Comments on: Plotinus

Plotinus

hama7 — Thu, 22 Jul 2004 14:23:59 -0800

The Six Enneads - Plotinus.

By: hama7

hama7 — Thu, 22 Jul 2004 14:25:48 -0800

Plotinus (204-270 C.E.). Hermetic Philosophy & Neoplatonism.

By: homunculus

homunculus — Thu, 22 Jul 2004 14:34:41 -0800

Good post, thanks hama7. Plotinus was also discussed in this thread.

By: hama7

hama7 — Thu, 22 Jul 2004 14:41:16 -0800

Thanks, homunculus.

By: gwint

gwint — Thu, 22 Jul 2004 14:42:30 -0800

Metafilter: Pleasure and distress, fear and courage, desire and aversion, where have these affections and experiences their seat?

By: billsaysthis

billsaysthis — Thu, 22 Jul 2004 19:41:52 -0800

Funny how peeps back in the day didn't take 'first principles' for granted quite so much.

By: mwhybark

mwhybark — Thu, 22 Jul 2004 23:27:25 -0800

single-sourced FPP? Geez. ;) (My theory is that there are TWO hama7, one evil, one classically educated) Nice!

By: Pretty_Generic

Pretty_Generic — Fri, 23 Jul 2004 02:51:47 -0800

Caligula was classically educated.

By: Ethereal Bligh

Ethereal Bligh — Fri, 23 Jul 2004 03:14:48 -0800

So was I. Plotinus and neoplatonism are silly. They have a strong appeal to a certain personality type—a variety of undisciplined intellect, I think.

By: mwhybark

mwhybark — Fri, 23 Jul 2004 15:13:08 -0800

Maybe so, EB. Folks like Augustine, in other words? I think Plotinus is worth knowing a bit about because of the way that Augie transmitted them into European culture, and thence to us. I find it illuminating, one might say.

By: Ethereal Bligh

Ethereal Bligh — Fri, 23 Jul 2004 15:33:36 -0800

I sorta liked Augustine. Mostly because he didn't bore me to death the way that Aquinas did. Or flummox me with infantile sophistry like Anselm. And, I always say, you gotta love a guy who would pray to God and ask Him to make him virtuous...except not yet. Doesn't make neoplatonism any less silly, though. In my opinion, neoplatonism looks pretty sad in comparison to, say, stoicism or epicureanism. But, yeah, of course I agree that he's worth knowing about for the reasons you mention. I'd have not spent bazillions of dollars on an education about such stuff if I didn't. It's just that Plotinus deeply underwhelmed me. Though, okay, I admit, I'm being too snarky. I'm indulging myself. I apologize.