I am a neoplatonist

[an anarchist]

I am a neoplatonist.

I may be saying this prematurely, as I haven't read philosophy. But it seems that neoplatonism conclusion aligns with my theological framework.

I believe humanity and individuals has the ability to unite with the source of the universe and transcend. Neoplatonism comes to this conclusion too. So, if I want to add depth and defense to my theological framework, I need to study the philosophy of neoplatonism. So I'll start with Plato and Aristotle. I have their books, in fact I have the Republic open in front of me. I've tried reading it before like a year ago and I gave up after a bit went to more simpler readings. But here I go again I have to begin the study of philosophy in earnest.

I feel my god concept is similar to how Plato's is, too.

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

I am a neoplatonist.

I may be saying this prematurely, as I haven't read philosophy. But it seems that neoplatonism conclusion aligns with my theological framework.

I believe humanity and individuals has the ability to unite with the source of the universe and transcend. Neoplatonism comes to this conclusion too. So, if I want to add depth and defense to my theological framework, I need to study the philosophy of neoplatonism. So I'll start with Plato and Aristotle. I have their books, in fact I have the Republic open in front of me. I've tried reading it before like a year ago and I gave up after a bit went to more simpler readings. But here I go again I have to begin the study of philosophy in earnest.

I feel my god concept is similar to how Plato's is, too.

My advice. Don't focus on any philosopher as such. Philosophy is in effect a tool kit to doubt truth as much as finding truth.

Now here is one short brutal way to get philosophy. It is the idea of justified true belief for knowledge and the dialectic of trying to find it as much as falsifying any claim to have found it.
Now if you don't want that, then yes, there are philosophical systems that work like religion and if that is what you want, do seek them out.

 

[an anarchist]

My advice. Don't focus on any philosopher as such. Philosophy is in effect a tool kit to doubt truth as much as finding truth.

Now here is one short brutal way to get philosophy. It is the idea of justified true belief for knowledge and the dialectic of trying to find it as much as falsifying any claim to have found it.
Now if you don't want that, then yes, there are philosophical systems that work like religion and if that is what you want, do seek them out.

I think a good way to try to strengthen your beliefs is to try to disprove them.
Is this what you are getting at?

 

[Nimos]

I am a neoplatonist.

I may be saying this prematurely, as I haven't read philosophy. But it seems that neoplatonism conclusion aligns with my theological framework.

I believe humanity and individuals has the ability to unite with the source of the universe and transcend. Neoplatonism comes to this conclusion too. So, if I want to add depth and defense to my theological framework, I need to study the philosophy of neoplatonism. So I'll start with Plato and Aristotle. I have their books, in fact I have the Republic open in front of me. I've tried reading it before like a year ago and I gave up after a bit went to more simpler readings. But here I go again I have to begin the study of philosophy in earnest.

I feel my god concept is similar to how Plato's is, too.

If you prefer audiobook

 

[mikkel_the_dane]

I think a good way to try to strengthen your beliefs is to try to disprove them.
Is this what you are getting at?

I will be honest. You have to find your own way. I can only help you as a skeptic and that is the way of doubt and the absurd in the end. But there are other ways.
But if you end up going the way of the doubt, truth is what is left when you have doubted everything.
There are other ways to do truth, but I can't do them for you since I am a skeptic.

So if you can find truth in God through philosophy as you do it, then go for it. But as long as I am around, you can also ask me for doubt, but that can lead to another truth.
Regards

 

[MikeF]

I am a neoplatonist.

I may be saying this prematurely, as I haven't read philosophy. But it seems that neoplatonism conclusion aligns with my theological framework.

I believe humanity and individuals has the ability to unite with the source of the universe and transcend. Neoplatonism comes to this conclusion too. So, if I want to add depth and defense to my theological framework, I need to study the philosophy of neoplatonism. So I'll start with Plato and Aristotle. I have their books, in fact I have the Republic open in front of me. I've tried reading it before like a year ago and I gave up after a bit went to more simpler readings. But here I go again I have to begin the study of philosophy in earnest.

I feel my god concept is similar to how Plato's is, too.

It is my understanding that Neoplatonism is a philosophical school of thought that arose 600 years after Plato and would be considered distinct from Platonism. Wikipedia has Ammonius Saccas and his student Plotinus as the founders. Reading Plato might give you a perspective on what Platonic elements were carried into Neoplatonism, but you'll have to find some Neoplatonic writings if it is your goal to have a better understanding of that philosophy.

 

[an anarchist]

It is my understanding that Neoplatonism is a philosophical school of thought that arose 600 years after Plato and would be considered distinct from Platonism. Wikipedia has Ammonius Saccas and his student Plotinus as the founders. Reading Plato might give you a perspective on what Platonic elements were carried into Neoplatonism, but you'll have to find some Neoplatonic writings if it is your goal to have a better understanding of that philosophy.

Yes indeed... I don't even have an elementary level of knowledge on philosophy, so that is what I am hoping to get out of reading Plato and Aristotle. Just a foundation for me to build my understanding on. I will have to go as far as possible.

 

[MikeF]

Yes indeed... I don't even have an elementary level of knowledge on philosophy, so that is what I am hoping to get out of reading Plato and Aristotle. Just a foundation for me to build my understanding on. I will have to go as far as possible.

I would keep in the forefront of your mind when reading any philosophy that the philosophers ideas are necessarily born out of the limited overall perspective of their time. Knowledge aquisition is an incremental process in which answered questions set the foundation for exploring the next set of questions with the process continuing in this fasion. Our perspective today is much improved over that of Plato in the 4th century BCE or even Plotinus in the 3rd century CE. You as a modern reader have a much stronger base of knowledge with which to evaluate the writings of these early philosophers. Some of these guys were quite insightful given their limited perspectives. I find the atomists and the Epicurians particularly so.

 

[an anarchist]

I would keep in the forefront of your mind when reading any philosophy that the philosophers ideas are necessarily born out of the limited overall perspective of their time. Knowledge aquisition is an incremental process in which answered questions set the foundation for exploring the next set of questions with the process continuing in this fasion. Our perspective today is much improved over that of Plato in the 4th century BCE or even Plotinus in the 3rd century CE. You as a modern reader have a much stronger base of knowledge with which to evaluate the writings of these early philosophers. Some of these guys were quite insightful given their limited perspectives. I find the atomists and the Epicurians particularly so.

What a unique position I find myself in then. I have the chance to stand on the shoulders of all the giants before me. And, hopefully I can contribute to the field of human understanding and contribute to the process.

 

[MikeF]

What a unique position I find myself in then. I have the chance to stand on the shoulders of all the giants before me. And, hopefully I can contribute to the field of human understanding and contribute to the process.

I see it as the same position everyone is in. The whole point of schooling is to get us caught up on the millennia of thought that has come before.

 

[syo]

Oh no.

 

[Audie]

I am a neoplatonist.

I may be saying this prematurely, as I haven't read philosophy. But it seems that neoplatonism conclusion aligns with my theological framework.

I believe humanity and individuals has the ability to unite with the source of the universe and transcend. Neoplatonism comes to this conclusion too. So, if I want to add depth and defense to my theological framework, I need to study the philosophy of neoplatonism. So I'll start with Plato and Aristotle. I have their books, in fact I have the Republic open in front of me. I've tried reading it before like a year ago and I gave up after a bit went to more simpler readings. But here I go again I have to begin the study of philosophy in earnest.

I feel my god concept is similar to how Plato's is, too.

Is it chronic?