Elements of Theology: Every Cause is Superior to its Effect
In this class, I explain Proposition 7 of Proclus' Elements of Theology "Every productive cause of something else is superior to the nature of what is produced." We go into:
What is a productive cause?
What is the meaning of superior here?
Why does he specify the cause "of something else"?
Why specify that it is superior to the nature of what is produced?
And we also go into some puzzles of the argument, like:
Why does Proclus think that if a cause produced something equal to itself, there would be no superiority and inferiority in the world?
Why does Proclus assume that a productive cause can act on itself and make itself more powerful?
In the end I show the consequences that this proposition has for causality more generally in Proclus, by looking at propositions 55 and 56, on how every cause produces not only its effects, but also the effects of its effects and even things inferior to those last effects.
I am available for close readings of any work of Proclus'. For an overview of his works see:
https://antoniofilosofo.com/close-reading-and-commentary-of-proclus-works/