2^nd installment :Plotinus

                                                       by: Karol Saleh 

                                                     section 8

1st blog: http://www.cophilosophy.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2015-11-26T00:28:00-06:00&max-results=13

Childhood & Early Life

1.   Just like most of the ancient philosophers not too much is known about Plotinus’ life but because one of his disciples Porphyry had written a biography on him, therefore we know more about him than any other ancient philosopher.

2. Plotinus was born in Lycopolis, Egypt, in 204 or 205 C.E. Towards his late 20's, he moved to Alexandria to learn more about philosophy. He was not happy with any teacher’s teachings until he met Ammonius Saccas.

3. He started studying under his newly found teacher and was also influenced by the philosophical works of Alexander of Aphrodisias, Numenius and various Stoics.

Life & Work

1.       Around the age of 38, after studying intently in Alexandria for about eleven years, Plotinus decided to take his philosophical curiosity to the Persian philosophers and Indian philosophers.

·         2.For his new pursuit, he joined the army of Gordian III, which was assigned to capture Persia but unfortunately they failed and after Gordian’s death Plotinus had to leave the place, which is why he fled to Antioch.

·       3.  By the age of 40, under Philip of Arab’s sovereignty, Plotinus came to Rome and built up a circle of students, which included: Porphyry, Amelius Gentilianus of Tuscany, the Senator Castricius Firmus, Eustochius of Alexandria, Zoticus, a critic and poet, etc.

·        4.  He also had students amongst the Roman Senate, like, Marcellus Orontius, Sabinillus, etc. He also had female students and lived in the house of one of his woman disciples named Gemina. He was a correspondent of philosopher Cassius Longinus.

·         5. In Rome, he became famous amongst the royal family as well; he gained the admiration of the Emperor Gallienus and his wife Salonina. He also endeavored rebuilding an abandoned settlement in Campania and called it ‘City of Philosophers’.

·        6.  He spent his final days in isolation on his friend Zethos’ property in Campania. Eustochius attended him at the end and Plotinus' final words were, "Strive to give back the Divine in yourselves to the Divine in the All."

·       7.  Plotinus was 66 years old when he died in 270 C.E., the second year of the reign of the emperor Claudius II.

·       8.  Plotinus’ essays became ‘Enneads’ about 17 years after his death. Porphyry compiled and arranged his notes himself and before that they were just a huge collection of notes and essays that Plotinus used to use for his lectures

1st installment: "Plotinus" Karol Saleh section {8}

"Plotinus" 1st installment

"Plotinus" 1st installment 

Karol Saleh 

section 8

“Life is the flight of the alone to the alone.” 

Plotinus was one of the most important philosophers of the ancient world. This blog will be divide into three installments.First, basic information. Secondly, childhood, life & work and finally major work & trivia.

Quick Facts

                                                                                                                                                

Also listed in:            philosophers

Famous as:                founder of Neo-Platonism

Nationality:                Roman

Born:                          204 AD

Born in:                      Lycopius

Died in:                       270 AD

Died at age:                   66

Place of death:            Campania

 

Married:                      NO 

Plotinus was an ancient philosopher considered as the pioneering founder of Neo-Platonism, a philosophical movement of the Graeco-Roman world in late antiquity. He is also known as the last most famous pagan philosopher and his metaphysical writings have inspired centuries of Pagan, Christian, Jewish, Islamic and Gnostic metaphysicians and mystics. He developed metaphysics of comprehensible sources of the rational world and the human soul and told the world that the definitive cause of everything is 'the One' or 'the Good'. It is entirely simple and cannot be seized by thought or given any positive resolve. He was the true follower of Plato and considered himself as the expositor and advocator of the philosophical stance whose supreme exemplar was Plato himself. Apart from highly influencing the Western thought, he also influenced the 17th century England, medieval Islamic spirituals and medieval Indian philosophers. The philosophy of Plotinus is characterized in the complete collection of his discourses, collected and edited by his student Porphyry into six books of nine discourses each. They have been handed down to us under the title of the ‘Enneads’.

"Plotinus" 1st installment

"Plotinus" 1st installment 

Karol Saleh 

section 8

“Life is the flight of the alone to the alone.” 

Plotinus was one of the most important philosophers of the ancient world. This blog will be divide into three installments.First, basic information. Secondly, childhood, life & work and finally major work & trivia.

Quick Facts

                                                                                                                                                

Also listed in:            philosophers

Famous as:                founder of Neo-Platonism

Nationality:                Roman

Born:                          204 AD

Born in:                      Lycopius

Died in:                       270 AD

Died at age:                   66

Place of death:            Campania

Married:                      NO 

Plotinus was an ancient philosopher considered as the pioneering founder of Neo-Platonism, a philosophical movement of the Graeco-Roman world in late antiquity. He is also known as the last most famous pagan philosopher and his metaphysical writings have inspired centuries of Pagan, Christian, Jewish, Islamic and Gnostic metaphysicians and mystics. He developed metaphysics of comprehensible sources of the rational world and the human soul and told the world that the definitive cause of everything is 'the One' or 'the Good'. It is entirely simple and cannot be seized by thought or given any positive resolve. He was the true follower of Plato and considered himself as the expositor and advocator of the philosophical stance whose supreme exemplar was Plato himself. Apart from highly influencing the Western thought, he also influenced the 17th century England, medieval Islamic spirituals and medieval Indian philosophers. The philosophy of Plotinus is characterized in the complete collection of his discourses, collected and edited by his student Porphyry into six books of nine discourses each. They have been handed down to us under the title of the ‘Enneads’.