a sect of ancient philosophers, who professed to select
whatever was good and true from all the other philosophical sects. The
Eclectic philosophy was in a flourishing state at Alexandria when our
Saviour was upon earth. Its founders formed the design of selecting from
the doctrines of all former philosophers such opinions as seemed to
approach nearest the truth, and of combining them into one system. They
held Plato in the highest esteem; but did not scruple to join with his
doctrines whatever they thought conformable to reason in the tenets of
other philosophers. Potamon, a Platonist, appears to have been the
projector of this plan. The Eclectic system was brought to perfection by
Ammonius Saccas, who blended Christianity with his philosophy, and
founded the sect of the Ammonians, or New Platonists, in the second
century. The moral doctrine of the Alexandrian school was as
follows:--The mind of man, originally a portion of the Divine Being,
having fallen into a state of darkness and defilement, by its union with
the body, is to be gradually emancipated from the chains of matter, and
rise by contemplation to the knowledge and vision of God. The end of
philosophy, therefore, is the liberation of the soul from its corporeal
imprisonment. For this purpose, the Eclectic philosophy recommends
abstinence, with other voluntary mortifications, and religious
exercises. In the infancy of the Alexandrian school, not a few of the
professors of Christianity were led, by the pretensions of the Eclectic
sect, to imagine that a coalition might, with great advantage, be formed
between its system and that of Christianity. This union appeared the
more desirable, when several philosophers of this sect became converts
to the Christian faith. The consequence was, that Pagan ideas and
opinions were by degrees mixed with the pure and simple doctrines of the
Gospel. See PLATONISM.
whatever was good and true from all the other philosophical sects. The
Eclectic philosophy was in a flourishing state at Alexandria when our
Saviour was upon earth. Its founders formed the design of selecting from
the doctrines of all former philosophers such opinions as seemed to
approach nearest the truth, and of combining them into one system. They
held Plato in the highest esteem; but did not scruple to join with his
doctrines whatever they thought conformable to reason in the tenets of
other philosophers. Potamon, a Platonist, appears to have been the
projector of this plan. The Eclectic system was brought to perfection by
Ammonius Saccas, who blended Christianity with his philosophy, and
founded the sect of the Ammonians, or New Platonists, in the second
century. The moral doctrine of the Alexandrian school was as
follows:--The mind of man, originally a portion of the Divine Being,
having fallen into a state of darkness and defilement, by its union with
the body, is to be gradually emancipated from the chains of matter, and
rise by contemplation to the knowledge and vision of God. The end of
philosophy, therefore, is the liberation of the soul from its corporeal
imprisonment. For this purpose, the Eclectic philosophy recommends
abstinence, with other voluntary mortifications, and religious
exercises. In the infancy of the Alexandrian school, not a few of the
professors of Christianity were led, by the pretensions of the Eclectic
sect, to imagine that a coalition might, with great advantage, be formed
between its system and that of Christianity. This union appeared the
more desirable, when several philosophers of this sect became converts
to the Christian faith. The consequence was, that Pagan ideas and
opinions were by degrees mixed with the pure and simple doctrines of the
Gospel. See PLATONISM.