spirituality

The Relevance of Plato’s Battle in Modern Philosophy

Here is a brief synopsis of Dr. Mijuskovic’s latest installment Plato’s Battle Between the Gods and Giants and its Continuing Relevance in the Speculative Philosophy of History published by Brill in the Value Inquiry Book Series.

Ben Mijuskovic’s concept of “Plato’s Battle between the Gods and the Giants” refers to a metaphorical interpretation of Plato’s philosophical ideas, where the “Gods” represent the realm of ideals, reason, and spiritual consciousness, while the “Giants” symbolize the material world, sensory perception, and deterministic forces, highlighting a continuous philosophical struggle throughout history between these opposing perspectives on reality and human knowledge; essentially arguing that this ancient conflict remains relevant in modern philosophical debates between idealism and materialism.

Key points about Mijuskovic’s interpretation:

  • Idealism vs. Materialism: The “Gods” are associated with Plato’s theory of Forms, the perfect and unchanging realm of ideas, while the “Giants” represent the physical world and its limitations, mirroring the ongoing debate about the nature of reality and whether consciousness is fundamentally spiritual or solely based on physical processes.
  • Application to Contemporary Philosophy: Mijuskovic uses this metaphor to analyze various philosophical positions throughout history, aligning thinkers who prioritize reason and spiritual aspects with the “Gods” and those who emphasize empirical evidence and physical determinism with the “Giants”.
  • Relevance to Societal Issues: By examining this battle through a historical lens, Mijuskovic argues that the tension between these two forces can manifest in societal issues like political conflicts. scientific controversies, and even personal struggles with meaning and purpose. 

Praise for Theories of Consciousness

Check out the latest edition of Philosophy in Review volume 44 including praise for Theories of Consciousness and the Problem of Evil in the History of Ideas.

Mijuskovic’s recent publication is “his finest work to date for its humanity, compassion, and purpose.”

Ben Lazare Mijuskovic. Theories of Consciousness and the Problem of Evil in the History of Ideas. Palgrave Macmillan 2023. 211 pp. $119.99 USD (Hardcover 9783031264047); $39.99 USD (Paperback 9783031264078).

Ben Mijuskovic expands his life work in the eighth major publication of an interdisciplinary series examining layers and relationships of consciousness and loneliness within philosophical, psychological, and literary contexts. This latest installment includes refreshingly personal dimensions of his family history in Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Yugoslavia from turn of the twentieth century, throughout World War I, and in the aftermath of World War II. Mijuskovic’s grandfather and father negotiated complex political relationships with notable figures like Tsar Nicholas I of Russia, King Peter II of Serbia, and President Tito of Yugoslavia. When addressing his philosophy of evil and psychology of narcissism, Mijuskovic’s calculated autobiography offers a unique study in human depravity and suffering with both oppressed and oppressor in view. The current conflict in Ukraine and the Balkans with Russia stems from the unresolved dynamics and power struggle Mijuskovic’s mother and father survived upon arriving to the United States in the late 1940s. Theories of Consciousness ventures into unfamiliar territory for the author in this exploration of his family history from an ethical stance. His career and numerous publications in philosophy of mind and psychology ground this work in most Existential and personal ways. In sum, this work constitutes his own theory of consciousness and struggle with the problem of evil. As a student and avid reader of Mijuskovic, Theories of Consciousness and the Problem of Evil in the History of Ideas is his finest work to date for its humanity, compassion, and purpose.

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