The effects of Neoplatonism on Ottoman music theory models

The human is a symbolizing creature and lives in a symbolic nature. Human being carries out this seek for meaning in this intellectual field, achieves this effort only while producing, interpreting or comprehending symbolic expressions. With the consistently reinterpretation of cultural codes and traditions, a new universe of semiosis is occured; so that this universe is structured into a network of interpreters and constantly recording what is said abouth the truth. This structuring has led to formation of a symbolic meaning network embedded in the semiosphere, interpreted through esoteric knowledge traditions, by developing distinctive ways of thinking over time. A speculative theory that deals with the metaphysical mystery around man, in other words, the relationship between 'God-The Realm-Man' within cosmological and ontological debates, the positioning of man in this network of relations and the understanding and interpretation of knowledge, which is in a sense the subject of cosmic and ontological functioning through music was interpreted and transferred within the framework of symbolic thought blended with hermetic knowledge, thus a special symbolic expression area was formed in the tradition of music theory. This symbolic expression model which has been reinterpreted with a Neo-Platonist understanding, was also mentioned in the Turkish music theory texts with the effect of the Ishraqi (Illuminationist) tendencies that were added to the Sufi teaching, which is an Islamic interpretation of Neoplatonism; it has created an important model of knowing in the theoretical works written from 15. to 19. century. The study was prepared on the basis of the question of 'How did Neo-platonism affect the Ottoman musical theory models', for this purpose, firstly, after drawing a general framework about Neo-platonism, how this thought was positioned in the field of music theory, how this thought was transferred to the Islamic world within the Greek knowledge and It was discussed what kind of a place he found himself in the Ottoman episteme, and finally, it was aimed to clarify the said effects by making a hermeneutic reading on the theoretical texts influenced by Neo-platonism. In this effort, the epistemological basis of these texts has been touched upon with the relational history research, besides, the music of the spheres, the theory of emanation, the hermetic knowledge tradition and the culture of 'sır' (mystery), the microcosm-macrocosm relationship, the understanding of the four elements etc; tried to be presented.