Research: Astronomical Metaphysics. Simplicius' Commentary on De Caelo
My project aims to reconstruct the metaphysical system of Simplicius (a sixth-century Neoplatonic philosopher), with particular focus on his Commentary on Aristotle’s De Caelo. Its primary objective is to demonstrate how the complex system of hypostatic procession characteristic of late Platonism—clearly articulated in Proclus—is applied by Simplicius to the Aristotelian cosmos. More specifically, I seek to show how this framework is employed in relation to the celestial realm.
The celestial region occupies an intermediate position between the sublunary world and the intelligible cosmos, where the distinction between the sensible and the intelligible becomes more nuanced and less sharply defined. Simplicius’ work illustrates how astral theology, which had characterized Greek thought since its earliest beginnings, assumes in late Platonism the form of an astronomical metaphysics. This development constitutes a fundamental component of the pagan theology and religion that Simplicius seeks to defend in the face of the increasingly dominant rise of Christianity.