Philosophic Silence and the ‘One' in Plotinus

Philosophic Silence and the ‘One' in Plotinus PDF

Author: Nicholas Banner

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2018-03-29

Total Pages: 312

ISBN-13: 1108688748

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Plotinus, the greatest philosopher of Late Antiquity, discusses at length a first principle of reality - the One - which, he tells us, cannot be expressed in words or grasped in thought. How and why, then, does Plotinus write about it at all? This book explores this act of writing the unwritable. Seeking to explain what seems to be an insoluble paradox in the very practice of late Platonist writing, it examines not only the philosophical concerns involved, but the cultural and rhetorical aspects of the question. The discussion outlines an ancient practice of ‛philosophical silence' which determined the themes and tropes of public secrecy appropriate to Late Platonist philosophy. Through philosophic silence, public secrecy and silence flow into one another, and the unsaid space of the text becomes an initiatory secret. Understanding this mode of discourse allows us to resolve many apparent contradictions in Plotinus' thought.

The Enneads

The Enneads PDF

Author: Plotinus

Publisher: Penguin UK

Published: 2005-06-30

Total Pages: 688

ISBN-13: 0141913355

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Regarded as the founder of Neo-Platonism, Plotinus (AD 204-70) was the last great philosopher of antiquity, producing 0works that proved in many ways a precursor to Renaissance thought. Plotinus was convinced of the existence of a state of supreme perfection and argued powerfully that it was necessary to guide the human soul towards this state. Here he outlines his compelling belief in three increasingly perfect levels of existence - the Soul, the Intellect, and the One - and explains his conviction that humanity must strive to draw the soul towards spiritual transcendence. A fusion of Platonism, mystic passion and Aristotelian thought, The Enneads offers a highly original synthesis of early philosophical and religious beliefs, which powerfully influenced later Christian and Islamic theology.

Philosophic Silence and the ‘One' in Plotinus

Philosophic Silence and the ‘One' in Plotinus PDF

Author: Nicholas Banner

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2018-03-29

Total Pages: 311

ISBN-13: 1108599389

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Plotinus, the greatest philosopher of Late Antiquity, discusses at length a first principle of reality - the One - which, he tells us, cannot be expressed in words or grasped in thought. How and why, then, does Plotinus write about it at all? This book explores this act of writing the unwritable. Seeking to explain what seems to be an insoluble paradox in the very practice of late Platonist writing, it examines not only the philosophical concerns involved, but the cultural and rhetorical aspects of the question. The discussion outlines an ancient practice of ‛philosophical silence' which determined the themes and tropes of public secrecy appropriate to Late Platonist philosophy. Through philosophic silence, public secrecy and silence flow into one another, and the unsaid space of the text becomes an initiatory secret. Understanding this mode of discourse allows us to resolve many apparent contradictions in Plotinus' thought.

The Essential Plotinus

The Essential Plotinus PDF

Author: Plotinus

Publisher: Hackett Publishing

Published: 1964-01-01

Total Pages: 228

ISBN-13: 9780915144099

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

'The Essential Plotinus is a lifesaver. For many years my students in Greek and Roman Religion have depended on it to understand the transition from antiquity to the Middle Ages. The translation is crisp and clear, and the excerpts are just right for an introduction to Plotionus's many-layered view of the world and humankind's place in it' - F. E. Romer, University of Arizona

Plotinus

Plotinus PDF

Author: Eyjólfur K. Emilsson

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Published: 2017-02-24

Total Pages: 421

ISBN-13: 1134328761

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Plotinus (AD 205-270) was the founder of Neoplatonism, whose thought has had a profound influence on medieval philosophy, and on Western philosophy more broadly. In this engaging book, Eyjólfur K. Emilsson introduces and explains the full spectrum of Plotinus' philosophy for those coming to his work for the first time.Beginning with a chapter-length overview of Plotinus' life and works which also assesses the Platonic, Aristotelian and Stoic traditions that influenced him. Emilsson goes on to address key topics including: Plotinus' originalitythe status of souls; Plotinus' languagethe notion of the One or the Good; Intellect, including Plotinus' holism; the physical world; the soul and the body, including emotions and the self; Plotinus' ethics; Plotinus' influence and legacy.Including a chronology, glossary of terms and suggestions for further reading, Plotinus is an ideal introduction to this major figure in Western philosophy, and is essential reading for students of ancient philosophy and classics.

Plotinus

Plotinus PDF

Author: Lloyd P. Gerson

Publisher: Psychology Press

Published: 1994

Total Pages: 347

ISBN-13: 0415056624

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

This major study brings Plotinus into the contemporary philosophical discussion. Lloyd P. Gerson gives a detailed account of Plotinus' arguments in the major philosophical areas of metaphysics, epistemology, psychology, and ethics. He examines the work of Plotinus both in its historical context and in its sustained systematic rigour.

Plotinus, Self and the World

Plotinus, Self and the World PDF

Author: Raoul Mortley

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2013-12-19

Total Pages: 163

ISBN-13: 1107040248

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Examines the idea of the invention of the individual subjective self by Plotinus and its impact on the Christian tradition, asking about the self in its relationships - the self in love, in ignorance, in forgetfulness, in possession - and about the self and its own physical image.

PLOTINUS Ennead VI.4 & VI.5

PLOTINUS Ennead VI.4 & VI.5 PDF

Author: Eyjolfur Strange Emilsson, Steven

Publisher: Parmenides Publishing

Published: 2015-01-14

Total Pages: 305

ISBN-13: 1930972148

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Ennead VI.4-5, originally written as a single treatise, contains Plotinus' most general and sustained exposition of the relationship between the intelligible and the sensible realms, addressing and coalescing two central issues in Platonism: the nature of the soul-body relationship and the nature of participation. Its main question is, How can soul animate bodies without sharing their extension? The treatise seems to have had considerable impact: it is much reflected in Porphyry's important work, Sententiae, and the doctrine of reception according to the capacity of the recipient, for which this treatise is the main source, resonated in medieval thinkers.

The Enneads of Plotinus, Volume 1

The Enneads of Plotinus, Volume 1 PDF

Author: Paul Kalligas

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2014-10-12

Total Pages: 729

ISBN-13: 140085251X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

The first volume in a landmark commentary on an important and influential work of ancient philosophy This is the first volume of a groundbreaking commentary on one of the most important works of ancient philosophy, the Enneads of Plotinus—a text that formed the basis of Neoplatonism and had a deep influence on early Christian thought and medieval and Renaissance philosophy. This volume covers the first three of the six Enneads, as well as Porphyry's Life of Plotinus, a document in which Plotinus’s student—the collector and arranger of the Enneads—introduces the philosopher and his work. A landmark contribution to modern Plotinus scholarship, Paul Kalligas’s commentary is the most detailed and extensive ever written for the whole of the Enneads. For each of the treatises in the first three Enneads, Kalligas provides a brief introduction that presents the philosophical background against which Plotinus’s contribution can be assessed; a synopsis giving the main lines and the articulation of the argument; and a running commentary placing Plotinus’s thought in its intellectual context and making evident the systematic association of its various parts with each other.

Plotinus

Plotinus PDF

Author: Stephen R. L. Clark

Publisher: University of Chicago Press

Published: 2018-02-09

Total Pages: 367

ISBN-13: 022656505X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

"Plotinus, the Roman philosopher (c. 204-270 CE) who is widely regarded as the founder of Neoplatonism, was also the creator of numerous myths, images, and metaphors, which have frequently been dismissed by modern scholars as merely ornamental. In this book, distinguished philosopher Stephen R. L. Clark shows that they form a vital set of spiritual exercises by which individuals can achieve one of Plotinus's most important goals: self-transformation through contemplation. Clark examines a variety of Plotinus's myths and metaphors within the cultural and philosophical context of his time, asking probing questions about their contemplative effects. Through rich images and structures, Clark casts Plotinus as a philosopher deeply concerned with philosophy as a way of life." -- Résumé de l'éditeur.