The Golden Chain: An Anthology of Pythagorean and Platonic Philosophy by Algis Uždavinys


The Golden Chain: An Anthology of Pythagorean and Platonic Philosophy
Title : The Golden Chain: An Anthology of Pythagorean and Platonic Philosophy
Author :
Rating :
ISBN : 0941532615
ISBN-10 : 9780941532617
Language : English
Format Type : Paperback
Number of Pages : 368
Publication : First published January 1, 2004

This anthology of Pythagorean and Platonic philosophy promotes a new and fresh view of what Hellenic philosophy is and what kind of wisdom it offers us. The book demonstrates, through excerpts from the great Pythagorean and Platonic writers, that to these thinkers philosophy is a way of life and a means of spiritual realization-not the dry, rationalistic, mental exercise philosophy has become in the modern world. The Golden Chain of the title refers to the ancient belief that such philosophy transmits a heritage of unitive knowledge through a succession of enlightened teachers and students.

The Golden Chain: An Anthology of Pythagorean and Platonic Philosophy Reviews

  • Tony Gualtieri

    Brilliant collection of Pythagorean and Neoplatonic writings, including extended excerpts from Plotinus, Iamblichus, and Proclus. This is a fine survey of the pagan philosophy of late antiquity, a profound influence on Christian mysticism and Islamic Sufism, and an intriguing metaphysical system.

  • Arthur

    Amazing!

  • A.J. McMahon

    I have found that the thinkers represented here are not for me. My chief objection to their writings is their gnostic hatred of the world. They repeatedly refer to the world as a prison, to the body as a tomb, to the spiritual necessity to develop the philosophical intellect in order to escape all material attachments, to despise everything to do with the world, to hate and drive away all passion, wealth, the joys of the flesh. One even says that "The body is the root of evil". Some people argue that part of the ecological problems we experience today is due to the emphasis Christianity and other religions place on the life to come as opposed to our mortal world, resulting in our world being devalued by this comparison. It's clear from this anthology that this particular mind-set began long before Christianity, and indeed Christianity seems to have inherited it along with a whole lot of other beliefs.
    Update to this review (mid-November 2019): my subsequent reading has left me wondering who on earth this Uzdavinys guy is. Given what I now know, he has seriously misrepresented Pythagorean and Platonic philosophy if what I have said in this review is what I got out of his book. Ignore this book. Also, ignore everything else this guy has ever written.

  • Maan Kawas

    Excellent book of deep wisdom and shows the real meaning of ancient Greek philosophy. The book is not an easy one but it's a great one. If you are interested in understanding Pythagoras', Plato' and the Neoplatonic tradition, you might enjoy this book.

  • Minäpäminä

    Intellectual buried treasure, so very interesting and very dry. In addition to the obvious Plato and Plotinus, Damascius really made an impression.