Page 74 - STOLEN LEGACY By George G. M. James

(v) Summary of conclusions.

The doctrines of Plato are eclectic and point to Egyptian origin.

1. The doctrine of the real and unreal to represent doctrine found in the comparison between
natural phenomena and the Ideas, is only an instance of the application of the doctrine of
opposites. Here the things of this world have their corresponding types in the heavenly realm;
here the Ideas correspond to Being, while the natural phenomena correspond to not-Being. But
the doctrine of opposites may be traced back not only to Socrates, Democritus, Parmenides and
the Pythagoreans, but further back to its original source, i.e., the Egyptian Mystery System,
where the principle of opposites was represented not only by pairs of male and female Gods,
such as Osiris and Isis, but also by pairs of pillars in the front of all the Egyptian temples.
(Memphite Theology in Kingship and the Gods, by Frankfort, C. 3, p. 25–26 and 35). (Herodotus
I, 6–26) (Ancient Egypt by John Kendrick, Bk. I, p. 339). (Egyptian Religion by Frankfort, p. 64,
73, 88). (Zeller's Hist. of Phil. p. 61). (The Phaedo C. 15, 16, 49).

II. The doctrine of the Nous or World Soul is a principle of Egyptian magic:

Plato is credited with expressing this doctrine in the form of a simile, in which he compares the
world to a living animal, which is composed of Souls. One being made perfect and responsible
for the life, motion and knowledge of the animal or universe. This doctrine may be traced not
only to (a) Democritus who based his teaching about the fire atoms of the soul, and cognition
upon the magical principle of the Egyptians: "that the qualities of an animal are distributed
throughout its parts." (Golden Bough by Frazer) (Hist. of Phil., B. D. Alexander, p. 40). (Wm.
Turner, Hist. of Phil., p. 68), but also to (b) Anaxagoras, who is said to have advanced the Nous
(mind) as responsible for creating order out of chaos, and which is omnipotent and omniscient.
(History of Philosophy, Wm. Turner, p. 63).

The doctrine of the Nous as a matter of fact, originated from (c) the Mystery System of Egypt, in
connection with which, the God Osiris was represented in all Egyptian temples, by the symbol of
an Open Eye, referred to elsewhere. This symbol indicated not only sight that transcended space
and time: but also omniscience, as the Great Mind which created and which still directs the
universe. This symbol also forms a part of the decoration of all Masonic lodges of the modern
world and dates back to the Osirian or Sun worship of the Egyptians more than 5000 B.C. This
same notion was also represented by the Egyptians by a God with eyes all over Him and was
known as the "All seeing Eye." (Zeller's Hist. of Phil., p. 809). (The Ancient Mysteries, C. H.
Vail, p. 189). (Max Muller: Egyptian Mythology).

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Stolen Legacy: Greek Philosophy is Stolen Egyptian Philosophy by George G. M. James
The Journal of Pan African Studies 2009 eBook