Plotinus (204/5-270), Anonymous, white marble, Ostiense Museum, Ostia Antica, Rome
Hi,
Proclus (412-485)
my name is Philip Stanfield and my purpose in setting up this blog is primarily to explore through my posts the concepts ‘materialism’ and ‘mysticism’ (regarded under capitalist ideology in turn with hostility and suspicion), how they interrelate and how they can and do reflect in creativity.
Nicholas of Cusa (1401-1464), detail of relief ‘Cardinal Nicholas before St. Peter’ on his tomb by Andrea Bregno, church of St. Peter in Chains, Rome
My position is materialist, and its truth (the true reflection of reality in thought, ultimately verified by the criterion of practice) as well as what has been achieved in its name must be argued for, particularly to counter the antiquated dominant ideology – which concept Morawski defined as ‘a system of beliefs delimited by interests’. The question being – ‘Whose?’
Jakob Schlesinger, ‘Bildnis des Philosophen Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel’, Berlin 1831, Alte Nationalgalerie Berlin
As a materialist, as one who starts with the world in his thinking and not with what I want from it or how I think it should be, I acknowledge the contribution that has been made and continues to be made under the pervasive and profound influence of mysticism.
Its creative and poetic power, as Marx recognised in Hegel’s Neoplatonic philosophy informs, is the philosophical engine of dialectical materialism – having been famously inverted by Marx from standing on its head to standing on its material feet.
Marx in 1875
I am focused on exploring this epistemological current initiated by Plotinus and taken furthest by Marx and Engels.
In doing so, I aim to argue for its importance and for the need for its review in toto, towards the continuation of its development to which I hope my blog contributes.
Engels in 1877
Both its theory and method, now materialist, are necessary to our deepening cognition of and to maintaining our place in a world driven by ‘the tremendous power of the negative’.
I will also put posts on my blog regarding a range of subjects – philosophical, social, political and other – that are important or of interest to me and I think might be of interest to you.
Your comments are welcome!
materialism, mysticism and art 
