ESSENCE AND ENERGIES. PHILO OF ALEXANDRIA AND PSEUDO-DIONYSIUS THE AREOPAGITE (Istota i dzialania. Filon z Aleksandrii i Psedo-Dionizy Areopagita)

• Authors: Manikowski Maciej
• Languages of publication: PL

Abstracts

EN

An analysis of the philosophical and theological works of Philo of Alexandria and Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite reveals a very important metaphysical distinction between essence or nature (ousia) and energies or workings (energeiai) in God's being. The common goal of these thinkers is to express the truth about God's being and His existence. There are not two Gods, Transcendent and Immanent. If the transcendence of God supposes His unknowability, His immanent nature points some form of His knowability. So, to preserve monotheism, Philo of Alexandria and Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite introduce a metaphysical distinction between the essence or nature (ousia) and the energies or workings (energeiai) of God. In this philosophy and theology, God is unknowable in His essence and knowable in His energies. This metaphysical distinction is the basis of byzantine philosophy and theology.

Keywords

EN

BYSANTINE PHILOSOPHY; ENERGIES OF GOD; NATURE OF GOD; PHILO OF ALEXANDRIA; PSEUDO-DIONYSIUS AREOPAGITE

Discipline

• PHILOSOPHY: PHILOSOPHY

• Publisher: Polska Akademia Umiejętności / Uniwersytet Jagielloński
• Journal: Kwartalnik Filozoficzny
• Year: 2008
• Volume: 36
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 31-52
• Document type: ARTICLE

Contributors

author

Manikowski Maciej

• Maciej Manikowski, Uniwersytet Wroclawski, Instytut Filozofii, ul.Koszarowa 3, 51-149 Wroclaw, Poland

Identifiers

CEJSH db identifier

09PLAAAA055711