: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc.
What an excellent, rare, and highly informative book. If you ever wondered what on earth happened to the Greeks and their philosophy after the Romans and Christianity came to be, this is the book to read. It is also one of the only books to read.
Basil Tatakis (Βασίλης Τατάκης) first published this book in French 1949 by the ‘Presses Universitaires de France’. The present edition was published in 2003 by ‘Hackett’ and was translated by Nicholas Moutafakis. Tatakis’ book starts from the 4th century up until the fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans.
In the beginning, the Byzantines had become obsessed with Christianity that came to demand a new ‘Know Thyself’ (Tatakis, 2003, p. 3). They shunned the pagan philosophers (Ancient Greeks for you and me) and where committed to Christian mysticism (Tatakis, 2003, p. 7). During the 6th and 7th centuries, love gave way to reason as the way to truth, which is ineffable; an advocator of this view was Zacharias, Bishop of Mitilini (Tatakis, 2003, p. 25). By the end of these two centuries, we have Maximos the Confessor (580-662) who has the honour of introducing to Christian thought the Neo-Platonism of Pseudo-Dionysius (Tatakis, 2003, p. 65). During the 8th, 9th and 10th centuries we have the iconoclasm debate, which in essence argued against the depiction of holy things, though in the end, adherents of this idea where defeated. Then after Photios, the study of classics starts to creep into the public domain once again. Michael Psellos, the person who brought pagan thinkers back into fashion with passion, dominated the 11th and 12th centuries. Though a devout Christian, he looked back onto Aristotle and Plato in order to argue for Christianity (Tatakis, 2003, p. 239). Indeed, for him, Plato is the forerunner of Christianity (Tatakis, 2003, p. 149). In general, the 11th and 12th centuries saw the development of humanism, something that is evident in one of the last Byzantine thinkers, Plethon. Plethon wished to return to Hellenism, and claimed in a letter to the emperor that “we, who have you as our lord and master, are of Hellenic race” (Tatakis, 2003, p. 189). Such was his obsession that he lived permanently in the Peloponnese, as it is there where the Hellenic race sprang. Plethon is also a big figure in the Renaissance, as he is responsible, amongst others, of transferring knowledge of the ancients across the Ionian. In the end, the Byzantium fell, but, Tatakis says, we have still a lot to learn from it (Tatakis, 2003, p. 265).
All in all, what is interesting about this book is how one sees a slow merging of ideas. Ancient thought never really left, and a slow reconciliation between dogma and rationality slowly took place. Given enough time, I think that reason would have prevailed dogma, but sadly this development was cut short. Thankfully, this merging continued on in the ‘Western’ lands, something that we should all be thankful of. Tatakis says that we should invest more time in the Byzantine empire, for it was not simply a vessel which preserved all ancient texts, but where Christianity and rationality first came to blows with one another. All in all, an excellent and insightful read.
Bibliography:
Tatakis, B. (2003) Byzantine Philosophy [1949]. 1st edn. Edited by N. J. Moutafakis. Cambridge: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc.
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