Quadrivium: Dr. Owen M. Smith

OWEN M. SMITH, PH.D.
(October 2003) 505 8th Street
Selinsgrove PA 17870
(570) 374-8408
OMSmith@digital-link.net

Education
Ph.D., Philosophy, December 1995. The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX.
B.A. Honors Philosophy (summa cum laude), May 1982. The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.

Areas of Specialization
Philosophy of Religion, Gnosticism, Ancient & Medieval Metaphysics

Areas of Competence
History of Philosophy, Logic & Critical Thinking, Ethics & Morality, Eastern Philosophy, Writing, Literature and Culture, Classical and Biblical Greek, Interdisciplinary Studies

Teaching Experience

Courses Taught: Philosophy of Religion, Introduction to Philosophy, Logic, Ethics and Morality, World Religions, Writing Seminar, Literature and Culture, Elementary Classical Greek
Independent Studies directed: Advanced Greek (Apostolic Fathers; Gospel of John); Cross-cultural Mysticism; Hindu Theology; Readings in Gnosticism.
Courses Prepared to Teach: (Undergraduate): History of Philosophy: Ancient, Medieval, Modern, and Contemporary; (Graduate): The Metaphysics of Transcendence; The Philosophy of the Church Fathers
Positions Held

Educational Consultant, Quadrivium Educational Consulting August 2002-present
Adjunct Professor, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove PA Fall 1996-Spring 2002
Project Coordinator, Middle States Accreditation Interim Report, Susquehanna University, Fall 1998-Summer 1999
Instructor, College of St. Francis, Summer 1997-Fall 1998
Instructor, Austin Community College, Austin, TX Fall 1992-Summer 1996
Lecturer, Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos, TX Fall 92-Spring 93
Graduate Assistant, the University of Texas at Austin, Summer 1986-Spring 1992.
Dissertation
Adviser: Louis H. Mackey
Topic: Approaches to the Agnostos Theos in Second-Century Middle Platonic Natural Theology and the Valentinian Gnosticism of the Tripartite Tractate (NHC I,5)

Foreign Languages
French, German, Spanish, Latin, Greek, Coptic.

Presentations:

37th International Medieval Congress, Kalamazoo, Michigan, May 2002: "Mystical Rapture and Beatific Divination: The Analogy of Being as Enabler and Precluder of Human Knowledge of God in the Metaphysics of Thomas Aquinas," presented at the Marquette University special session on analogy.
36th International Medieval Congress, Kalamazoo, Michigan, May 2001: "Apprehending the Super-Inconceivable: the Development and Usage of Innovative Divine Predicates by Neoplatonist and Patristic Authors," presented at the Marquette University special session on translation.
Pennsylvania Classical Association, October 1998: "Plato Goes to Middle School," joint presentation with Anne Collins Smith.

Publications:

Co-authored with Anne Collins Smith. Ten entries for the reference work Medieval Europe and the Rise of Christendom, 500-1300 AD: an Interdisciplinary Biographical Dictionary, edited by Jana Schulman, 2002.

DISSERTATION ABSTRACT
Approaches to the Agnostos Theos in Second-Century Middle Platonic Natural Theology and the Valentinian Gnosticism of the Tripartite Tractate (NHC I,5) by Owen M. Smith, University of Texas at Austin, 1995.

The central project of the dissertation is an inquiry into the conceptions of the divine first principle held by second-century Middle Platonists and the author of the Tripartite Tractate (NHC I,5). The dissertation opens with a general introduction to Valentinian Gnosticism and an analysis of the central paradox of Gnosticism. There follows a discussion of the provenance of the Tripartite Tractate and an examination of the lives and literary careers of five prominent second-century Middle Platonsts: Alcinous, Apuleius of Madaura, Celsus, Maximus of Tyre, and Numenius of Apamea. The focus of the dissertation then moves to a detailed examination of the approaches to an unknown god present in late antiquity, with particular concentration upon the metaphysical and mystical views of Middle Platonism. The final portion of the dissertation investigates the manner in which the author of the Tripartite Tractate conceives the unique primordial principle of his ontology and assesses the degree to which Middle Platonic natural theology influences the expression of this doctrine.

References available upon request

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OWEN M. SMITH, PH.D. (October 2003) 505 8th Street Selinsgrove PA 17870 (570) 374-8408 OMSmith@digital-link.net Education Ph.D., Philosophy, December 1995. The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX. B.A. Honors Philosophy (summa cum laude), May 1982. The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. Areas of Specialization Philosophy of Religion, Gnosticism, Ancient & Medieval Metaphysics Areas of Competence History of Philosophy, Logic & Critical Thinking, Ethics & Morality, Eastern Philosophy, Writing, Literature and Culture, Classical and Biblical Greek, Interdisciplinary Studies Teaching Experience Courses Taught: Philosophy of Religion, Introduction to Philosophy, Logic, Ethics and Morality, World Religions, Writing Seminar, Literature and Culture, Elementary Classical Greek Independent Studies directed: Advanced Greek (Apostolic Fathers; Gospel of John); Cross-cultural Mysticism; Hindu Theology; Readings in Gnosticism. Courses Prepared to Teach: (Undergraduate): History of Philosophy: Ancient, Medieval, Modern, and Contemporary; (Graduate): The Metaphysics of Transcendence; The Philosophy of the Church Fathers Positions Held Educational Consultant, Quadrivium Educational Consulting August 2002-present Adjunct Professor, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove PA Fall 1996-Spring 2002 Project Coordinator, Middle States Accreditation Interim Report, Susquehanna University, Fall 1998-Summer 1999 Instructor, College of St. Francis, Summer 1997-Fall 1998 Instructor, Austin Community College, Austin, TX Fall 1992-Summer 1996 Lecturer, Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos, TX Fall 92-Spring 93 Graduate Assistant, the University of Texas at Austin, Summer 1986-Spring 1992. Dissertation Adviser: Louis H. Mackey Topic: Approaches to the Agnostos Theos in Second-Century Middle Platonic Natural Theology and the Valentinian Gnosticism of the Tripartite Tractate (NHC I,5) Foreign Languages French, German, Spanish, Latin, Greek, Coptic. Presentations: 37th International Medieval Congress, Kalamazoo, Michigan, May 2002: "Mystical Rapture and Beatific Divination: The Analogy of Being as Enabler and Precluder of Human Knowledge of God in the Metaphysics of Thomas Aquinas," presented at the Marquette University special session on analogy. 36th International Medieval Congress, Kalamazoo, Michigan, May 2001: "Apprehending the Super-Inconceivable: the Development and Usage of Innovative Divine Predicates by Neoplatonist and Patristic Authors," presented at the Marquette University special session on translation. Pennsylvania Classical Association, October 1998: "Plato Goes to Middle School," joint presentation with Anne Collins Smith. Publications: Co-authored with Anne Collins Smith. Ten entries for the reference work Medieval Europe and the Rise of Christendom, 500-1300 AD: an Interdisciplinary Biographical Dictionary, edited by Jana Schulman, 2002. DISSERTATION ABSTRACT Approaches to the Agnostos Theos in Second-Century Middle Platonic Natural Theology and the Valentinian Gnosticism of the Tripartite Tractate (NHC I,5) by Owen M. Smith, University of Texas at Austin, 1995. The central project of the dissertation is an inquiry into the conceptions of the divine first principle held by second-century Middle Platonists and the author of the Tripartite Tractate (NHC I,5). The dissertation opens with a general introduction to Valentinian Gnosticism and an analysis of the central paradox of Gnosticism. There follows a discussion of the provenance of the Tripartite Tractate and an examination of the lives and literary careers of five prominent second-century Middle Platonsts: Alcinous, Apuleius of Madaura, Celsus, Maximus of Tyre, and Numenius of Apamea. The focus of the dissertation then moves to a detailed examination of the approaches to an unknown god present in late antiquity, with particular concentration upon the metaphysical and mystical views of Middle Platonism. The final portion of the dissertation investigates the manner in which the author of the Tripartite Tractate conceives the unique primordial principle of his ontology and assesses the degree to which Middle Platonic natural theology influences the expression of this doctrine. References available upon request
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