The Role of the Senses in St. Gregory of Nyssa’s Immaterialist Conception of Man

Elżbieta Kotkowska

elzbieta.kotkowska@amu.edu.pl
Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland (Poland)
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8807-882X

Abstract

St. Gregory of Nyssa is a representative of philosophical immaterialism with theological justification. He is one of the first philosophers to treat philosophy more creatively than apologetically in the revelatory context. For him, man is a spirit just like God the Creator. However, the soul expresses itself externally and people communicate with each other through the senses. The following key questions then come to the fore: In his immaterialist vision of reality, how does Gregory present and justify the role of the senses in relation to the Greek interpretation of νοῦς? And why is the role of the senses only auxiliary in true knowledge that goes beyond what is visible and tangible?


Keywords:

soul, senses, immaterialism, God

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Published
2024-12-31

Cited by

Kotkowska, E. (2024). The Role of the Senses in St. Gregory of Nyssa’s Immaterialist Conception of Man. Warsaw Theological Studies, 37(2), 110–123. https://doi.org/10.30439/WST.2024.2.5

Authors

Elżbieta Kotkowska 
elzbieta.kotkowska@amu.edu.pl
Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8807-882X

Elżbieta Kotkowska is a professor at Adam Mickiewicz University, serving in the Department of Philosophy and Dialogue at the Faculty of Theology. Her research primarily focuses on patristics and fundamental theology. She explores the historical and salvific processes of the early Christian era and examines the role of new apologetics in addressing contemporary questions of human identity. Her work emphasizes the intersection of historical theology and modern challenges, offering a robust framework for understanding early Christian thought and its relevance today.



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