Studies In The Philosophy Of Philo

Philo of Alexandria, the great 2nd-century AD Jewish philosopher and theologian, is a key figure in the history of thought. With him the Judaeo-Christian and the Greek traditions converge and meet for the first time, and he also stands at the beginning of the revival of Platonic thought known as Middle Platonism. In these articles David Runia has aimed, first, to provide a guide for research and a context for understanding the enormous mass of writings Philo has left. He has then sought to investigate further Philo's place in the history of Platonic thought and to trace aspects of his influence on the later development of Christian theology. His primary concern, however, is to examine the relationship between scriptural exegesis and philosophy in Philo's work. He argues that one cannot pursue Philo's thought without fully taking into account its exegetical context, and therefore that an understanding of how he undertakes to present this exegesis is of paramount importance.

Why does Philo of Alexandria seem to avoid the open use of dialectic, which was regarded in the ancient world – together with physics and ethics – as one of the three main divisions of philosophy? Has this got anything to do with the tension between proper logic and the sophistic practices of his age? Does Philo’s interpretation of Abraham’s migration from Ur of the Chaldees include a hidden political message? Why, according to Philo, did Jacob mourn the manner of Joseph’s death more than his death itself? These and other questions of the same kind are discussed in the present collection of essays, investigating Philo’s philosophical, historical and cultural background, as well as his relations to Judaism and Christianity. This book attempts to improve our understanding of some of the complexities of Philo’s thought by raising new questions, exploring the ideological aspects of Philo’s approach to Scripture, and attempting to understand the nature of Philo “the Platonist’s” attitude to various issues raised in Plato’s dialogues.

A contemporary of both Jesus and the apostle Paul, Philo was a prolific Jewish theologian, philosopher, and politician -- a fascinating, somewhat enigmatic figure -- who lived his entire life in Alexandria, Egypt. His many books are important sources for our understanding of ancient Judaism, early Christianity, and the philosophical currents of that time. Reading Philo is an excellent introductory guide to Philo s work and significance. The contributors -- all well-known experts on Philo of Alexandria -- discuss Philo in context, offer methodological considerations (how best to study Philo), and explore Philo s ongoing relevance and value (why reading him is important). This practical volume will be an indispensable resource for anyone delving into Philo and his world.

An inquiry drawing on the presence of Hellenistic philosophy in Philo provides a better knowledge of the diffusion of Hellenistic philosophy since the late Republican age, as well as the relationship between Philoa (TM)s reception and other doxohraphical tradition.

The essays collected in Italian Studies on Philo of Alexandria give an overview of current Italian research on Philo of Alexandria. The articles approach the subject from various perspectives: historical, linguistic, philological, and philosophical.

In Greek Writers and Philosophers in Philo and Josephus Erkki Koskenniemi investigates how two Jewish writers, Philo and Josephus, quoted, mentioned and referred to Greek writers and philosophers.