Books by Thomas Jürgasch
Die Engführung von Muße und theoretischem Tun, die Aristoteles paradigmatisch in der Nikomachisch... more Die Engführung von Muße und theoretischem Tun, die Aristoteles paradigmatisch in der Nikomachischen Ethik entwickelt, hat eine Vor- und eine lange Nachgeschichte bis in die gegenwärtige Philosophie und Theologie hinein. Begründet wird die Engführung von Muße und Theorie bei Aristoteles anthropologisch, weil sich in einer kontemplativen Lebensform die Möglichkeiten der menschlichen Natur auf vollendete Weise verwirklichen.
Die Beiträge in diesem Band untersuchen ideengeschichtliche Modelle einer Verbindung von Theorie und Muße daraufhin, wie diese sich zur Frage einer anthropologischen Fundierung der Theorie verhalten. Sie fragen nach der Anthropologie der Theorie.
„Wie hältst Du es mit der Religion, Bart Simpson?“ Eine seltsame Frage, zieht doch der ironisiere... more „Wie hältst Du es mit der Religion, Bart Simpson?“ Eine seltsame Frage, zieht doch der ironisierende Blick der Simpsons althergebrachte Formen von Spiritualität spöttisch durch den gelben Kakao. Und doch eine sehr lohnende!
Aus christlicher, islamischer und jüdischer Perspektive befassen sich Theologen mit der Welt von Homer und Marge, von Bart und Lisa und lassen im Spiegel der Simpsons theologisch-religiöse Fragen in einem neuen lebensnahen und -relevanten Licht erscheinen. Sie entdecken die religiösen Seiten des Simpsons-Universums in einer neuen, überraschenden und anregenden Weise. Um es mit Bart Simpson zu sagen: "Religion?! Ay Caramba!"
Boethius is largely underrated in the history of Western thought. Scholarship often regarded him ... more Boethius is largely underrated in the history of Western thought. Scholarship often regarded him and his era – Late Antiquity –as mere intermediaries bet- ween Antiquity and the Middle Ages. This volume shows that Boethius and his time can be appreciated in their own right.
""Theoria versus Praxis": The development of a principle-based knowledge in the realm of human pr... more ""Theoria versus Praxis": The development of a principle-based knowledge in the realm of human practice in ancient and last ancient thought
According to a particular understanding of metaphysics, the aim of this kind of philosophical reflection consists in a principle-based certain knowledge. While, however, most of the ancient and late ancient representatives of this kind of philosophical thought agreed that such a knowledge was possible in the realm of theoria, there was no unanimous position regarding the possibility of a certain knowledge that is relevant for human praxis.
The monograph "Theoria versus Praxis" delineates the development of such a practically relevant and principle-based knowledge, highlighting important stations of this development in the ancient and late ancient metaphysical traditions. Starting with the so called “natural philosophy” the work discusses positions which some of the most important thinkers of classical Greek philosophy, i.e. Parmenides, the Sophists, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, held with respect to the possibility of a principle of practical knowledge. Subsequently, it considers a selection of Hellenistic and Neoplatonic approaches to this topic, focussing in particular on the Stoics, Plotinus and on the Christian reception of Hellenistic and Neoplatonic thought. In this context, Augustine and Boethius serve as paradigms of how Neoplatonic conceptions were adopted but also changed by Christian theologians and philosophers. With Boethius, the monograph argues, the aforementioned development reaches an important climax. For, so the author contends, in his Consolatio Philosophiae Boethius claims to have gained an insight into a principle that as such is applicable to both, theoretical and practical knowledge. According to Boethius this principle is to be identified with God, whom he considers the summum bonum and the principle of all things. Consequently, the final part of the book is dedicated to examining the Consolatio’s argumentation regarding God being the first principle and to assessing this argumentation.
"
„Die Herausforderung durch Religion ist alt.“ Sie war es schon im Jahr 1982, als Bernhard Uhde di... more „Die Herausforderung durch Religion ist alt.“ Sie war es schon im Jahr 1982, als Bernhard Uhde dies in seiner Habilitationsschrift „Gegenwart und Einheit“ feststellte und einen Versuch vorlegte, dieser Herausforderung zu begegnen. Auch heute – und vielleicht mehr denn je – bestimmt das Bewusstsein für die Notwendigkeit einer solchen Auseinandersetzung mit der Religion weite Teile unserer gesellschaftlichen Gegenwart. Den Religionsbegriff Bernhard Uhdes aufnehmend und sich kritisch mit ihm auseinandersetzend, unternehmen die Beitragenden – Lehrer, Schüler und Weggefährten Uhdes – nun ihrerseits den Versuch, das Phänomen der Religion aus unterschiedlichen Perspektiven zu betrachten.
Conference Presentations by Thomas Jürgasch
Constantine, the Christians and the Invention of Paganism in Late Antique Rome
Usually account... more Constantine, the Christians and the Invention of Paganism in Late Antique Rome
Usually accounts of the relations between pagans and Christians in late antique Rome start from an implicit assumption. According to this assumption pagans and Christians form two discrete groups which, although interacting with each other in various ways, exist – so to speak – as two distinct “entities”. On closer scrutiny, however, it becomes evident that this idea faces a major difficulty that is connected with the relational character of the term “pagan”. For, as it has already been pointed out by different scholars before (e.g. Walter Freytag, Hubert Mohr), the late ancient usage of the term “pagan” understood as referring to “non-Christian” (and “non-Jewish”) people, cults, etc., obviously makes sense only in contrast to a particular understanding of what it means for someone or something to be “Christian”. The form of Christianity that in this context proves to be central has mainly emerged in the 4th and 5th century, and, what is more, during that time the Christian Religion has become gradually socially and politically established in the Roman Empire. Consequently, at the same time we can observe that Christian authors such as Augustine increasingly attempt to distinguish their religion from other religious groups and cults not only by referring to particular Christian theological concepts. Rather, as the situation for Christians in the Roman Empire changed, for these authors social and political aspects gained more and more importance with respect to the aforementioned attempt to distinguish the Christian religion from other religious communities. In my paper I would like to propose that this increasing focus on political and social aspects is one of the main reasons why the term “pagan” – that originally had no religious, but social connotations – has been introduced by Christian authors to define their religion in contrast to “the pagans”, and why this introduction only really took place in the 4th century. Furthermore I would like to expound on the consequences resulting from the attempts to define what it means to be “Christian” in contrast to what it means to be “pagan”. Here, I would like to show how these attempts introduced new aspects to the understanding of what it meant to be “Christian” and how therefore the concepts “Christian” and “pagan” can be conceived of as interdependent and defining each other mutually.
Talks by Thomas Jürgasch
Papers by Thomas Jürgasch
Cambridge University Press eBooks, May 30, 2024
Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht eBooks, Oct 4, 2023
Brill | Schöningh eBooks, Sep 20, 2023
Verlag Karl Alber eBooks, 2023
Theoria versus Praxis?, 2013
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Books by Thomas Jürgasch
Die Beiträge in diesem Band untersuchen ideengeschichtliche Modelle einer Verbindung von Theorie und Muße daraufhin, wie diese sich zur Frage einer anthropologischen Fundierung der Theorie verhalten. Sie fragen nach der Anthropologie der Theorie.
Aus christlicher, islamischer und jüdischer Perspektive befassen sich Theologen mit der Welt von Homer und Marge, von Bart und Lisa und lassen im Spiegel der Simpsons theologisch-religiöse Fragen in einem neuen lebensnahen und -relevanten Licht erscheinen. Sie entdecken die religiösen Seiten des Simpsons-Universums in einer neuen, überraschenden und anregenden Weise. Um es mit Bart Simpson zu sagen: "Religion?! Ay Caramba!"
According to a particular understanding of metaphysics, the aim of this kind of philosophical reflection consists in a principle-based certain knowledge. While, however, most of the ancient and late ancient representatives of this kind of philosophical thought agreed that such a knowledge was possible in the realm of theoria, there was no unanimous position regarding the possibility of a certain knowledge that is relevant for human praxis.
The monograph "Theoria versus Praxis" delineates the development of such a practically relevant and principle-based knowledge, highlighting important stations of this development in the ancient and late ancient metaphysical traditions. Starting with the so called “natural philosophy” the work discusses positions which some of the most important thinkers of classical Greek philosophy, i.e. Parmenides, the Sophists, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, held with respect to the possibility of a principle of practical knowledge. Subsequently, it considers a selection of Hellenistic and Neoplatonic approaches to this topic, focussing in particular on the Stoics, Plotinus and on the Christian reception of Hellenistic and Neoplatonic thought. In this context, Augustine and Boethius serve as paradigms of how Neoplatonic conceptions were adopted but also changed by Christian theologians and philosophers. With Boethius, the monograph argues, the aforementioned development reaches an important climax. For, so the author contends, in his Consolatio Philosophiae Boethius claims to have gained an insight into a principle that as such is applicable to both, theoretical and practical knowledge. According to Boethius this principle is to be identified with God, whom he considers the summum bonum and the principle of all things. Consequently, the final part of the book is dedicated to examining the Consolatio’s argumentation regarding God being the first principle and to assessing this argumentation.
"
Conference Presentations by Thomas Jürgasch
Usually accounts of the relations between pagans and Christians in late antique Rome start from an implicit assumption. According to this assumption pagans and Christians form two discrete groups which, although interacting with each other in various ways, exist – so to speak – as two distinct “entities”. On closer scrutiny, however, it becomes evident that this idea faces a major difficulty that is connected with the relational character of the term “pagan”. For, as it has already been pointed out by different scholars before (e.g. Walter Freytag, Hubert Mohr), the late ancient usage of the term “pagan” understood as referring to “non-Christian” (and “non-Jewish”) people, cults, etc., obviously makes sense only in contrast to a particular understanding of what it means for someone or something to be “Christian”. The form of Christianity that in this context proves to be central has mainly emerged in the 4th and 5th century, and, what is more, during that time the Christian Religion has become gradually socially and politically established in the Roman Empire. Consequently, at the same time we can observe that Christian authors such as Augustine increasingly attempt to distinguish their religion from other religious groups and cults not only by referring to particular Christian theological concepts. Rather, as the situation for Christians in the Roman Empire changed, for these authors social and political aspects gained more and more importance with respect to the aforementioned attempt to distinguish the Christian religion from other religious communities. In my paper I would like to propose that this increasing focus on political and social aspects is one of the main reasons why the term “pagan” – that originally had no religious, but social connotations – has been introduced by Christian authors to define their religion in contrast to “the pagans”, and why this introduction only really took place in the 4th century. Furthermore I would like to expound on the consequences resulting from the attempts to define what it means to be “Christian” in contrast to what it means to be “pagan”. Here, I would like to show how these attempts introduced new aspects to the understanding of what it meant to be “Christian” and how therefore the concepts “Christian” and “pagan” can be conceived of as interdependent and defining each other mutually.
Talks by Thomas Jürgasch
Papers by Thomas Jürgasch
Die Beiträge in diesem Band untersuchen ideengeschichtliche Modelle einer Verbindung von Theorie und Muße daraufhin, wie diese sich zur Frage einer anthropologischen Fundierung der Theorie verhalten. Sie fragen nach der Anthropologie der Theorie.
Aus christlicher, islamischer und jüdischer Perspektive befassen sich Theologen mit der Welt von Homer und Marge, von Bart und Lisa und lassen im Spiegel der Simpsons theologisch-religiöse Fragen in einem neuen lebensnahen und -relevanten Licht erscheinen. Sie entdecken die religiösen Seiten des Simpsons-Universums in einer neuen, überraschenden und anregenden Weise. Um es mit Bart Simpson zu sagen: "Religion?! Ay Caramba!"
According to a particular understanding of metaphysics, the aim of this kind of philosophical reflection consists in a principle-based certain knowledge. While, however, most of the ancient and late ancient representatives of this kind of philosophical thought agreed that such a knowledge was possible in the realm of theoria, there was no unanimous position regarding the possibility of a certain knowledge that is relevant for human praxis.
The monograph "Theoria versus Praxis" delineates the development of such a practically relevant and principle-based knowledge, highlighting important stations of this development in the ancient and late ancient metaphysical traditions. Starting with the so called “natural philosophy” the work discusses positions which some of the most important thinkers of classical Greek philosophy, i.e. Parmenides, the Sophists, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, held with respect to the possibility of a principle of practical knowledge. Subsequently, it considers a selection of Hellenistic and Neoplatonic approaches to this topic, focussing in particular on the Stoics, Plotinus and on the Christian reception of Hellenistic and Neoplatonic thought. In this context, Augustine and Boethius serve as paradigms of how Neoplatonic conceptions were adopted but also changed by Christian theologians and philosophers. With Boethius, the monograph argues, the aforementioned development reaches an important climax. For, so the author contends, in his Consolatio Philosophiae Boethius claims to have gained an insight into a principle that as such is applicable to both, theoretical and practical knowledge. According to Boethius this principle is to be identified with God, whom he considers the summum bonum and the principle of all things. Consequently, the final part of the book is dedicated to examining the Consolatio’s argumentation regarding God being the first principle and to assessing this argumentation.
"
Usually accounts of the relations between pagans and Christians in late antique Rome start from an implicit assumption. According to this assumption pagans and Christians form two discrete groups which, although interacting with each other in various ways, exist – so to speak – as two distinct “entities”. On closer scrutiny, however, it becomes evident that this idea faces a major difficulty that is connected with the relational character of the term “pagan”. For, as it has already been pointed out by different scholars before (e.g. Walter Freytag, Hubert Mohr), the late ancient usage of the term “pagan” understood as referring to “non-Christian” (and “non-Jewish”) people, cults, etc., obviously makes sense only in contrast to a particular understanding of what it means for someone or something to be “Christian”. The form of Christianity that in this context proves to be central has mainly emerged in the 4th and 5th century, and, what is more, during that time the Christian Religion has become gradually socially and politically established in the Roman Empire. Consequently, at the same time we can observe that Christian authors such as Augustine increasingly attempt to distinguish their religion from other religious groups and cults not only by referring to particular Christian theological concepts. Rather, as the situation for Christians in the Roman Empire changed, for these authors social and political aspects gained more and more importance with respect to the aforementioned attempt to distinguish the Christian religion from other religious communities. In my paper I would like to propose that this increasing focus on political and social aspects is one of the main reasons why the term “pagan” – that originally had no religious, but social connotations – has been introduced by Christian authors to define their religion in contrast to “the pagans”, and why this introduction only really took place in the 4th century. Furthermore I would like to expound on the consequences resulting from the attempts to define what it means to be “Christian” in contrast to what it means to be “pagan”. Here, I would like to show how these attempts introduced new aspects to the understanding of what it meant to be “Christian” and how therefore the concepts “Christian” and “pagan” can be conceived of as interdependent and defining each other mutually.