Peter Kingsley

Under construction (june 2015)

Then censured and modified on 8/8/2015 to satisfy the request voiced by Jonathan Scott, assistant to Peter Kingsley, on 8/7/2015.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Kingsley_(scholar)

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x26kgc_peter-kingsley-complete-interview_shortfilms

  1. Ancient Philosophy, Mystery, and Magic. Empedocles and Pythagorean Tradition, Oxford : Clarendon Press 1995 (19972, 20013). Empédocle et la tradition pythagoricienne: Philosophie ancienne, mystère et magie, (translation by G. Lacaze of Ancient Philosophy, Mystery, and Magic), Belles Lettres, 2010, (coll. Vérité des mythes, 34).

  2. "Empedocles for the new millennium", Ancient Philosophy 22, 2002, p. 333-413. Published in Greek as a book by Archetypo (Thessaloniki, 2008).

  3. "Sowers of eternity", in: Reality, The Golden Sufi Center, Inverness (California), 2003, p. 309-559 (text) et 586-91 (notices).

Whether we agree or not with the conclusions of P. Kingsley in his three main texts dealing with Empedocles (above), we recognize that his works on this author is a real breakthrough.

I wanted to facilitate the reading of his works and to use the public domain in order to facilitate this reading, especially by offering free indexes worked out by myself (such as the one you can find in J.-C. Picot, "L’Empédocle magique de P. Kingsley", Revue de philosophie ancienne XVIII(1), 2000, p. 25-86, at p. 84-86). But on Friday 8/7/2015 I received an e-mail which invites me to abandon my project. Here is a couple of sentences among several signed by Jonathan Scott after advice of the attorney of peterkingsley.org:

"Of course you are free to do such indexing for your own personal and strictly private use. But to make it publicly available, on the internet or elsewhere, without Peter Kingsley’s permission is not only in bad taste: it is legally and morally unacceptable. Please remove this material at once, too."

Everyone will have his own opinion after that. The index I gave of Ancient Philosophy, Mystery, and Magic, is in the public domain, in paper, since 2000. I did not consult with Peter Kingsley first. I did not ask any permission. I did what I thought useful to facilitate a research in a highly learned book. The fact is that there was no index of the testimonies and fragments concerning Empedocles (DK 31 A, DK 31 fr. under B) in that book. P. Kingsley did not make such indexes in his books (and the rich and long article "Empedocles for the new millennium"). So, there could not be any copyright of something that did not exist. The P. Kingsley organisation has not made any complaint for 15 years. I admit to have a different taste than P. Kingsley. But only what is legal or not matters here. I will later see what is legal or not with the introduction on the public domain of indexes worked out by myself alone for learned books or articles already in the public domain.

But, today (8/08/2015), I have decided to delete tips judged as illegal and previously offered on the present page, and in particular the indexes of Ancient Philosophy, Mystery, and Magic and of "Empedocles for the new millennium". The request of the commercial organisation run by P. Kingsley is satisfied. It is good will. I hope P. Kingsley offers new articles or books about Empedocles in the future.

Jean-Claude Picot

https://centreleonrobin.academia.edu/Membreassoci%C3%A9JeanClaudePICOT