Plotinus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Plotinus
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Head in white marble. The identification as Plotinus is plausible but not proven.
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| Born | c. 204/5 |
| Died | 270 (aged 64–65) Campania, Roman Empire
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Notable work
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The Enneads |
| Era | Ancient philosophy |
| Region | Western philosophy |
| School | Neoplatonism |
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Main interests
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Platonism, metaphysics, mysticism |
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Notable ideas
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Emanation of all things from the One Three main hypostases: the One, Intellect, and Soul Henosis |
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Influences
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Influenced
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Plotinus (born around 204/5 CE, died 270 CE) was an important philosopher from Roman Egypt. He is known as the founder of Neoplatonism, a new way of understanding the ideas of the ancient Greek philosopher Plato. Plotinus learned from a teacher named Ammonius Saccas. His ideas greatly influenced thinkers during the Late Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance.
Most of what we know about Plotinus comes from his student, Porphyry. Porphyry wrote about Plotinus in the introduction to Plotinus's main work, The Enneads. In his writings, Plotinus talked about three main principles: the One, the Intellect, and the Soul. His ideas have inspired many philosophers and mystics across different religions for centuries.
Contents
Plotinus's Life Story
Plotinus was born around 205 CE. He died in 270 CE when he was 66 years old. Historians believe he was born in a place called Lyco, which could be Asyut or Deltaic Lycopolis in Egypt. We don't know much about his family or background. Some think he was Egyptian, Greek, or Roman. However, he spoke Greek and had a Greek education. Plotinus himself wasn't very interested in his own background or birthplace.
Plotinus believed that the physical world was not as real or important as a "higher and intelligible" world. He thought that physical things were just poor copies of something much truer. Because of this, he didn't even want his portrait painted. His personal life was known for its high moral and spiritual standards.
He started studying philosophy when he was 28, around 232 CE. He went to Alexandria to learn. He wasn't happy with any teachers until he met Ammonius Saccas. Plotinus knew right away that Ammonius was the teacher he was looking for. He studied with Ammonius for eleven years. Besides Ammonius, Plotinus was also influenced by other philosophers like Aristotle and Empedocles.
Journey to Persia and Return to Rome
After studying for eleven years, Plotinus decided to learn about Persian and Indian ideas. He joined the army of the Roman emperor Gordian III on a trip to Persia (242–243 CE). But the army's mission failed, and Emperor Gordian died. Plotinus found himself alone in a dangerous land. He managed to make his way back safely to Antioch.
When he was 40, Plotinus moved to Rome. He lived there for most of the rest of his life. Many students came to learn from him. His closest students included Porphyry and Amelius Gentilianus. Other students included senators, doctors, and even women.
Later Years
In Rome, Plotinus earned the respect of Emperor Gallienus and his wife Salonina. At one point, Plotinus wanted the emperor to help rebuild an old town in Campania. He imagined it as a 'City of Philosophers' where people would live by Plato's rules. But the emperor never gave the money, and we don't know why.
Plotinus later moved to Sicily. He spent his last days living quietly in Campania on land given to him by his friend Zethos. His student Eustochius was with him when he died. Plotinus's last words were: "Try to raise the divine in yourselves to the divine in the all." Eustochius said that a snake crawled under Plotinus's bed and then slipped away through a hole in the wall just as Plotinus passed away.
Plotinus wrote his essays, which later became The Enneads, over many years. He started around 253 CE and continued until a few months before his death. Porphyry said that the Enneads were originally just a huge collection of notes. Plotinus used these notes for his lectures and debates. Plotinus had poor eyesight and didn't like editing his own work. His handwriting was also very messy. So, Porphyry took on the job of organizing and editing them into the books we read today.
Plotinus's Main Ideas
The One
Plotinus taught that there is a highest, perfect "One". This One has no parts, no divisions, and no differences within it. It is beyond everything that exists and everything that doesn't exist. Plotinus said the One "cannot be any existing thing." It is not just the sum of all things, but it comes before all things. He also connected the One to the idea of 'Good' and 'Beauty'.
The One is so simple that it doesn't even think or have self-awareness. Plotinus explained that if you say "The Good," you shouldn't add anything else. Any addition would make it less perfect. He compared the One to "light," the Divine Intellect (Nous) to the "Sun," and the Soul (Psyche) to the "Moon." The Moon's light is just a reflection of the Sun's light. The first light (the One) could exist without any celestial body.
The One is the source of the world. But it doesn't "create" the world in the way a person creates something. The One is unchangeable. Instead, everything "emanates" or flows out from the One. This happens in stages, with each stage being less perfect than the one before it. This flowing out is a constant process, not a one-time event.
The One is not just an idea. It is something you can experience. Plotinus wrote that when you experience it, you don't just "see" it. You "become" what you see. It's a feeling of complete oneness.
How Things Flow from the One
Plotinus's idea of "emanation" is different from the Christian idea of creation "out of nothing." However, both ideas show that the One (or God) is completely separate and above everything else. The One is not changed or lessened by what flows from it. Plotinus used an example: the Sun gives off light without losing any of its own power. Or, a reflection in a mirror doesn't change the object being reflected.
The first thing to flow from the One is Nous (Divine Mind or Intellect). This is like the first "Will" towards Good. From Nous comes the World Soul. Plotinus divided the World Soul into an upper part and a lower part, which he linked to nature. From the World Soul come individual human souls. Finally, at the lowest level, is matter. Matter is the least perfect part of the cosmos. Plotinus believed that everything in the material world is still divine because it comes from the One. We can recognize the One through 'Good' and 'Beauty' in both physical things and perfect 'Forms'.
Plotinus believed that people could achieve a special union with the One. This is called henosis. Porphyry said that Plotinus reached this union four times during the years they knew each other. This idea is similar to spiritual enlightenment or mystical union found in many religions.
True Happiness for Humans
For Plotinus, true human happiness means connecting with the best part of the universe. Happiness is not physical. So, he stressed that worldly things or luck don't control true happiness. He believed that "there exists no single human being that does not either potentially or effectively possess this thing we hold to constitute happiness." Plotinus was one of the first to say that happiness (eudaimonia) can only be found within your own mind.
The real human self is the part of the soul that can think and contemplate. This part is superior to all physical things. So, real happiness doesn't depend on the physical world. Instead, it depends on this highest part of your mind. Plotinus said that a truly happy person won't be bothered by sickness or discomfort. This is because their focus is on the most important things. True happiness is using your highest human ability: contemplation. Even in daily actions, a happy person's actions are guided by the "higher phase of the Soul." Even if someone is being tortured, Plotinus argued that true happiness would remain. This is because the happy person would know that only the body is being tortured, not the conscious self.
Plotinus described a happy person as someone who uses reason and contemplation. A happy person won't swing between happy and sad feelings. Some people wondered if someone could be happy if they were asleep or couldn't think clearly. Plotinus disagreed. He said the soul and the true human self don't sleep or exist in time. A person who has achieved happiness won't stop using their best abilities just because their body is uncomfortable.
Overall, for Plotinus, happiness is "a flight from this world's ways and things." It means focusing on the highest things, like the Forms and the One. He believed happiness came from looking inward, not being attached to physical desires.
Henosis: Becoming One
Henosis is a Greek word meaning "oneness," "union," or "unity." In Platonism and especially neoplatonism, the goal of henosis is to unite with the most fundamental part of reality: the One.
Plotinus taught that you can reach a state of tabula rasa (a blank state of mind). In this state, the individual can connect with or merge with the One. When this happens, the individual self is completely absorbed into the One. Plotinus called the One the "Good" that is above the "demiurge" (the creator). The One contains everything, and everything is in the One. All differences disappear in the One.
Plotinus described henosis as a way to reverse the process of consciousness. Through meditation, you move towards a state of no thought and no division within yourself. Plotinus tried to connect the ideas of Plato and Aristotle, and also different world religions. His writings suggest that he saw matter as an illusion or something that doesn't truly exist. This idea is called philosophical Idealism.
Plotinus's Ideas and Other Philosophies
Plotinus's Connection to Plato
For a long time, Neoplatonism was seen as a less important or changed version of Plato's ideas. However, in recent years, scholars have shown that many of Neoplatonism's key ideas can be traced back to Plato's own writings and his early followers. This means Plotinus's philosophy was not a new invention. Instead, it was a high point of Platonic thought.
Some scholars believe that Plato had "unwritten doctrines" that were debated by his first students. These unwritten ideas seem very similar to Plotinus's philosophy. If this is true, then Plotinus's way of understanding Plato would be historically correct. This suggests that Neoplatonism was not as new as it seemed. Plotinus himself believed he was not inventing a new system. He saw himself as a faithful interpreter of Plato's original teachings.
Plotinus and the Gnostics
Plotinus wrote a work called Against the Gnostics. In it, he criticized a group of people called "Gnostics." The word "Gnostic" had been used in Greek philosophy before this group appeared. Plotinus and other Neoplatonists saw Gnosticism as a different way of thinking that went against the ideas of Pythagorean and Platonic philosophy.
Some scholars believe Plotinus accused the Gnostics of using confusing words and being too dramatic. He also thought they were arrogant and disrespected Plato by looking down on the material world and its creator. However, other modern translations suggest Plotinus was not as harsh.
It seems Plotinus was mainly criticizing a specific group of Christian Gnostics. These Gnostics had ideas that were against believing in many gods. They also thought that salvation was possible without effort. The Neoplatonic movement, which Plotinus was part of, aimed to bring back the ancient pagan philosophical traditions. Plotinus wanted to make Plato's ideas clearer. He felt that outsiders often misunderstood Plato's teachings. Plotinus tried to explain how philosophers in Plato's academy did not reach the same conclusions as the Gnostics. For example, the Gnostics sometimes hated the creator God, seeing him as the source of evil.
Against Causal Astrology
Plotinus was one of the first to argue against the popular idea of astrology. Astrology claims that stars and planets influence people's lives. In his writing, Plotinus argued that saying specific stars control your fortune makes the perfect universe seem irrational. He also thought it could lead to bad behavior. However, he did believe that the stars and planets had souls, which he saw in their movements.
Influence of Plotinus
Ancient World
The Roman emperor Julian the Apostate was greatly influenced by Neoplatonism. So was Hypatia of Alexandria, a famous female philosopher. Neoplatonism also influenced many Christians, including Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite. Saint Augustine, a very important Christian thinker, learned his Platonic philosophy through Plotinus's Neoplatonic teachings.
Christianity
Plotinus's philosophy played a role in how Christian theology developed. For example, the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church have different ideas about "energy." This difference is partly due to how they understood Aristotle and Plotinus.
Islam
Neoplatonism and Plotinus's ideas also influenced medieval Islam. Early Islamic scholars combined Greek ideas with their own texts. Plotinus's ideas were very popular among Ismaili Shia and Persian philosophers. By the 11th century, Neoplatonism was taught by the Fatimid state in Egypt.
Judaism
Just like with Islam and Christianity, Neoplatonism influenced Jewish thought. Important Jewish thinkers like Solomon ibn Gabirol and Maimonides showed Neoplatonic ideas in their writings. These thinkers adopted ideas like "apophatic theology" (describing God by what He is not) and the idea that evil is just the absence of good.
Renaissance
During the Renaissance, the philosopher Marsilio Ficino started an Academy in Florence. It was like Plato's original school. Ficino's work was very important because it helped connect Plato's philosophy directly with Christianity. One of his most famous students was Pico della Mirandola.
Great Britain
In Great Britain, Plotinus had a major impact on the 17th-century school of the Cambridge Platonists. He also influenced many writers, from Samuel Taylor Coleridge to W. B. Yeats.
India
Indian scholars like Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and Ananda Coomaraswamy used Plotinus's writings. They saw his ideas as a great way to explain Indian monism, especially the ideas from the Upanishads and Advaita Vedanta. Coomaraswamy compared Plotinus's teachings to the Hindu school of Advaita Vedanta, which means "not two" or "non-dual." Some scholars believe Plotinus's methods are similar to the "method of negation" taught in some Upanishads and the practice of yoga.
See also
In Spanish: Plotino para niños
- Antiochus of Ascalon
- Disciples of Plotinus
- Ecstasy in philosophy
- Emanationism
- Form of the Good
- Allegorical interpretations of Plato
- The One in Neoplatonism
- Pantaenus
- Platonic Academy
- Plato's unwritten doctrines
- Plutarch of Chaeronea
- The Theology of Aristotle
- Thomas Taylor
