Welcome to the Athenaeum of Enlightened Reason

Welcome to the Athenaeum of Enlightened Reason -- an online library dedicated to the study of philosophy and enlightened spiritual texts. The Athenaeum Library is host to scores of electronic books and texts on the subject of Classical and Hermetic philosophy, Neoplatonism, and Eastern spirituality, as well as the study of ancient Greek and Egyptian religions, and similar subject matter. This library also makes available several rare and difficult to find texts, such as Proclus's Commentary on Plato's Timaeus, the Chaldaean Oracles, and Ocellus Lucanus' On the Nature of the Universe, among others.

It is our hope that, in providing such resources online, more people with an interest in philosophy will be able to access these materials. Furthermore, the spiritual aspects of Neoplatonic and Hermetic philosophies do provide a comparable alternative to mainstream religions based upon reason, rational enquiry, and intellectual liberation.

For those interested in a deeper spiritual focus, please visit the Apollonian Spirituality web site at Apollonica.org.

What is Enlightened Reason?

Enlightened Reason is the quality of rational judgment enabled by a clarity of perception and cognition. It is simply clear thinking and sound judgment unimpeded by dogmatic beliefs and quaint superstitions. Enlightened Reason can be viewed as a more wakeful state of consciousness that allows us to remain mindfully aware of the objective reality we inhabit. Enlightened Reason also embraces the inalienable ideals and movements that began in the 18th century and continue to this day--ideals such as freedom and democracy, human rights and equality, the progress of science, and ethics based on these values rather than religiously imposed morality.

For more on information, please visit EnlightenedReason.org.