Thesis:
Neopythagoreanism is not an easy movement to look into
or to study. The movement arose in the first century c.e. as a revitalized
interest in Pythagoras and the Pythagorean tradition. During its development,
the Neopythagorean movement never developed a scholastic tradition of its
own, and it was soon fused with the Neoplatonist school of philosophy.
As such, it is very hard to separate Neopythagorean ideas from Neoplatonist
ideas. In light of this, to really understand Neopythagoreanism, one must
look at both its roots in Pythagoras and the Pythagorean tradition, and
also at key figures in the Neopythagorean movement. Through these two sources
we can get the best view of the nature and focus of the Neopythagoreanism. |
