PLOTINUS Ennead I.1: What is the Living Thing? What is Man?: Translation with an Introduction and Commentary

by Gerard O'Daly

Ennead I.1 is a succinct and concentrated analysis of key themes in Plotinus' psychology and ethics. It focuses on the soul-body relation, discussing various Platonic, Aristotelian, and Stoic views before arguing that there is only a soul-trace in the body (forming with the body a “compound”), while the reasoning soul itself is impassive and flawless. The soul-trace hypothesis is used to account for human emotions, beliefs, and perceptions, and human fallibility in general. Its problematic relation to our rational powers, as well as the question of moral responsibility, are explored. Plotinus develops his original and characteristic concept of the self or “we,” which is so called because it is investigated as something common to all humans (rather than a private individual self), and because it is multiple, referring to the reasoning soul or to the “living thing” composed of soul-trace and body. Plotinus explores the relation between the “we” and consciousness, and also its relation to the higher metaphysical entities, the Good, and Intellect.
 

227 pages, Paperback

Published December 28, 2017

Reviews

[Dominic Muresan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty good, yet very "esoteric" text. Arguing about the nature of the soul and its relation with the body, Plotinus reaches a point where he has to defend his conclusion that soul is both in the body and out of it. This also puts Plotinus in a difficult position with the fact that he has to find a way in which to also defend his conclusion from an ethic standpoint. Who is to blame for our deeds? The soul or the body? Plotinus is pretty creative in the way he finds a way out.

The series is also pretty cool, having a commentary at hand is best with such a figure as Plotinus, drawing from so many sources