Plotinus

by Eyjólfur K. Emilsson

Plotinus (AD 205–270) was the founder of Neoplatonism, whose thought has had a profound influence on medieval philosophy, and on Western philosophy more broadly. In this engaging book, Eyjólfur K. Emilsson introduces and explains the full spectrum of Plotinus’ philosophy for those coming to his work for the first time.

Beginning with a chapter-length overview of Plotinus’ life and works which also assesses the Platonic, Aristotelian and Stoic traditions that influenced him, Emilsson goes on to address key topics including:

Plotinus’ originality
the status of souls
Plotinus’ language
the notion of the One or the Good
Intellect, including Plotinus’ holism
the physical world
the soul and the body, including emotions and the self
Plotinus’ ethics
Plotinus’ influence and legacy.

Including a chronology, glossary of terms and suggestions for further reading, Plotinus is an ideal introduction to this major figure in Western philosophy, and is essential reading for students of ancient philosophy and classics.

Genres: Philosophy

401 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 30, 2009

Reviews

[Andrew Clayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent and informative analysis on the entire philosophy of the Roman philosopher Plotinus. Some terms employed in the text might be a little academic but the author provides a glossary to help with understanding the Greco-Roman meaning of terms and how they differ from regular colloquial English use. Highly recommend for anyone curious about philosophy in the late antiquity period.

[Ooniemme · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt it was not as insightful as Clark or Gerson's books on Plotinus