Plotinus in dialogue with the Gnostics / by Jean-Marc Narbonne.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Narbonne, Jean-Marc, 1957-

Series:

Medieval philosophy, mathematics, and science.

Studies in Platonism, Neoplatonism, and the Platonic tradition ; v. 11.

Ancient Mediterranean and medieval texts and contexts

Studies in Platonism, Neoplatonism, and the Platonic tradition ; v. 11

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Gnosticism.

Plotinus. Enneads.

Plotinus.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (164 p.)

Place of Publication:

Leiden ; Boston : Brill, 2011.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The point of view put forth in the following pages differs greatly from the common perspective according to which the treatises 30 to 33 constitute a single work, a Großschrift , and this single work, Plotinus’ essential response to the Gnostics. Our perspective is that of an ongoing discussions with his “Gnostic”—yet Platonizing—friends, which started early in his writings (at least treatise 6), developed into what we could call a Großzyklus (treatises 27 to 39), and went on in later treatises as well (e. g. 47-48, 51). The prospect of an ongoing discussion with the Gnostics bears an additional virtue, that of allowing for a truly dynamic understanding of the Plotinian corpus.

Contents:

Preliminary Material

Introduction

Study One.The Controversy over the Generation of Matter in Plotinus:The Riddle Resolved?

Study Two.The Riddle of the Partly Undescendend Soul in Plotinus: The Gnostic/Hermetic Path of the ὁμοούσιος

Study Three. A Doctrinal Evolution in Plotinus? The Weakness of the Soul in Its Relation to Evil

Study Four. A New Sign of the Impact of the Quarrel against the Gnostics on Plotinus’Thought: Two Modes of Reascent in  (VI ) and  (VI )

Study Five. A New Type of Causality: Plotinian Contemplative Demiurgy

Study Six. New Reflections on God as CAUSA SUI in Plotinus and Its Possible Gnostic Sources

Works Consulted

Index Nominum.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

1-283-16150-8

9786613161505

90-04-21639-1

OCLC:

742354514

Publisher Number:

10.1163/9789004216396 DOI