Nogovitsyn O.N. “Antropological paradigm” and paradigmatic method: particular and common nature in the treatise of Leontius of Byzantium Contra Nestorianos et Eutychianos and the Neoplatonic commentary tradition (I). Platonic Investigations, 2020, Vol. 12. No. 1, pp. 190-213.

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Abstract

In the article, an explicated interpretation of Leontius’ of Byzantium treatise Contra Nestorianos et Eutychianos is proposed along with explanation that almost the entire text of the treatise is a demonstration of anthropological paradigm, that is, an argument of biparticity of the hypostasis of Christ, including deity and humanity as its parts, by the example of bipartite nature of every human, which includes body and soul, in the context of dogmatical polemic with Monophysites (successors of Severus of Antioch) and Nestorians. The interpretation is built upon the application of paradigmatic method, specific for the schools of Neoplatonic commentary tradition, to the text of the treatise. In aiming this, an integrated analysis of the logical structure and rhetorical context of how does the argument via παράδειγμα (example) function is rendered with support on the relevant texts of Aristotle and extant texts of Neoplatonic commentaries (Ammonius of Alexandria, John Philoponus, David). We demonstrated that Leontius of Byzantium has most likely immediately oriented himself to the given type of argument and constructed his criticism against the opponents proceeding from the basic principles of its explication. In connection with this, we pointed out that Leontius, holding strongly to the specificity of the paradigmatic method supposing the particular quality of all the logical elements which constitute the minor extreme (πρωτότυπον of Christ) and example (παράδειγμα of a human) within the argument via παράδειγμα, considers the parts in the hypostasis of each human (soul and body) and in the hypostasis of Christ (Word and human) as particular, individual natures. Since there is still no scientific consensus within the recent decades studies of the treatise Contra Nestorianos et Eutychianos on whether the deity and the humanity within Christ, as considered in the given text, should be understood in the sense of either common or particular nature, the interpretation represented in this article provides sufficient reasons in favor of the second position.

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