Routledge History of Philosophy, Vol. 2.. From Aristotle to Augustine..

This volume traces the evolution of philosophical thought concerning God and divine matters from the 4th century BCE through the 5th century CE, examining how successive schools and thinkers transformed inherited concepts of divinity. Furley assembles contributions that collectively demonstrate the profound shifts in theological speculation across eight centuries of ancient philosophy.

The work charts the movement from Aristotle's unmoved mover through Hellenistic innovations to the Christian synthesis of Augustine. Contributors analyze how Aristotle's prime mover, conceived as pure actuality engaged in eternal self-contemplation, established a philosophical template for divine transcendence that subsequent thinkers would variously modify, reject, or incorporate. The volume examines how Stoic philosophers reconceived divinity as immanent rational principle pervading the cosmos, while Epicureans developed sophisticated arguments for the gods' complete detachment from human affairs. Particular attention is given to the transformative period of Middle Platonism, where thinkers like Plutarch and Numenius began elaborating hierarchical metaphysical schemes that would profoundly influence both pagan and Christian theology.

The collection demonstrates how Neoplatonists, especially Plotinus and Proclus, synthesized earlier traditions into elaborate systems featuring emanation from an ineffable One through successive levels of reality. Contributors trace how these developments provided conceptual resources for early Christian intellectuals attempting to articulate their faith in philosophical terms. The volume culminates with Augustine's revolutionary integration of Neoplatonic metaphysics with biblical revelation, showing how he transformed philosophical concepts of divine simplicity, eternality, and causation to serve Christian theological purposes.

Through careful attention to textual evidence and historical context, the volume reveals how debates about divine nature, knowledge, and providence evolved through dynamic exchanges between competing schools. Rather than presenting a linear narrative of progress, contributors emphasize the complex dialectical relationships between traditions, showing how critiques and defenses of various positions generated new conceptual possibilities. The work illuminates how ancient philosophers' sustained engagement with questions about divinity established problematics and vocabularies that would shape medieval and modern philosophical theology. By presenting these developments through multiple expert perspectives, the volume provides essential historical grounding for understanding how philosophical reflection on God emerged from and transformed the intellectual cultures of antiquity.