Icon, the Picture of the Presence: Two Medieval Theories of Representation

Anna PALUSIŃSKA

Department of the History of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy, Faculty of Philosophy, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Al. Racławickie 14, 20-950 Lublin, Poland , Poland



Abstract

Two theories of representation were formulated during the iconoclastic controversy in Byzantine Empire. John of Damascus is the author of Apologetic Treatises against those Decrying the Holy Images. He develops a defence of icons and a theory of holy images. The Christian Neoplatonism is the philosophical basis for his conception of hierarchic being and hierarchic image. The other theory of icon is the scholastic theory proposed by two authors: Theodore of Studion and Nikephoros. They use Aristotelian metaphysics, defining the image as relation pros ti. The two theories of representation are the source of the 20th century theology and philosophy of icon.

Keywords:

the philosophy of icon, John of Damascus, Theodore of Studion, Nikephoros, iconoclasm




Published
2020-01-16


PALUSIŃSKA, A. (2020). Ikona – obraz obecności. Dwie średniowieczne teorie reprezentacji. Ethos. Kwartalnik Instytutu Jana Pawła II KUL, 29(2 (114). Retrieved from https://czasopisma.kul.pl/index.php/ethos/article/view/5289

Anna PALUSIŃSKA 
Department of the History of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy, Faculty of Philosophy, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Al. Racławickie 14, 20-950 Lublin, Poland