Protology

Protology (from Greek prōton "the first" and -logie "doctrine") denotes the theological or philosophical doctrine of the "first". The object of protological efforts to cognize is the assumed causation of everything by a universal principle, a first cause which is regarded as the origin of everything without origin. In Catholic theology the doctrine of God's creative work is meant, in philosophy the concept of the original principles traced back to Plato .

Theological term

In Catholic theology, protology is understood to mean the doctrine of the beginning, of the “first things”, that is, of the creation of the world and of man and of God's creative work. The word is based on " eschatology " (doctrine of the last things ). As part of the theological understanding of salvation history , protology and eschatology are closely linked. Gerhard Ludwig Müller observes : From this basic experience of the powerful presence of God, the horizon widens to the all-encompassing origin (protology) and the final perfection of the world (eschatology).

Philosophical term

In philosophy, the term “protology” was coined by the Italian historian of philosophy Giovanni Reale and taken up by other researchers. As protology - "doctrine of the first" - Real designates the doctrine of principles or " unwritten doctrine " ascribed to the philosopher Plato , the subject matter of which is the two first principles - the one and the "indefinite duality". Everything in the doctrine of principles is traced back to the interaction of the original principles.

literature

theology

• Harald Wagner: Protology . In: Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche , 3rd edition, Volume 8, Herder, Freiburg 1999, ISBN 3-45122008-3 , Sp. 668f.
• Andreas Schüle: Protology . In: Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart , 4th edition, Volume 6, Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen 2003, ISBN 3-16-146946-1 , Sp. 1745f.

philosophy

• Giovanni Reale: On a new interpretation of Plato. An interpretation of the metaphysics of the great dialogues in the light of the "unwritten teachings" . 2nd, extended edition, Schöningh, Paderborn 2000, ISBN 3-506-77052-7 .

Web links

Wiktionary: Protology  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Remarks

1. ^ Gerhard Ludwig Müller: Katholische Dogmatik , 6th edition, Freiburg 2005, p. 156.