Edward Butler

Master thread of my books, newest to oldest. Polytheistic Platonism: Collected Essays (2026). UK and everywhere other than US: prometheustrust.co.uk/product/polyth… USA: kindredstarbooks.com/products/polyt…

What is a God? open.substack.com/pub/epbutler/p…

Someone asked me about the definition of a God from the Definitions, a text of the early Academy. open.substack.com/pub/epbutler/p…

Happy to see that this book is now out. The author consulted with me on the manuscript, integrated my criticisms most graciously, and cites my work at several points. amzn.to/4dfzrS4 (#advertisement)

@Platonic_Piper The way in which Damascius speaks of Proclus, as well, simply as "the philosopher", makes it seem almost as though the impasses Damascius discerns in Proclus' thought are difficulties inherent in philosophical inquiry itself.

@Platonic_Piper Definitely. The whole conception of the Platonic succession to which Damascius wholeheartedly subscribes emphasizes continuity despite constant theoretical refinements. This is why he refers back to Iamblichus so much, to lessen the appearance of disruption.

Looking forward to this. Damascius’ Parmenides commentary is where the Proclean logic of units meets its most radical aporetic challenge. Your work on "Damascian Negativity" has already shown how this ineffability safeguards the uniqueness of the Henads against totalization, and I think this chapter will be vital in clarifying the principle of individuation as an existential presence rather than a formal category, within the late Platonic tradition.

@Platonic_Piper I suppose that one could, with due caution, compare the situation to that of post-Kantian German Idealists, who felt that Kant had opened a line of thought that required "completion".

@Platonic_Piper I wouldn't characterize it as an impasse, though; in fact, I would say that Damascius sees himself as providing a path out of what he sees as certain impasses already implied in Proclus' thought.

More information on Heavenly Marshal Tie Tou javewutaoismplace.blogspot.com/2008/09/pictur…

Today, lunar 3/26, is the Attaining of Immortality of Heavenly Marshal Tie Tou (鐵頭天君證果) javewutaoismplace.blogspot.com/2026/05/2026_1…

@terpikeraunos_ @daatdarling 😂 Dismissed without prejudice!

@EPButler @daatdarling I see we are absolutely not on the same level, I prefer to abort 😹

All the times Plato says “God” he is referring to the point where all of the Gods merge into Union, the Godhead, not the Abrahamic God. The point above separation. I guess I don’t mind Christians spreading pagan religious thought, but a bit odd!

@anaynalhayat @Substantial6187 @ancient_satyr Thank you for this, to be respectful of the tradition in all of its aspects was indeed my preeminent concern in that essay—one might say that the methodological and the metaphysical issues converge.

@Substantial6187 @ancient_satyr @EPButler that’s literally the work that got me seriously interested in him and his "polycentricity". he’s very respectful to the tradition there - he’s more about inviting us to look at the tradition closely and the diversity within it than giving a definitive answer

.@EPButler'ın bu makalesi aslında gītā'ya düşülmüş harika bir tâlîkat. makale, hint düşüncesi (özellikle bhakti kuramı) ile geç antik çağ platonculuğu (özellikle henadolojik platonizm) arasındaki benzerlikleri tartışıyor. yazar, özellikle bhagavad gītā'da geçen bhakti anlayışını, platon’un "bir" (the one) ilkesine dayanan çok tanrıcı düşüncesiyle karşılaştırıyor. makalenin temel savları şunlardır: i) platonculukta “bir”, varlıktan önce gelir ve bir birey değil, bireyleşmenin (tekilliğin) ilkesidir. bu anlayış, hıristiyan teolojisinin “bir”i tanrı olarak kişileştirmesiyle zamanla kaybolmuştur. ii) henadoloji, yani “birimler bilimi”, bireyliği merkeze alan ve her tanrısal varlığı kendi içinde bütün ve nihai kabul eden çok tanrıcı bir düşünce yapısıdır. iii) bhakti kuramı, yani tanrı’ya sevgiyle adanma, platonculukta olduğu gibi bireyleşmeyi (kişiliği) temel alan bir yapı sunar. bu sebeple bhakti, vedānta’ya kıyasla platonculukla daha derin bağlara sahiptir. iv) bhagavad gītā’da kṛṣṇa’nın “ben, brahman’ın temeliyim” (bg 14.27) demesi, bhakti kuramında tanrı’nın bir “kişi” (who) olarak, “varlık”tan (what) daha önce geldiğini gösterir. bu, platoncu düşüncede "bir"in varlıktan önce gelmesiyle aynıdır. v) her bireysel tanrı (īśvara), kendi içinde nihai ve merkezdedir. bu durum, platonculukta "henadic manifold" (birimsel çoğulluk) olarak adlandırılır. tanrılar arasında bir üstünlük sırası yoktur; her biri merkezde yer alır. vi) yajña (ritüel eylem) gītā’da, kişinin benliğini koruyarak tanrı ile ilişki kurmasının yolu olarak görülür. bu, platonculukta teürjik (tanrısal) dönüş kavramına denk gelir. vii) bilgi (jñāna), eylemi yakarak onu sonuç üretmekten çıkarır ve kişiyi sadece varlık olarak değil, bir "kimlik" (who) olarak özgürleştirir. ki bunun da henadolojik paralelizmi var.

@Substantial6187 @ancient_satyr Indeed, it's not just the multiplicity of Gods, but also the multiplicity of philosophical orientations for which the concept of Brahman provides mediation, this is part of the genius of it.

@EPButler @ancient_satyr One also sees it in the development of the concept itself in history from brahman as ritual perfection to the "word" absolute in brahtihari to awareness as such in yogic schools and at last in Bhakti movement where gods becomes the foundation of it.

@Substantial6187 @ancient_satyr This is the brilliance of the concept of Brahman as a principle sustaining the manifest plurality of Gods, far more sophisticated than any monotheism or pantheism.

@EPButler @ancient_satyr growing up I have always heard the use of the word brahman in ritual context in worshipping the gods, never for a monistic cause or even as philosophical thesis, but noone in academia ever thought about unlocking it, it was as if not to be looked upon.

Whether the Gods are real — that question has a cost if the answer is yes. It would mean the Gods are fully Themselves: not by what They do, not by what They produce. Just: Themselves. That's not mysticism. It's the hardest position in philosophy.

@ancient_satyr @EPButler This is 🔥 henadology.wordpress.com/wp-content/upl…

@Substantial6187 @ancient_satyr Thank you, that's very kind.

@ancient_satyr @EPButler His exegesis on the use of brahman in Vedas is even more superb

@true_concinnity It's quite true; when the editor suggested the possibility of such a chapter, I jumped at the opportunity.

@EPButler There's such a frontier in Damascius, excited to see what you find!

I'm pleased to announce that I will be contributing a chapter to the forthcoming Bloomsbury Handbook of Neoplatonism on Damascius' Parmenides commentary, and excited at the opportunity to work on this text, which has received relatively little attention.

@philoantonio Now to actually write the piece! 😅

@philoantonio Thank you! It's been in the works for a while, but I just had confirmation that Bloomsbury's given the green light.