Cosmic Sympathy in late Platonism
Project ESP-693 financed by the Austrian Science Fund
Project description
Since 2024, Dr. Andreea-Maria Lemnaru-Espuna is the Principal Investigator of the postdoctoral project "Cosmic Sympathy in late Platonism" financed by the Austrian Science Fund at the University of Vienna's Institute of Philosophy.
The project aims at analyzing the metaphysical foundations, theological implications and applications (prayer, astrology, alchemy) of the late Platonic cosmological doctrine of correspondances between microcosm/macrocosm. The research's angles are 1) the cosmos conceived as a living being 2) nature's sanctity.
The project has an interest in the early-Christian concept of providence and in a comparative perspective with Asian philosophy. This project at the crossroads of Ancient Philosophy, Philosophy of Religions and Philosophy of Nature seeks to offer a new perspective on the man-nature crisis relationship.
It closely collaborates with scholars in late Platonism worldwide, and more particularly with the Universities of Cambridge, Oxford, Paris, Leuven, Tuebingen, Stanford, the Foro di Studi Avanzati in Rome, Salerno and Oslo.
Events:
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International Conference "Cosmic Sympathy in Neoplatonism", Institute of Philosophy, University of Vienna, May 2025, organized by Dr. A. Lemnaru-Espuna and Prof. G. Karamanolis. Program here.
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International workshop "Metamorphoseon: The Mother Goddess from Antiquity to the Contemporary Age" co-organized by G. Girgenti, A. Lemnaru-Espuna, P. Colizzi and R. Egdi, Università Vita Salute San Raffaele, February 2025. Program here.
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Irmgard Männlein, University of Tuebingen. Invited guest of the project for a book presentation on Mystik und Allegorese, november 2024.
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Talk by the project's leader on "Wisdom, Mystical Knowledge and Sympathy in Iamblichus". University of Kyoto, September 2025.
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Talk by the project's leader on "Does Anything Truly Transmigrate? Neoplatonism on the soul's afterlife", Cambridge Centre for the Study of Platonism, University of Cambridge, November 2025.
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Claudia Lo Casto, University of Salerno, was an invited guest of the project to speak about "Metaphysik und Anthropologie des Freiheit und des Willens in Plotinus", December 2025.