The Great Chain of Being

Darius Williamson 4-24-07 HONR-3002-01

The Base Concept

 Everything on earth is ranked by importance  Interdependent link between groups of people

The Chain’s basic format

 God as Spirit  Spiritual Being(s)  Human Beings  The Animal Kingdom  The Plant Kingdom  The Material (Inert) World

The Creator

  Plotinus is the original architect behind the Chain of Being   Got the ideas of perfectionism from Plato Got the ideas of existence from Aristotle Plotinus quotes from his Ennads writings:  ““The one is perfect because it seeks for nothing, and possesses nothing, and has need of nothing; and being perfect, it overflows, and thus its superabundance produces an Other.”

The Vision Behind the Chain

     1. The top of the chain represents absolute perfection 2. The chain represents all degrees of perfection; from highest to lowest 3. The Chain is incomplete if there are unfilled gaps in between 4. The universe is more perfect if all degrees of perfection are represented  This explains why the world is imperfect 5. The bottom of the chain is represented as nothingness Every point of the chain has some degree of perfection

The Vision Behind the Chain (cont.)

       6. Every existing idea has some bit of truth 7. Error is not something positive; truth is 8. Evil is not something positive; good is 9. Existence is a perfection  All perfections is the idea of an existing being 10. Truth is default and existence is default 11. Dependence is imperfection 12. Things in the middle of the chain are dependent or contigent

The Vision Behind the Chain (cont.)

   13. The being at the top of the chain is independent and absolute (God) 14. If A causes B, then B is more dependent than A   So dependent beings look for more independent beings for assistance With every dependent being, there must be an absolute independent one 15. God is either self-caused or uncaused

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The Chain’s format during 16

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century England

God Angels Kings/Queens Archbishops Dukes/Duchesses Bishops Marquises/Marchionesses Earls/Countesses Viscounts/Viscountesses Barons/Baronesses Abbots/Deacons Knights/Local Officials Ladies-in-Waiting Priests/Monks Squires Pages                  Messengers Merchants/Shopkeepers Tradesmen Yeomen Farmers Soldiers/Town Watch Household Servants Tennant Farmers Shephards/Herders Beggars Actors Thieves/Pirates Gypsies Animals Birds Worms Plants Rocks

How the Chain affected 16

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century England

 Setup the hierarchal society  Everyone believed their jobs are predestined by God  They only do good tasks, since it is expected of them to do so  Attitudes are shaped by their destined jobs in life

How the Chain affected Elizabeth

 Her reputation came from her mother’s false reasons behind her ill fated assassination  Her rise to power was seen as a sign by God, despite the fact she was a woman and regarded as lesser than a man

How the Chain affects us today

 Distinguishes job classes  Reveals how certain people are treated above others  We are in control of our own destiny from our actions rather than God

Works Cited

     “The Great Chain of Being.” Grimes, Geoffrey. “Basic Concept: The Great Chain of Being Theory.” English 2327: Survey of American Literature. 6 Jun. 2004 Moran, Donna. “How We Think or The Great Chain of Being.” 1996 Suber, Peter. “The Great Chain of Being Theory.” English 2327: Survey of American Literature. 1997 "Great Chain of Being." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 24 Apr. 2007 .

Time to wake up, children!