general characteristics

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This book is a collection of fragments which emerged during the twenties, when LOSEV has been working on late Classic and mediaeval philosophy and science. These fragments are clustered around the central problem of dialectics of Greek kosmos. Author makes reference to the wicked conditions of communistic regime under which he has been unable to create any good appearance of this work as regard to scientific apparatus, citation formats, fonts, etc. Therefore the final appearance of this treatise is rather terse.

The analogies between Classic and modern science are so plentiful and conspicuous now that the cause appears to be the transition state of modern science which calls upon some theoretical framework already created for this purpose in the scope of Neo-Platonism. The modern historians of science like to brag about Classic science in the manner that the eminent figures of old times are described as a kind of fools. In contrast, LOSEV always sees Classic kosmos from inside, using the unique tool of dialectics which for the Greeks has been the ultimate instrument to make the theory of kosmos. When we acquire some method to isolate dialectics from any mythology and reversed categories of expression, we are able to acquire these powerful instruments of thought,- still good for ourselves, our time and our science.
 

table of contents

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Foreword
 

I. Preliminary characterization of Greek dialectics
 

1. Introduction

2. Definition of Dialectics

• logical nature
• eidetic nature
• categorical nature
• dialectics is self-based
• dialectics and phenomenology
• dialectics vs. illogical, praxis, and myth
• dialectics is the dialectics of Name

3. Dialectical constructions in Classic period

• mythological womb of dialectics
• first dialectical constructions in Pythagoreism
• static understanding of Idea, POLYKLETOS, EURITAS, etc.
• beginnings of dialectics
• EKPHANTES, etc.
• PHILOLAUS and ARCHYTAS
• PLATON and his definition of dialectics

II. Dialectics of Tetraktys A
 

4. Starting point of Dialectics -- The One

• why the One is a convenient starting point
• pure acategorical One (theory of PLATON)
• thinkability of that acategorical One means its unthinkability
• PROCLUS about One and Many

5. Some, or Being One

• deduction of the 5 main categories and meon
• transition of One to Being One, or eidos
• dialectics of eidos, deduction and antinomies of its categories

6. Third Principle -- the Becoming

• problem generated by eidos
• it resolves into the category of Becoming
• dialectics of relative negation of One in Becoming
• dialectics of absolute negation of One in Becoming
• dialectics of Other during negation of One
• PROCLUS about triads

7. Fourth Principle -- the Fact

• self-definition of Becoming yields that what has become
• heterooysia of fourth category, antinomic of fact and sense, modifications of pure triad in Tetraktys

8. Name and its Dialectics

• further dialectics reveals two kinds of meon: intratriadic (intelligible) and extratriadic (sensual)
• derivation of category of Name  as the coordination between triad with extratriadic meon
• onomatic modification of triad and derivation of energy of oysia
• name of oysia and oysia itself: name inseparable from oysia, but oysia accepts the name and is not any name
• Onomatodoxy rejects antidialectical agnosticism and positivism, it is a kind of symbolism
• detailed dialectical antinomics if name and oysia
• exaiphnçs in name as energy of oysia, transition from named to hyperonomatic
• dialectics as a single way to think

9. Exact formulations of categories contained in Tetraktys A

• number
• eidos
• manifold
• topos
• eternity
• fact
• thing
• quantity
• motion
• quality
• size
• time
• space
• name

10. Dialectics of transition to Tetraktys B, or Kosmos

• sensual meon makes Tetraktys A to diminish,  but in itself it persists absolutely
• antinomics between energy of oysia (Tetraktys A) and fact (Tetraktys B)
• A and B are identical in name of their oysia,  whereas occurring as two facts
• Tetraktys B is possible by the name of Tetraktys A; and this name enables them to communicate and unite
• dialectical antinomies between tetractids
• conclusion

III. Dialectics of Tetraktys B
 

11. Category of unity, or Being

12. Categories of Moving and Rest

13. Categories of Difference and Identity

14. Categories of Size, Time, Space, and Mass

15. Category of Name, or Expression

16. Category of Expression of Space

17. Categories of Expression of Size, Time, and Mass

18. Category of Expression of Eidos

19. General characterization of Classic Kosmos

20. Conclusion