Many different papers about philosophy can be assessed in the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. These philosophers go way back.
#5385 philosophia
Meaning:
1) love of wisdom 1a) used either of zeal for or skill in any art or science, any branch of knowledge. Used once in the NT of the theology, or rather theosophy, of certain Jewish Christian ascetics, which busied itself with refined and speculative
enquiries into the nature and classes of angels, into the ritual of the Mosaic law and the regulations of Jewish tradition respecting practical life.
#5386 philosophos
Meaning:
1) a philosopher, one given to the pursuit of wisdom or learning
2) in a narrower sense, one who investigates and discusses the cause of things and the highest good.
Despite the warning of Paul in Col 2:6-8 and an actual account of Paul witnessing to certain philosophers of the Epicureans and of the Stoics of Acts17:16-18a, the Later Day Church Fathers ignored these warnings and tried to adapt or refine the {Greek} philosophical term 'LOGOS' !
Col 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through PHILOSOPHY and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
Acts17:16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. 17 Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. 18 Then certain PHILOSOPHERS of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said,...
#3.01) A Timeline of Western Philosophy can be viewed online at The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy at URL:
http://www.utm.edu/research/iep/westtime.htm
Subcategories include:
Ancient Philosophy
The PreSocratics... including Heraclitus.
Socrates and Followers
Plato and Followers
Aristotle and Followers
The Hellenistic Philosophy... including Stoicism...
Roman Philosophy
Medieval Philosophy... including Origen and Augustine!
#3.02) Heraclitus of Ephesus {Circa 500 bce} useage of the word LOGOS can be viewed online at The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
"His great work "On Nature" (peri phuseos), in three books, was written in the Ionian dialect, and is the oldest monument of Greek prose. Considerable fragments of it have come down to us.... (fr. 17). Wisdom is not a knowledge of many things; it is the
clear knowledge of one thing only, and this Heraclitus describes, in true prophetic style, as his Logos (word/fire), which is 'true evermore', though men cannot understand it even when it is told to them (fr. 2). Perfect knowledge is only given to
the gods, but a progress in knowledge is possible to men. We must try, then, to discover, what Heraclitus meant by his Logos, the thing he felt he had been born to say, whether anyone would listen to him or not. "
{Quoted from URL http://www.utm.edu/research/iep/h/heraclit.htm }
#3.03) Heraclitus on the Logos, by Gordon L. Ziniewicz, (a summary paper) can be found at URL:
http://www.fred.net/tzaka/logos.html
#3.04) Numerous kinds of and/or usages of logos is used Plato's writings, shown at UR:
http://phd.evansville.edu/tetra_3/tetra_3.htm
#3.05) Numerous kinds and/or usages of logos is shown in an article titled: Plato and His Dialogues , by Bernard F. Suzanne, which is shown at URL:
http://eawc.evansville.edu/essays/suzanne.htm
#3.06) Aristotle (384-322 BCE.), useage of the word logos can be viewed online at The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
"Politics. Aristotle does not regard politics as a separate science from ethics, but as the completion, and almost a verification of it. The moral ideal in political administration is only a different aspect of that which also applies to individual
happiness. Humans are by nature social beings, and the possession of rational speech (logos) in itself leads us to social union."...
{Quoted from URL http://www.utm.edu/research/iep/a/aristotl.htm }
#3.07) The concept of "emanation" can be viewed online at The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
"PHILO AND EARLY CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE. The doctrine of emanation is a little more explicit in Philo, though he does not teach it clearly and consciously, still less purely and logically. It assumes its most definite form for Greek philosophy in the works
of the Neoplatonists -- though their speculations are largely derived from the Gnostic mythological systems of Basilides and Valentinus, in which emanation played a prominent part. According to Basilides, a whole series of eons emanated in successive
stages from the unbegotten Father; and the Valentinians spoke of the primal essence as "throwing off " (proballein), without diminution, that which was derived from it. In the Neoplatonist system, the highest principle, the One, overflows without a
conscious act, merely by a law of its nature, losing nothing of its fullness and this process has no end in time. It goes from more perfect to less perfect, and the ineffable Unity is the source of all plurality. The Nous (intellect), the first stage in
the process, thinks, and thus from it emanate the soul and the logos (word). So the process goes on until the lowest stage is reached in essenceless matter. The notion of emanation was frequently used by the early Christian writers in the
attempt to express the relation of the Son and the Holy Spirit to the Father. The idea is similarly used by Athenagoras, Origen, and Arnobius- Tertullian even ventures to employ the Valentinian term probola for the relation of the Son to the Father,
while repudiating the separation which Valentinus had taught between his eons. In the final establishment of the Trinitarian doctrine the idea of emanation undoubtedly played a part, as in the emphasis laid upon the Son's being " begotten, not made "
(Nicene Creed), and the " procession" of the Holy Ghost; but the idea of descent to imperfection is lacking. "
{Quoted from URL
http://www.utm.edu/research/iep/e/emanatio.htm }
...
#3.09) Stoicism and Logos can be viewed online at The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
"All things being material, what is the original kind of matter, or stuff, out of which the world is made? The Stoics turned to Heraclitus for an answer. Fire (logos) is the primordial kind of being, and all things are composed of fire. With this
materialism the Stoics combined pantheism. The primal fire is God. God is related to the world exactly as the soul to the body. The human soul is likewise fire, and comes from the divine fire. It permeates and penetrates the entire body, and, in order
that its interpenetration might be regarded as complete, the Stoics denied the impenetrability of matter. Just as the soul-fire permeates the whole body, so God, the primal fire, pervades the entire world."
{Quoted from URL http://www.utm.edu/research/iep/s/stoicism.htm }
#3.10) Logos Theology is further developed by Origen (182-251a.d.), can be viewed online at The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy at URL:
http://www.utm.edu/research/iep/o/origen.htm
#3.11) Augustine (354-430a.d.) can be viewed online at The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy at: URL:
http://www.utm.edu/research/iep/a/augustin.htm
#3.12) Western Philosophical Concepts of God can be viewed online at The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
"This tendency was shared by a school of thought within Judaism itself, whose influence upon Christian theology was considerable. The more Jewish speculation, as was the case especially at Alexandria, rose above an anthropomorphic idea of God to a
spiritual conception, the more abstract the latter became. In this connection Platonism was the principal one of the Greek philosophical systems toward w c this Jewish theology maintained a receptive attitude. According to Philo, God is to on, " that
which is " par excellence, and this being is rather the most universal of all than the supreme good with which Plato identified the divine; all that can be said is that God is, without defining the nature of his being. Between God and the world a middle
place is attributed by Philo to the Logos (in the sense of ratio, not at all in the Johannine sense), as the principle of diversity and the summary of the ideas and powers operating the world. "
"In the development of the Church's doctrine with Justin and the succeeding apologists, and still more with the Alexandrian school, the transcendental nature of God was emphasized, while the Scriptures and the 'religious conscience of Christendom still
permitted the contemplation of him as a personal and loving Spirit. Theology did not at first proceed to a systematic and logical explanation of the idea of God with reference to these different aspects. Where philosophical and strictly scientific
thought was active, as with the Alexandrians, the element of negation and abstraction got the upper hand. God is, especially with Origen, the simple Being with attributes, exalted above nous and ousia, and at the same time the Father, eternally begetting
the Logos and touching the world through the Logos. In opposition to this developed a Judaistic and popular conception of God which leaned to the, anthropomorphic, and also a view like Tertuilian's' which, under the influence of Stoic
philosophy, felt obliged to connect with all realities, and thus also with God, the idea of a tangible substance. In this direction Dionysius the Areopagite finally proceeded to a really Neoplatonist theology, with an inexpressible God who is above all
categories, both positive and negative, and thus is neither Being nor Not-being; who permits that which is to emanate from himself in a descending scale coming down to things perceived by the senses, but is unable to reveal his eternal truth in this
emanation. With this doctrine is conconnected, after the Neoplatonist model, an inner union with God, an ecstatic elevation of the soul which resigns itself to the process into the obscure depth of the Godhead. The ethical conception of God and
redemption thus gives place to a physical one, just as the emanation of all things from God was described as a physical process; and as soon as speculation attempts to descend from the hidden God to finite and personal life, this physical view connects
itself with the abstract metaphysical. "
{Quoted from URL http://www.utm.edu/research/iep/g/god.htm }
Examining the writings of JUSTIN MARTYR still show this very primitive-Greek philosophy usage of Logos terminology. One can view a variety of Justin's writings at URL:
#3.13) http://www.best.com/~gdavis/ntcanon/justin_martyr.htm
#3.14) Christian Classics Etheral Library at URL:
http://ccel.wheaton.edu/fathers2/ANF-01/anf01-46.htm
...
THE FIRST APOLOGY OF JUSTIN
CHAPTER V -- CHRISTIANS CHARGED WITH ATHEISM.
Why, then, should this be? In our case, who pledge ourselves to do no wickedness, nor to hold these atheistic opinions, you do not examine the charges made against us; but, yielding to unreasoning passion, and to the instigation of evil demons, you
punish us without consideration or judgment. For the truth shall be spoken; since of old these evil demons, effecting apparitions of themselves, both defiled women and corrupted boys, and showed such fearful sights to men, that those who did not use
their reason in judging of the actions that were done, were struck with terror; and being carried away by fear, and not knowing that these were demons, they called them gods, and gave to each the name which each of the demons chose for himself. And when
SOCRATES endeavoured, by true reason and examination, to bring these things to light, and deliver men from the demons, then the demons themselves, by means of men who rejoiced in iniquity, compassed his death, as an atheist and a profane person, on the
charge that "he was introducing new divinities;" and in our case they display a similar activity. For not only among the GREEKS did reason (Logos) prevail to condemn these things through SOCRATES, but also among the Barbarians were they
condemned by Reason (or the Word, the Logos) Himself, who took shape, and became man, and was called Jesus Christ; and in obedience to Him, we not only deny that they who did such things as these are gods, but assert that they are wicked and
impious demons, whose actions will not bear comparison with those even of men desirous of virtue.
CHAPTER LX -- PLATO'S DOCTRINE OF THE CROSS.
And the physiological discussion concerning the Son of God in the Timoeus of PLATO, where he says, "He placed him crosswise in the universe," he borrowed in like manner from Moses; for in the writings of Moses it is related how at that time, when the
Israelites went out of Egypt and were in the wilderness, they fell in with poisonous beasts, both vipers and asps, and every kind of serpent, which slew the people; and that Moses, by the inspiration and influence of God, took brass, and made it into the
figure of a cross, and set it in the holy tabernacle, and said to the people, "If ye look to this figure, and believe, ye shall be saved thereby." And when this was done, it is recorded that the serpents died, and it is handed down that the people thus
escaped death. Which things Plato reading, and not accurately understanding, and not apprehending that it was the figure of the cross, but taking it to be a placing crosswise, he said that the power next to the first God was placed crosswise in the
universe. And as to his speaking of a third, he did this because he read, as we said above, that which was spoken by Moses, "that the Spirit of God moved over the waters." For he gives the second place to the Logos which is with God, who he said
was placed crosswise in the universe; and the third place to the Spirit who was said to be borne upon the water, saying, "And the third around the third." And hear how the Spirit of prophecy signified through Moses that there should be a conflagration.
He spoke thus: "Everlasting fire shall descend, and shall devour to the pit beneath." It is not, then, that we hold the same opinions as others, but that all speak in imitation of ours. Among us these things can be heard and learned from persons who do
not even know the forms of the letters, who are uneducated and barbarous in speech, though wise and believing in mind; some, indeed, even maimed and deprived of eyesight; so that you may understand that these things are not the effect of human wisdom,
but are uttered by the power of God.
ST. JUSTIN MARTYR DIALOGUE WITH TRYPHO
CHAPTER LXI--WISDOM IS BEGOTTEN OF THE FATHER, AS FIRE FROM FIRE.
"I shall give you another testimony, my friends," said I, "from the Scriptures, that God begat before all creatures a Beginning, [who was] a certain rational power[proceeding] from Himself, who is called by the Holy Spirit, now the Glory of the Lord,
now the Son, again Wisdom, again an Angel, then God, and then Lord and Logos; and on another occasion He calls Himself Captain, when He appeared in human form to Joshua the son of Nave(Nun). For He can be called by all those names, since He ministers
to the Father's will, and since He was begotten of the Father by an act of will; just as we see happening among ourselves: for when we give out some word, we beget the word; yet not by abscission, so as to lessen the word [which remains] in us, when we
give it out: and just as we see also happening in the case of a fire, which is not lessened when it has kindled [another], but remains the same; and that which has been kindled by it likewise appears to exist by itself, not diminishing that from which it
was kindled. The Word of Wisdom, who is Himself this God begotten of the Father of all things, and Word, and Wisdom, and Power, and the Glory of the Begetter, will bear evidence to me, when He speaks by Solomon the following: ...
JUSTIN MARTYR, THE SECOND APOLOGY OF JUSTIN FOR THE CHRISTIANS
ADDRESSED TO THE ROMAN SENATE
CHAPTER VIII -- ALL HAVE BEEN HATED IN WHOM THE WORD HAS DWELT.
And those of the STOIC school--since, so far as their moral teaching went, they were admirable, as were also the poets in some particulars, on account of the seed of reason [the Logos] implanted in every race of men-- were, we know, hated and put
to death,--Heraclitus for instance, and, among those of our own time, Musonius and others. For, as we intimated, the devils have always effected, that all those who anyhow live a reasonable and earnest life and shun vice, be hated. And it is nothing
wonderful; if the devils are proved to cause those to be much worse hated who live not according to a part only of the word diffused [among men], but by the knowledge and contemplation of the whole Word, which is Christ. And they, having been shut up in
eternal fire, shall suffer their just punishment and penalty. For if they are even now overthrown by men through the name of Jesus Christ, this is an intimation of the punishment in eternal fire which is to be inflicted on themselves and those who serve
them. For thus did both all the prophets foretell, and our own teacher Jesus teach."
I believe that even the evidence showes that early usage's of logos was adapted from ancient Greek Philosophy and Church writers vainly tried to justify their Logos Theology.:
How? By their:
#A) Continuing to compile and recompile the existing Hebrew Old Testament into an acceptable translation of the Greek language which would adaquately represent "orthodox" believes.
#B) Continuing to compile and recompile the evolving Greek New Testament into an acceptable version representing Orthodox Christian believes.
#C) Develope an "Economy of God" and/or "Dispensation of God" Theology from said orthodox scriptures.
#D) By church decrees and/or councils cast #A,#B and #C into the permanent church structure for centuries to come by declaring #A, #B and #C as "Cannoized scriptures" from which nothing can be added or taken away from!
From:
Vincent
vberardi1@Juno.Com