شرح و بسط پروكلوس از اشارات افلاطون به مسيله شرور و نسبت آنها با عنايت و فاعليت الهي

Proclusʹʹ Elaboration of Platonic Remarks on the Problem of Evils, and their Relation to Divine Providence and Efficiency

هرچند نزد افلاطون نظريه منسجمي درباره مسيله شرّ ديده نمي شود، اما در آثار او پاره هايي هست كه براي افلاطونيان بعدي، دستمايه اي براي بسط و پرورش چنين نظريه اي شد. پروكلوس، برجسته ترين فيلسوف مكتب نوافلاطوني متاخر است كه نظريه اش به ديدگاه مرجع نوافلاطونيان درباره مسيله شرّ بدل شد. وي در مواجهه اي انتقادي با پيشينيانش مي كوشد كه شرح و تبييني وحدت انگار از اشارات افلاطون به مسيله شرّ ارايه دهد. بر اساس تبيين وي مراتب عالي هستي، خير و فقط علّت خيرند. شرّ واقعيتي ضروري است اما تنها به نحو نسبي، جانبي، بالعرض و آويخته به خير تحقق دارد و تنها در مرتبه باشندگان جزيي يافت مي شود. هستي بالعرض شرّ، علت وجودبخش ندارد بلكه پيدايي اش به سبب ناهماهنگي افعال نيروهاي متعدد موجود مركب جزيي است. آويختگي و آميختگي هستي شرّ به خير چنان است كه به رغم ضديتش با خير، در تحقق خير كل مشاركت دارد و از اين رو با عنايت و فاعليت مطلق الهي قابل جمع است.

Although there is not a fully developed theory of evil in Plato, some various remarks are interspersed throughout his dialogues which provided the main materials for subsequent Platonists to elaborate a systematic doctrine of evil. Proclus is the most distinguished philosopher of the later Neoplatonism whose view became authoritative within the School and thus is most representative of the Neoplatonic doctrine of evil. By a critical assessment of the antecedent theories of evil, Proclus attempts to give a monistic interpretation of Platonic remarks on the problem of evil. According to his explanation, the higher degrees and principles of Being are only and purely good and are not the causes of evils but the good things for all things alone. Evils, however, exist necessarily but only among particular beings in a relative, parasitic, accidental way and dependent upon the good. The parasitic accidental existence of evil does not have a real efficient cause. It arises due to an asymmetry between the activities of the several faculties or powers of a complex particular being. Moreover, the existence of evil is so mixed with and dependent upon the good that despite its opposition to the good, contributes, in its own manner, to the fulfillment of goodness of the whole Universe, being thus reconcilable with Divine Providence and Efficiency.