Plotinus
July 22, 2004 2:23 PM   Subscribe

The Six Enneads - Plotinus.
posted by hama7 (10 comments total)
 


Good post, thanks hama7.

Plotinus was also discussed in this thread.
posted by homunculus at 2:34 PM on July 22, 2004


Thanks, homunculus.
posted by hama7 at 2:41 PM on July 22, 2004


Metafilter: Pleasure and distress, fear and courage, desire and aversion, where have these affections and experiences their seat?
posted by gwint at 2:42 PM on July 22, 2004


Funny how peeps back in the day didn't take 'first principles' for granted quite so much.
posted by billsaysthis at 7:41 PM on July 22, 2004


single-sourced FPP? Geez.

;)

(My theory is that there are TWO hama7, one evil, one classically educated)

Nice!
posted by mwhybark at 11:27 PM on July 22, 2004


Caligula was classically educated.
posted by Pretty_Generic at 2:51 AM on July 23, 2004


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.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 3:14 AM on July 23, 2004


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.
posted by mwhybark at 3:13 PM on July 23, 2004


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.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 3:33 PM on July 23, 2004


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