Searching for the Divine in Plato and Aristotle: Philosophical Theoria and Traditional Practice by Julie K. Ward (review)

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Reviewed by:

• Searching for the Divine in Plato and Aristotle: Philosophical Theoria and Traditional Practice by Julie K. Ward
• Nevim Borçin

Julie K. Ward. Searching for the Divine in Plato and Aristotle: Philosophical Theoria and Traditional Practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2021. Pp. v, 208. € 99.99 ISBN 978-1-316-51941-7.

In this book, Julie K. Ward examines the concept of theoria within both philosophical and what she terms the ‘traditional’ frameworks. Her primary objective is to enhance the ongoing philosophical discussion surrounding Plato and Aristotle’s accounts of theoria by situating them within the context of the earlier practice of traditional theoria. By understanding the cultural ground from which these philosophical accounts spring, Ward rightly asserts that her work enables a deeper and more sustained critical analysis of both philosophers’ theories than what is found in current scholarship. [End Page 452]

The book features a well-structured introduction followed by six chapters and a concluding section summarizing the key points of the debate. Chapter 1 discusses the activities that comprise traditional theoria, giving precedence to theoria as festival attendance. It also introduces the family of terms relating to theoria and the notion of theoria as philosophical thinking. Chapter 2 explores the traditional usage of theoria in greater depth, referring to writers such as Herodotus, Thucydides, Aristophanes, Euripides, and briefly, Plato. This examination reveals that the traditional concept of theoria involves traveling to festivals and shrines to observe something sacred or highly significant, and these features persist through the philosophical development of the notion.

Chapter 3 examines Plato’s treatment of both traditional and philosophical theoria. Ward contends that Plato stands at a crossroad between the traditional idea of theoria and his conception of it as abstract thinking. She insightfully demonstrates how Plato effectively contrasts traditional theoria with philosophical thinking in several dialogues, including the Republic, Symposium, Phaedo, Crito, and Laws. Chapter 4 focuses on Aristotle’s perspective. Ward argues that Aristotle preserves Plato’s understanding of theoria as philosophical intellection, an activity involving the apprehension of forms, but unlike Plato, does not use traditional theoria to define his account. In this chapter, to elucidate the leisurely nature of theoretical activity in Aristotle’s philosophy, Ward contrasts this activity, valued for its intrinsic worth, with activities aimed at external ends. She highlights practical virtues related to political and military endeavors that aim at outcomes beyond the activities themselves (93–97). While her discussion illuminates the leisurely nature of theoretical activity through this contrast, there remains some ambiguity regarding Ward’s stance on the purported instrumental value of moral virtue. Specifically, her analysis lacks a clear explanation of whether Aristotle believes moral virtue holds solely instrumental value.

Chapter 5 offers a comparative study of the traditional and philosophical conceptions of the objects of theoria. Ward demonstrates that, despite some differences, both perspectives maintain that theoria relies on the apprehension of a perceptible object that stimulates the cognitive faculty.

Chapter 6 examines the value attributed to the activity of theoria, considering whether it is valued for its own sake, for an instrumental end, or for a combination of these reasons. Ward argues that in traditional theoria, activities like festival attendance and sanctuary visitation primarily have instrumental value. In contrast, for Plato and Aristotle, the value of theoria primarily lies in the activity itself, with secondary practical or political benefits. Her claim regarding Aristotle is particularly noteworthy as she challenges the prevailing scholarship that simplifies Aristotle’s position, suggesting that Aristotle’s evaluation of theoria depends entirely on its uselessness. Ward aligns Aristotle with Plato, asserting that both philosophers see philosophical theoria as having both intrinsic and instrumental value. Ward’s discussion of Aristotle, however, remains brief and relies heavily on metaphorical language to illustrate how contemplative nous or theoria provides practical benefits. These features leave her explanation somewhat vague and convoluted. Phrases like “beneficial effects supervene on the activity of theoria” (98) and “good results may flow from it” (98) lack the clarity expected of her important contribution.

Ward employs an interdisciplinary approach that draws upon evidence from both classical studies and philosophy. Throughout, she readily acknowledges and extensively references the works of Andrea Nightingale and Ian Rutherford, [End...