Philosophy as a religious experience in Plato
Plato is a philosophical theologian in whom philosophy and theology are synonymous, and the way of philosophy a religious endeavour. However, contemporary scholarship overlooks the importance of the religious dimension of Plato's philosophy, and in particular, neglects an examination of the theological ideas that are involved in this understanding. In answer to this, the thesis argues that, in Plato, philosophy is a religious human experience, that it is within such a perspective that Plato's philosophical theology can be properly understood, and that such a perspective provides both theological and philosophical insights. The thesis offers a unique contribution to scholarship in that it examines the issues of Plato's philosophical theology from the perspective of Plato's philosophy as a religious experience. Secondly, it relates the question of the religious nature of Plato's philosophy to the issue of humanity by seeing Plato's philosophy as a means of human transformation and as a religious way of life and existence. And thirdly, by interacting with recent scholarly interpretation and commentary, seeks ways in which such a perspective provides insights for contemporary theological and philosophical thought.
Newman, Deron Scott
Philosophy as a religious experience in Plato. Plato is a philosophical theologian in whom philosophy and theology are synonymous, and the way of philosophy a religious endeavour. However, contemporary scholarship overlooks the importance of the religious dimension of Plato's philosophy, and in particular, neglects an examination of the theological ideas that are involved in this understanding. In answer to this, the thesis argues that, in Plato, philosophy is a religious human experience, that it is within such a perspective that Plato's philosophical theology can be properly understood, and that such a perspective provides both theological and philosophical insights. The thesis offers a unique contribution to scholarship in that it examines the issues of Plato's philosophical theology from the perspective of Plato's philosophy as a religious experience. Secondly, it relates the question of the religious nature of Plato's philosophy to the issue of humanity by seeing Plato's philosophy as a means of human transformation and as a religious way of life and existence. And thirdly, by interacting with recent scholarly interpretation and commentary, seeks ways in which such a perspective provides insights for contemporary theological and philosophical thought.
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