The Metaphysics of Light
- Title: The Metaphysics of Light in the Hexaemeral Literature: From Philo of Alexandria to Gregory of Nyssa
- Author: Isidoros C. Katsos
- Publisher: Oxford University Press
- ISBN: 9780191965289 / 9780192869197
- External Links: https://academic.oup.com/book/45674
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This would become a great resource for aggregating ancient to pre-Nicene thoughts on light.
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Abstract
This work rethinks critically what (we think) we know about the nature of light in the ancient sources. It contests the prevalent view in the history of optics that premodernity theorized light as subordinate to sight (‘oculocentrism’) by examining in depth the contrary textual evidence found in early Christian sources. It shows that, from Philo of Alexandria and Origen to Basil of Caesarea and Gregory of Nyssa, the Jewish-Christian commentary tradition on the biblical creation narrative (‘hexaemeral literature’) reflected deeply on the nature and physicality of light for the purposes of understanding the structure and purpose of material creation. Contemplation of nature allowed early Christian thinkers to conceptualize light as the explanatory principle of vision rather than as subordinated to it. Contrary to the prevalent view, the hexaemeral literature necessitates a ‘luminocentric’ interpretation of the theory of light of the Timaeus in its reception history in the context of late antique cosmology. The hexaemeral luminocentrism invites the reader of Scripture to grasp not only the sensible properties of light but also their causal principle as the first manifestation of the divine logos in creation. The hexaemeral metaphysics of light thus provides the missing ground of meaning of the early Christian language of light.