Spectacles of Truth

I recently read what has become one of my favorite books about ancient Greek philosophy, Spectacles of Truth in Classical Greek Philosophy: Theoria in Its Cultural Context by Andrea Nightingale. The author demonstrates how Plato and then Aristotle conceptualized philosophy as a pilgrimage for viewing and participating in sacred rites. Plato drew upon the ancient Greek custom of theoria (θεωρία; pl. theoriai), which was the journey of a privileged person to see and hear things abroad that his fellow citizens could not. Such a person was called a theoros, literally, “one who spectates.” Many of these theoriai were religious. Some would journey to an oracle like the one at Delphi to inquire about the city’s welfare. Others would journey to foreign religious festivals to show solidarity with other states, but also to learn about those cities’ religious rites. Still, others would journey abroad out of personal curiosity to learn more about the world and share this learning with others through teaching and writing. 

Two things captivated me concerning the practice of theoria and its relation to philosophy: First, the religious and civic implications of such journeys (remember, religion and the state had almost complete overlap in ancient Greece); Secondly, the theoria required that the theoros detach from familiar social structures, enter foreign spaces, and open himself up to what is new and sacred. The experience of the theoria would change the theoros to some degree. Thus, the theoros would return changed and slightly alien, possibly even returning with foreign ideas and customs. A similar phenomenon in our day would be the journey of a young adult from a small town to college or to study abroad. When the student returns to her small hometown, she may be very different from the simple folk of her town. She has seen things and experienced cultures and customs different from her own that none of her friends back home have. Such an experience changed this student to where she herself feels foreign in her own town.

So what does all this have to do with ancient Greek philosophy? As Nightingale goes on to argue, Plato conceived of philosophy as a theoria of the mind to view sacred realities. Plato’s Phaedo draws on such themes throughout the dialogue. But perhaps the most famous dialogue of Plato in our day, the Republic, uses theoria imagery the most. The Allegory of the Cave in book 7 of the Republic is a perfect portrayal of such theoric activity. According to the allegory, several people are bound in a dark, subterranean cave facing a wall. The only light in the cave is behind them and people behind them are carrying around implements that cast shadows on the wall. The shadows are what these prisoners think are the real objects of their vision. Eventually, one of the prisoners breaks free and ascends to the world above. The light from the world above blinds him temporarily as he ascends. As his eyes adjust, he gradually regains his sight and comprehends everything he sees more clearly. After beholding the world above by the light of the sun, this person descends into the cave, where he often stumbles as his eyes readjust to the darkness. Once he arrives where his imprisoned friends are, he attempts to tell them to break free and leave the cave because the shadows that they see are not true reality. The people are in complete disbelief at what the free man tells them and they mock him and say that his eyes are ruined. If they should ever break free of their bonds, they would try to kill him.

The allegory of the cave explains the enterprise of ‘theoretical’ philosophy. Philosophers must break free from the chains of ignorance that the rest of humanity is bound to in order to view Truth. For Plato, one can only view Truth with the eye of the soul/mind which ascends through dialectic. This ascent from the cave is fraught with difficulty and pain. There is also a missional aspect to Plato’s conception of philosophy. Like the theoros who journeys abroad, the philosopher, either from love or a sense of duty, must return to the uneducated and encourage them to pursue a vision of the truth. 

I resonated with the Republic and with Spectacles of Truth in a very personal and spiritual way. In many ways, it perfectly depicts how I view my own intellectual and spiritual pursuits. I journey to ‘foreign lands’ and times with my mind to learn new information. I have pursued this journey for my entire adult life and I feel like I have penetrated into distant regions of the mind that I never knew existed. Much of what I have seen with my mind’s eye has changed my life. Learning more deeply about Scripture has altered how I view the entire world around me and my values. It has led to more happiness, joy, and empowerment. Although I still have a long way to go, it has helped me to see where I have been blind to my own faults and the faults of my culture, so that I do not go back into harmful ways of life.  

However, the social implications of this journey have been painful. Like the philosopher who goes back to the cave, my eyes have a difficult time re-adjusting. I try to explain what I have seen and others just do not “get it.” Many find me strange for spending so much time learning and engaging in practices normal people find strange (fasting, intense exercise, learning ancient languages, etc.). Some people even resent my foreignness and think that all this time spent on education is a waste. However, most just do not care and instead choose to continue in certain degrees of ignorance. 

So this is how I conceive of my entire life’s work: I am a theoros who journeys to foreign lands in search of Truth so that I can bring back this truth to my fellow countrymen. I encourage everyone I can to become a theoros, too, even offering myself as their guide or traveling companion. I have to be willing to feel ostracized by my own people because telling the Truth is more important than my comfort and status.

However, I want to make it clear that I do not see my endeavor as elitist. Anyone can have their own type of theoric journey, and it does not have to be intellectually oriented like my own. Anyone can have an experience somewhere else that they can bring to benefit their community. Yet it does involve leaving one’s comfort zone twice. For this reason, most either do not care to go on such journeys or do not feel obligated or excited to share their experiences.

Another reflection I have had from this book is about Jesus and how the Gospel of John portrays him. The Fourth Gospel portrays Jesus as a heavenly messenger who reveals divine realities. He is unlike the theoros in that his origin is not among us, but is heavenly. However, he did “come to his own and his own did not receive him” (1:11). He also revealed divine realities and explained the Father (1:18). In this way, he is the ultimate theoros who tells us about the most important spectacles that would forever change our earthly city to become like that heavenly city. The more we learn from Jesus as the Son, the better we can grasp those celestial truths. We cannot arrive at an understanding of these truths except through Jesus.