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Platonic doctrine of recollection

Form of the Good

Participants in Dialogues

Socrates

Alcibiades

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Notable Platonists

Plato

Plotinus

Iamblichus

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Dialogues of Plato

Metaphor of the sun

Analogy of the divided line

Allegory of the cave

Chariot allegory

Third Man Argument

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

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Neoplatonism (also Neo-Platonism) is the modern term for a school of religious and mystical philosophy that took shape in the 3rd century AD, founded by Plotinus and based on the teachings of Plato and earlier Platonists. Platonism is the Philosophy of Plato or the name of other philosophical systems considered closely derived from it The phrase Platonic idealism usually refers to Plato's theory of forms or doctrine of ideas the exact philosophical meaning of which is perhaps one of the most disputed questions Platonic realism is a philosophical term usually used to refer to the idea of realism regarding the existence of universals after the Greek Middle Platonism was the development of certain philosophical doctrines associated with Plato from approximately 130 B Platonic Epistemology holds that knowledge is innate so that learning is the development of ideas buried deep in the soul often under the mid-wife-like guidance of The Socratic Method (or Method of Elenchus or Socratic Debate) named after the Classical Greek philosopher Socrates, is a form of Socratic dialogue ( Greek Σωκρατικός λόγος or Σωκρατικός διάλογος) is a genre of prose literary works developed in Plato 's Theory of Forms asserts that Forms (or Ideas) and not the material world of change known to us through sensation, possess Platonic Epistemology holds that knowledge is innate so that learning is the development of ideas buried deep in the soul often under the mid-wife-like guidance of Plato describes "The Idea of the Good" in his Dialogue, The Republic, speaking through the character of Socrates. SOCRATES is the European Community action programme in the field of Education. Alcibiades Cleiniou Scambonides (ˌælsɨˈbaɪədiːz (pronunciation Greek:, transliterated Alkibiádēs Kleiníou Skambōnidēs) meaning Alcibiades Protagoras ( Greek:) (ca 490&ndash 420 BC was a pre-Socratic Greek Philosopher and is numbered as one of the Sophists by Parmenides of Elea ( Greek:, early 5th century BC was an Ancient Greek Philosopher born in Elea, a Greek city on the southern coast of Biography Early life Birth and family Plato was born in Athens Greece Plotinus ( Greek:) (ca AD 204–270 was a major philosopher of the ancient world who is widely considered the founder of Neoplatonism (along with his Proclus Lycaeus ( February 8, c 411 &ndash April 17, 485) called "The Successor" or "Diadochos" ( Greek Próklos Plato, in ''The Republic'' (507b-509c uses the sun as a Metaphor for the source of "illumination" arguably intellectual illumination which he held to Plato, in his dialogue The Republic Book 6 (509D–513E has Socrates explain the literary device of a divided line to teach basic philosophical The Allegory of the Cave is an Allegory used by the Greek Philosopher Plato in his work The Republic. Plato, in his dialogue Phaedrus (sections 246a - 254e uses the Chariot Allegory to explain his view of the human soul The Third Man Argument (commonly referred to as TMA) first offered by Plato in his dialogue Parmenides, is a Philosophical criticism of Plato's la ''Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?'' is a Latin phrase from the Roman poet Juvenal, variously translated as "Who watches the watchmen?" "Who watches Philosophy is the study of general problems concerning matters such as existence knowledge truth beauty justice validity mind and language The 3rd century is the period from 201 to 300 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. Plotinus ( Greek:) (ca AD 204–270 was a major philosopher of the ancient world who is widely considered the founder of Neoplatonism (along with his Biography Early life Birth and family Plato was born in Athens Greece Platonism is the Philosophy of Plato or the name of other philosophical systems considered closely derived from it The term was first coined by Thomas Taylor,^[1] in his translation of Plotinus' Enneads. Thomas Taylor ( 15 May 1758 - 1 November 1835) was an English translator and Neoplatonist the first to translate into English Plotinus ( Greek:) (ca AD 204–270 was a major philosopher of the ancient world who is widely considered the founder of Neoplatonism (along with his The Six Enneads, sometimes abbreviated to The Enneads or Enneads, is the collection of writings of Plotinus, edited and Taylor was the first to translate Plotinus' works into English. Plotinus ( Greek:) (ca AD 204–270 was a major philosopher of the ancient world who is widely considered the founder of Neoplatonism (along with his ^[2] Neoplatonists would have considered themselves simply "Platonists", and the modern distinction is due to the perception that their philosophy contained enough unique interpretations of Plato to make it substantively different from what Plato wrote and believed. The Neoplatonism of Plotinus and Porphyry has been referred to as really being orthodox (neo)Platonic philosophy by scholars like Professor John D. Turner. Plotinus ( Greek:) (ca AD 204–270 was a major philosopher of the ancient world who is widely considered the founder of Neoplatonism (along with his This distinction provides a contrast with later movements of Neoplatonism, such as those of Iamblichus and Proclus. Proclus Lycaeus ( February 8, c 411 &ndash April 17, 485) called "The Successor" or "Diadochos" ( Greek Próklos Movements which embraced magical practices or theurgy as part of the soul's development in the process of the soul's return to the Source. Theurgy (from Greek θεουργία) describes the practice of Rituals sometimes seen as magical in nature performed with the intention of Henosis is also a synonym of Bulbophyllum, a genus of orchid Within the realm of Neoplatonic philosophy, henosis (Greek grc This could also be due to one possible motive of Plotinus, being to clarify some of the traditions in the teachings of Plato that had been misrepresented before Iamblichus (see Neoplatonism and Gnosticism). Plotinus ( Greek:) (ca AD 204–270 was a major philosopher of the ancient world who is widely considered the founder of Neoplatonism (along with his Neoplatonism (also Neo-Platonism) is the modern term for a school of Hellenistic philosophy that took shape in the 3rd century AD, based

Neoplatonism took definitive shape with the philosopher Plotinus, who claimed to have received his teachings from Ammonius Saccas, a dock worker and philosopher in Alexandria. Plotinus ( Greek:) (ca AD 204–270 was a major philosopher of the ancient world who is widely considered the founder of Neoplatonism (along with his Ammonius Saccas ( 3rd century AD) was a Greek Philosopher from Alexandria who was often referred to as one of the founders of Neoplatonism. Alexandria ( Egyptian Arabic: اسكندريه Eskendereyya; Standard Arabic: ar الإسكندرية Al-Iskandariyya; Ἀλεξάνδρεια ^[3] Plotinus was also influenced by Alexander of Aphrodisias and Numenius of Apamea. Alexander of Aphrodisias was the most celebrated of the Ancient Greek commentators on the writings of Aristotle. Numenius of Apamea was a Greek philosopher who lived in Apamea in Syria and flourished during the latter half of the 2nd century AD Plotinus's student Porphyry assembled his teachings into the six Enneads. Porphyry of Tyre ( Greek:, c AD 233&ndashc 309 was a Phoenician Neoplatonic philosopher The Six Enneads, sometimes abbreviated to The Enneads or Enneads, is the collection of writings of Plotinus, edited and

Subsequent Neoplatonic philosophers included Hypatia of Alexandria, Iamblichus, Proclus, Hierocles of Alexandria, Simplicius of Cilicia, and Damascius, who wrote On First Principles. Hypatia of Alexandria (haɪˈpeɪʃə ( Greek:; born between AD 350 and 370 – 415 was a Greek scholar from Alexandria in Egypt, considered Proclus Lycaeus ( February 8, c 411 &ndash April 17, 485) called "The Successor" or "Diadochos" ( Greek Próklos Hierocles of Alexandria was a Greek Neoplatonist writer who was active around AD 430. Simplicius (Σιμπλίκιος of Cilicia, lived c 490-c 560 AD was a disciple of Ammonius and Damascius, and was one of the last of the Neoplatonists Damascius (grc Δαμάσκιος born in Damascus ca AD 458 died after AD 538 known as "the last of the Neoplatonists," was the last scholarch of the Born in Damascus, he was the last teacher of Neoplatonism at Athens. Damascus ( دمشق,, also commonly known as الشام ash-Shām) is the capital and largest city of Syria. Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's Neoplatonism strongly influenced Christian thinkers (such as Augustine, Boethius, Pseudo-Dionysius, John Scotus Eriugena, and Bonaventura). Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (480&ndash524 or 525 was a Christian philosopher of the 6th century Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, also known as Pseudo-Denys, is the anonymous theologian and philosopher of the late 5th to early 6th century whose Corpus Areopagiticum Saint Bonaventure of Bagnoregio (San Bonaventura (1221 &ndash July 15, 1274) born John of Fidanza (Giovanni di Fidanza was the eighth Minister Neoplatonism was also present in medieval Islamic and Jewish thinkers such as al-Farabi and Maimonides, and experienced a revival in the Renaissance with the acquisition and translation of Greek and Arabic Neoplatonic texts. TemplateInfobox Muslim scholars --> Abū Nasr Muhammad ibn al-Farakh al-Fārābi ( Nastaliq:) or Abū Nasr al-Fārābi Moses Maimonides ( March 30 1135 – December 13 1204) also known as the Rambam, was a Rabbi, Physician, and

Contents 1 Origins 2 Platonism and Neoplatonism 3 Teachings 3.1 The One 3.2 Demiurge or Nous 3.3 The world-soul 3.4 The phenomenal world 3.5 Practice 3.6 Celestial hierarchy 3.7 Salvation 4 Neoplatonist philosophers 4.1 Ammonius Saccas 4.2 Plotinus 4.3 Porphyry 4.4 Iamblichus 4.5 Proclus 4.6 Emperor Julian 4.7 Simplicius 4.8 Gemistus Pletho 5 Early Christian and Medieval Neoplatonism 6 Renaissance Neoplatonism 7 Cambridge Platonists 8 Modern Neoplatonism 9 See also 10 Further reading 11 References 12 External links

Origins

The most important forerunners of Neoplatonism, are the Middle Platonists, such as Plutarch, and the Neopythagoreans, especially Numenius of Apamea. Middle Platonism was the development of certain philosophical doctrines associated with Plato from approximately 130 B Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus ( Greek: Μέστριος Πλούταρχος c Numenius of Apamea was a Greek philosopher who lived in Apamea in Syria and flourished during the latter half of the 2nd century AD We also see a forerunner of Neoplatonism in Philo who translated Judaism into the terms of Stoic, Platonic and Neopythagorean elements, and held that God is "supra rational," who can be reached only through "ecstasy", and that the oracles of God supply the material of moral and religious knowledge. Philo (20 BC - 50 AD) known also as Philo of Alexandria (gr Φίλων ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς Philo Judaeus, Philo Judaeus of Alexandria Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Stoicism, a school of Hellenistic philosophy, was founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium in the early third century BC An oracle is a person or agency considered to be a source of wise counsel or prophetic opinion an Infallible authority usually spiritual in nature The earliest Christian philosophers, such as Justin and Athenagoras, who attempted to connect Christianity with Platonism, and the Christian Gnostics of Alexandria, especially Valentinus and the followers of Basilides, also mirrored elements of Neoplatonism, albeit without its rigorous self-consistency. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Saint Justin Martyr (also Justin the Martyr, Justin of Caesarea, Justin the Philosopher, Latin Iustinus Martyr or Flavius Athenagoras (ca 133-190 was a Christian Apologist who lived during the second half of the 2nd century of whom little is known for certain besides that he was Platonism is the Philosophy of Plato or the name of other philosophical systems considered closely derived from it Gnosticism (γνώσις gnōsis, Knowledge) refers to a diverse Syncretistic Religious movement consisting of various Belief systems Alexandria ( Egyptian Arabic: اسكندريه Eskendereyya; Standard Arabic: ar الإسكندرية Al-Iskandariyya; Ἀλεξάνδρεια Valentinus (also spelled Valentius) ( c 100 - c160 CE) was the best known and for a time most successful Early Christian gnostic "Basilides" redirects here For the 17th century Ethiopian Emperor see Fasilides of Ethiopia. There is, however, no evidence in Plotinus for any actual influence of Jewish and Christian philosophy, and undoubtably, Alexandria, where Neoplatonism originated, was bathed in eastern methods of worship which were accessible to everyone. It is only the later Neoplatonism, from Iamblichus onwards, that offers striking and deep-rooted parallels to Philo and the Gnostics.

Platonism and Neoplatonism

The philosophers called Neoplatonists did not found a school as much as attempt to preserve the teachings of Plato. They regarded themselves as Platonists. The concept of the One was not as clearly defined in Plato's Timaeus (the good above the demiurge) as it later was by Plotinus' Enneads. Timaeus ( Greek: Τίμαιος, Timaios) is a theoretical treatise of Plato in the form of a Socratic dialogue, written Demiurge (the Latinized form of Greek demiourgos, δημιουργός, literally "public or skilled worker" from demos The Six Enneads, sometimes abbreviated to The Enneads or Enneads, is the collection of writings of Plotinus, edited and The afterlife as defined by Socrates in Phaedo is also different than the afterlife of the person or soul in the Enneads. Plato 's Phaedo (ˈfiːdoʊ Greek: Φαίδων, Phaidon) is one of the great Dialogues of his middle period along with The Six Enneads, sometimes abbreviated to The Enneads or Enneads, is the collection of writings of Plotinus, edited and The soul returns to the Monad or One in the Plotinus' works, whereas in Phaedo there are different afterlifes: one could be re-incarnated, one could receive punishment, or one could go to Hades to be with the heroes of old (Socrates' ideal afterlife for philosophers). Monism is the metaphysical and Theological view that all is one that all reality is subsumed under the most fundamental category of being or existence Plato 's Phaedo (ˈfiːdoʊ Greek: Φαίδων, Phaidon) is one of the great Dialogues of his middle period along with

Teachings

Neoplatonism is generally a religious philosophy. Neoplatonism is a form of idealistic monism (also called theistic monism) and combines elements of Polytheism (see Monistic-polytheism). In Western civilization, Idealism is the philosophy which maintains that the Ultimate nature of reality is ideal or based upon ideas values essences The so-called Monism is the metaphysical and Theological view that all is one that all reality is subsumed under the most fundamental category of being or existence Theistic Monism is a form of Idealistic monism in which the absolute is identified with the divine either as an impersonal or a personal God Polytheism is belief in or worship of multiple Gods (usually assembled in a pantheon) together with associated Mythology and Rituals Polytheism is belief in or worship of multiple Gods (usually assembled in a pantheon) together with associated Mythology and Rituals

Although the founder of Neoplatonism is supposed to have been Ammonius Saccas, the Enneads of his pupil Plotinus are the primary and classical document of Neoplatonism. Ammonius Saccas ( 3rd century AD) was a Greek Philosopher from Alexandria who was often referred to as one of the founders of Neoplatonism. The Six Enneads, sometimes abbreviated to The Enneads or Enneads, is the collection of writings of Plotinus, edited and Plotinus ( Greek:) (ca AD 204–270 was a major philosopher of the ancient world who is widely considered the founder of Neoplatonism (along with his As a form of mysticism, it contains theoretical and practical parts, the first dealing with the high origin of the human soul showing how it has departed from its first estate, and the second showing the way by which the soul may again return to the Eternal and Supreme. The soul, according to many religious and philosophical beliefs is the self-awareness, or Consciousness, unique to a particular living The system can be divided between the invisible world and the phenomenal world, the former containing the transcendent One from which emanates an eternal, perfect, essence (nous), which, in turn, produces the world-soul. In Religion, transcendence is a condition or state of being that surpasses physical existence and in one form is also independent of it The Absolute is the concept of an absolute unconditional reality which transcends limited conditional everyday existence Emanationism is Platonic monism and an idea in the Cosmology or Cosmogony of certain religious or philosophical systems Nous (ˈnuːs Greek: or) is a philosophical term for Mind or Intellect. For other uses see Anima Mundi Anima mundi ( Latin) is the world soul, a pure ethereal spirit which was proclaimed by

The One

The primeval Being is the One and the Infinite, as opposed to the many and the finite. The Absolute is the concept of an absolute unconditional reality which transcends limited conditional everyday existence Infinity (symbolically represented with ∞) comes from the Latin infinitas or "unboundedness It is the source of all life, and therefore absolute causality and the only real existence. Life is a state that distinguishes Organisms from non-living objects such as non-life and dead organisms being manifested by growth through Metabolism It is, moreover, the Good, in so far as all finite things have their purpose in it, and ought to flow back to it. In Religion, Ethics, and Philosophy, the phrase good and evil refers to the location of objects desires and Behaviors on a two-way But one cannot attach moral attributes to the original Being itself, because these would imply limitation. It has no attributes of any kind; it is being without magnitude, without life, without thought; in strict propriety, indeed, we ought not to speak of it as existing; it is "above existence," "above goodness. " It is also active force without a substratum; as active force the primeval Being is perpetually producing something else, without alteration, or motion, or diminution of itself. This production is not a physical process, but an emission of force; and, since the product has real existence only in virtue of the original existence working in it, Neoplatonism may be described as a species of dynamic pantheism. Pantheism ( Greek: πάν ( 'pan') = all and θεός ( 'theos') = God it literally means " God is All Directly or indirectly, everything is brought forth by the "One. " In it all things, so far as they have being, are divine, and God is all in all. God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. Derived existence, however, is not like the original Being itself, but is subject to a law of diminishing completeness. It is indeed an image and reflection of the first Being; but the further the line of successive projections is prolonged the smaller is its share in the true existence. The totality of being may thus be conceived as a series of concentric circles, fading away towards the verge of non-existence, the force of the original Being in the outermost circle being a vanishing quantity. Circles are simple Shapes of Euclidean geometry consisting of those points in a plane which are at a constant Distance, called the Each lower stage of being is united with the "One" by all the higher stages, and receives its share of reality only by transmission through them. All derived existence, however, has a drift towards, a longing for, the higher, and bends towards it so far as its nature will permit. Plotinus' treatment of the substance or essence (ousia) of the one was to reconcile Plato and Aristotle. Ousia () is the Ancient Greek noun formed on the feminine present participle of ( to be) it is analogous to the English participle Where Aristotle treated the monad as a single entity made up of one substance (here as energeia). Energeia (grc ἐνέργεια is an important Greek technical term in the works of Aristotle. Plotinus reconciled Aristotle with Plato's "the good" by expressing the substance or essence of the one as potential or force. Dunamis or dynamis ( Greek δυναμις is an Ancient Greek word meaning "power" or "force" ^[4]

Demiurge or Nous

The original Being first of all emanated, throws out the nous, which is a perfect image of the One and the archetype of all existing things. Emanationism is Platonic monism and an idea in the Cosmology or Cosmogony of certain religious or philosophical systems Nous (ˈnuːs Greek: or) is a philosophical term for Mind or Intellect. It is at once being and thought, ideal world and idea. As image, the nous corresponds perfectly to the One, but as derived it is entirely different. What Plotinus understands by the nous is the highest sphere accessible to the human mind, and, along with that, pure thought itself. As nous is the most critical component of idealism. In Western civilization, Idealism is the philosophy which maintains that the Ultimate nature of reality is ideal or based upon ideas values essences The so-called Neoplatonism being a pure form of idealism. ^[5][6] The demiurge or nous as the energy or ergon (does the work) that manifests or organizes the material world into perceivablity. Demiurge (the Latinized form of Greek demiourgos, δημιουργός, literally "public or skilled worker" from demos Nous (ˈnuːs Greek: or) is a philosophical term for Mind or Intellect. In Psychology and the Cognitive sciences perception is the process of attaining awareness or understanding of sensory Information.

The world-soul

The image and product of the motionless nous is the world-soul, which, according to Plotinus, is, like the nous, immaterial. For other uses see Anima Mundi Anima mundi ( Latin) is the world soul, a pure ethereal spirit which was proclaimed by Its relation to the nous is the same as that of the nous to the One. It stands between the nous and the phenomenal world, is permeated and illuminated by the former, but is also in contact with the latter. The nous is indivisible; the world-soul may preserve its unity and remain in the nous, but at the same time it has the power of uniting with the corporeal world and thus being disintegrated. It therefore occupies an intermediate position. As a single world-soul it belongs in essence and destination to the intelligible world; but it also embraces innumerable individual souls; and these can either submit to be ruled by the nous, or turn aside to the sensual and lose themselves in the finite.

The phenomenal world

The soul, as a moving essence, generates the corporeal or phenomenal world. This world ought to be so pervaded by the soul that its various parts should remain in perfect harmony. Plotinus is no dualist, like the Christian Gnostics; he admires the beauty and splendor of the world. Gnosticism (γνώσις gnōsis, Knowledge) refers to a diverse Syncretistic Religious movement consisting of various Belief systems So long as idea governs matter, or the soul governs the body, the world is fair and good. It is an image - though a shadowy image - of the upper world, and the degrees of better and worse in it are essential to the harmony of the whole. But in the actual phenomenal world unity and harmony are replaced by strife or discord; the result is a conflict, a becoming and vanishing, an illusive existence. And the reason for this state of things is that bodies rest on a substratum of matter. In Contact linguistics, a substratum ( lat sub: under + stratum: layer → lower layer) is a Language Matter is the indeterminate: that which has no qualities. If destitute of form and idea, it is evil; as capable of form it is neutral. Evil here is understood as a parasitic, having no-existence of its own (parahypostasis), unavoidable outcome of the Universe, having an "other" necessity, as a harmonizing factor. ^[7]

The human souls which have descended into corporeality are those which have allowed themselves to be ensnared by sensuality and overpowered by lust. Senses are the physiological methods of Perception. The senses and their operation classification and theory are overlapping topics studied by a variety of fields Literature In Dante's Inferno, the first Canticle of the Divine Comedy, the lustful are punished by being continuously They now seek to cut themselves loose from their true being; and, striving after independence, they assume a false existence. They must turn back from this; and, since they have not lost their freedom, a conversion is still possible.

Practice

Here, then, we enter upon the practical philosophy. Along the same road by which it descended the soul must retrace its steps back to the supreme Good. It must first of all return to itself. This is accomplished by the practice of virtue, which aims at likeness to God, and leads up to God. Virtue ( Latin virtus; Greek) is moral Excellence. Personal virtues are characteristics valued as promoting individual In the ethics of Plotinus all the older schemes of virtue are taken over and arranged in a graduated series. Ethics is a major branch of Philosophy, encompassing right conduct and good life The lowest stage is that of the civil virtues, then follow the purifying, and last of all the divine virtues. The civil virtues merely adorn the life, without elevating the soul. That is the office of the purifying virtues, by which the soul is freed from sensuality and led back to itself, and thence to the nous. By means of ascetic observances the human becomes once more a spiritual and enduring being, free from all sin. Ascetic redirects here You might also be looking for Acetic acid. But there is still a higher attainment; it is not enough to be sinless, one must become "God", (henosis). Henosis is also a synonym of Bulbophyllum, a genus of orchid Within the realm of Neoplatonic philosophy, henosis (Greek grc This is reached through contemplation of the primeval Being, the One - in other words, through an ecstatic approach to it. Thought cannot attain to this, for thought reaches only to the nous, and is itself a kind of motion. In Physics, motion means a constant change in the location of a body It is only in a state of perfect passivity and repose that the soul can recognize and touch the primeval Being. Hence the soul must first pass through a spiritual curriculum. Beginning with the contemplation of corporeal things in their multiplicity and harmony, it then retires upon itself and withdraws into the depths of its own being, rising thence to the nous, the world of ideas. But even there it does not find the Highest, the One; it still hears a voice saying, "not we have made ourselves. " The last stage is reached when, in the highest tension and concentration, beholding in silence and utter forgetfulness of all things, it is able as it were to lose itself. Then it may see God, the fountain of life, the source of being, the origin of all good, the root of the soul. In that moment it enjoys the highest indescribable bliss; it is as it were swallowed up of divinity, bathed in the light of eternity. Porphyry tells us that on four occasions during the six years of their intercourse Plotinus attained to this ecstatic union with God.

Celestial hierarchy

The religious philosophy of Plotinus for himself personally sufficed, without the aid of the popular religion or worship. Nevertheless he sought for points of support in these. God is certainly in the truest sense nothing but the primeval Being who is revealed in a variety of emanations and manifestations. Plotinus taught the existence of an ineffable and transcendent One, from which emanated the rest of the universe as a sequence of lesser beings. In Religion, transcendence is a condition or state of being that surpasses physical existence and in one form is also independent of it The Absolute is the concept of an absolute unconditional reality which transcends limited conditional everyday existence Emanationism is Platonic monism and an idea in the Cosmology or Cosmogony of certain religious or philosophical systems Later Neoplatonic philosophers, especially Iamblichus, added hundreds of intermediate beings such as gods, angels and demons, and other beings as mediators between the One and humanity. The Neoplatonist gods are omni-perfect beings and do not display the usual amoral behaviour associated with their representations in the myths.

• The One

God, The Good. God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. Transcendent and ineffable.

• The Hypercosmic Gods

Those which make Essence, Life and Soul

• The Demiurge

The creator. Demiurge (the Latinized form of Greek demiourgos, δημιουργός, literally "public or skilled worker" from demos

• The Cosmic Gods

Those who make Being, Nature, and Matter. These include the gods known to us from classical mythology.

Salvation

Neoplatonists believed human perfection and happiness were attainable in this world, without awaiting an afterlife. AfterLife is a film drama set in Scotland directed by Alison Peebles made in 2003 about an ambitious Scottish journalist forced to choose between Perfection and happiness— seen as synonymous— could be achieved through philosophical contemplation. The word Contemplation comes from the Latin root templum (from Greek temnein to cut or divide and means to separate something from its environment and to enclose it in a sector

They did not believe in an independent existence of evil. Evil, in many cultures is used to describe acts or thoughts which are contrary to some particular religion They compared it to darkness, which does not exist in itself but only as the absence of light. So too, evil is simply the absence of good. Things are good insofar as they exist; they are evil only insofar as they are imperfect, lacking some good that they should have. It is also a cornerstone of Neoplatonism to teach that all people return to the Source. The Source, Absolute, or One is what all things spring from and, as a superconsciousness, is where all things return. It can be said that all consciousness is wiped clean and returned to a blank slate when returning to the Source. Tabula rasa ( Latin: blank slate) refers to the epistemological thesis that individual human beings are born with no built-in mental content All things have force or potential (dynamis) as their essence. Dunamis or dynamis ( Greek δυναμις is an Ancient Greek word meaning "power" or "force" In Philosophy, essence is the attribute or set of attributes that make an object or substance what it fundamentally is and which it has by necessity This dynamis begets energy (energeia). Energeia (grc ἐνέργεια is an important Greek technical term in the works of Aristotle. ^[8][9][10] When people return to the Source, their energy returns to the One, Monad, or Source and is then recycled into the cosmos, where it can be broken up and then amalgamated into other things.

Neoplatonist philosophers

Ammonius Saccas

Ammonius Saccas (birth unknown death ca. Ammonius Saccas ( 3rd century AD) was a Greek Philosopher from Alexandria who was often referred to as one of the founders of Neoplatonism. 265 AD) is a founder of Neoplatonism and the teacher of Plotinus. Little is known of the teacher other than both Christians (see Eusebius, Jerome, and Origen) and pagans (see Porphyry and Plotinus) claim him a teacher and founder of the Neoplatonic system. Jerome (c 347 – September 30, 420) ( Latin: Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus; Εὐσέβιος Σωφρόνιος Ἱερώνυμος Origen ( Greek: Ōrigénēs, or Origen Adamantius, ca 185–ca Plotinus ( Greek:) (ca AD 204–270 was a major philosopher of the ancient world who is widely considered the founder of Neoplatonism (along with his Porphyry stated in On the One School of Plato and Aristotle, that Ammonius' view was that the philosophies of Plato and Aristotle were in harmony. Eusebius and Jerome claimed him as a Christian until his death, whereas Porphyry claimed he had renounced Christianity and embrace pagan philosophy. Jerome (c 347 – September 30, 420) ( Latin: Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus; Εὐσέβιος Σωφρόνιος Ἱερώνυμος

Plotinus

Plotinus (Greek: Πλωτῖνος) (ca. Plotinus ( Greek:) (ca AD 204–270 was a major philosopher of the ancient world who is widely considered the founder of Neoplatonism (along with his 205–270) was a major Egyptian^[11] philosopher of the ancient world who is widely considered the father of Neoplatonism. Ancient Egypt was an Ancient Civilization in eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now Much of our biographical information about him comes from Porphyry's preface to his edition of Plotinus' Enneads. While he was himself influenced by the teachings of classical Greek, Persian and Indian philosophy and Egyptian theology,^[12] his metaphysical writings later inspired numerous Christian, Jewish, Islamic and Gnostic metaphysicians and mystics over the centuries. Ancient Greek philosophy focused on the role of Reason and Inquiry. Iranian philosophy or Persian philosophy can be traced back as far as to Old Iranian philosophical traditions and thoughts which originated in ancient Indo-Iranian The term Indian philosophy (Sanskrit Darshanas) may refer to any of several traditions of philosophical thought that originated in the Indian subcontinent Ancient Egyptian religion encompasses the various religious beliefs and rituals practiced in Ancient Egypt from the predynastic period until the adoption of Christianity Christian philosophy is a term to describe the fusion of various fields of Philosophy with the theological doctrines of Christianity. Jewish philosophy refers to the conjunction between serious study of philosophy and Jewish theology Early Islamic philosophy or classical Islamic philosophy is a period of intense philosophical development beginning in the 2nd century AH of the Islamic calendar Gnosticism (γνώσις gnōsis, Knowledge) refers to a diverse Syncretistic Religious movement consisting of various Belief systems Plotinus taught that there is a supreme, totally transcendent "One", containing no division, multiplicity or distinction; likewise it is beyond all categories of being and non-being. The concept of "being" is derived by us from the objects of human experience, and is an attribute of such objects, but the infinite, transcendent One is beyond all such objects, and therefore is beyond the concepts that we derive from them. The One "cannot be any existing thing", and cannot be merely the sum of all such things (compare the Stoic doctrine of disbelief in non-material existence), but "is prior to all existents".

Porphyry

Porphyry (Greek: Πορφύριος, c. Porphyry of Tyre ( Greek:, c AD 233&ndashc 309 was a Phoenician Neoplatonic philosopher A. D. 233– c. 309) was a Syrian^[11] Neoplatonist philosopher. History of Bahrein, AND COMPARE THE TRUE IMPORTANCE OF THE TWO STATES He wrote widely on astrology, religion, philosophy, and musical theory. He produced a biography of his teacher, Plotinus. He is important in the history of mathematics because of his Life of Pythagoras, and his commentary on Euclid's Elements which was used by Pappus when he wrote his own commentary. [1] Porphyry is also known as an opponent of Christianity and defender of Paganism; of his Adversus Christianos (Against the Christians) in 15 books, only fragments remain. He famously said, "The gods have proclaimed Christ to have been most pious, but the Christians are a confused and vicious sect. "

Iamblichus

Iamblichus, also known as Iamblichus Chalcidensis, (ca. 245 - ca. 325, Greek: Ιάμβλιχος) was a Syrian^[11] neoplatonist philosopher who determined the direction taken by later Neoplatonic philosophy, and perhaps western philosophical religions themselves. History of Bahrein, AND COMPARE THE TRUE IMPORTANCE OF THE TWO STATES He is perhaps best known for his compendium on Pythagorean philosophy. In Iamblichus' system the realm of divinities stretched from the original One down to material nature itself, where soul in fact descended into matter and became "embodied" as human beings. The world is thus peopled by a crowd of superhuman beings influencing natural events and possessing and communicating knowledge of the future, and who are all accessible to prayers and offerings. Iamblichus had salvation as his final goal (see henosis). Henosis is also a synonym of Bulbophyllum, a genus of orchid Within the realm of Neoplatonic philosophy, henosis (Greek grc The embodied soul was to return to divinity by performing certain rites, or theurgy, literally, 'divine-working'. Theurgy (from Greek θεουργία) describes the practice of Rituals sometimes seen as magical in nature performed with the intention of Some translate this as "magic", but the modern connotations of the term do not exactly match what Iamblichus had in mind, which is more along the lines of religious ritual.

Proclus

Proclus Lycaeus (February 8, 412 – April 17, 485), surnamed "The Successor" or "diadochos" (Greek Πρόκλος ὁ Διάδοχος Próklos ho Diádokhos), was a Greek Neoplatonist philosopher, one of the last major Greek philosophers (see Damascius). Proclus Lycaeus ( February 8, c 411 &ndash April 17, 485) called "The Successor" or "Diadochos" ( Greek Próklos His set forth one of the most elaborate, complex, and fully developed Neoplatonic systems. The particular characteristic of Proclus' system is his insertion of a level of individual ones, called henads between the One itself and the divine Intellect, which is the second principle. The henads are beyond being, like the One itself, but they stand at the head of chains of causation (seirai or taxeis) and in some manner give to these chains their particular character. They are also identified with the traditional Greek gods, so one henad might be Apollo and be the cause of all things apollonian, while another might be Helios and be the cause of all sunny things. The henads serve both to protect the One itself from any hint of multiplicity, and to draw up the rest of the universe towards the One, by being a connecting, intermediate stage between absolute unity and determinate multiplicity.

Emperor Julian

Julian (born c. Flavius Claudius Julianus, known also as Julian or Julian the Apostate (331 or 332 to 26 June 363) was Roman Emperor (Caesar 331–died June 26, 363), was a Roman Emperor (361–363) of the Constantinian dynasty. The Constantinian dynasty is an informal name for the ruling family of the Roman Empire from Constantius Chlorus († 305) to the death of Julian He was the last pagan Roman Emperor, and tried to reform traditional Pagan worship by unifying Pagan worship in the Byzantine empire in the form of Neoplatonism developed by Iamblichus. Julian sought to do this after the legalization of Christianity and its widespread success within the Eastern Roman Empire.

Simplicius

Circa 500AD Simplicius of Cilicia is not known as an original thinker, but his remarks are thoughtful and intelligent and his learning is prodigious. Simplicius (Σιμπλίκιος of Cilicia, lived c 490-c 560 AD was a disciple of Ammonius and Damascius, and was one of the last of the Neoplatonists To the student of Greek philosophy his commentaries are invaluable, as they contain many fragments of the older philosophers as well as of his immediate predecessors.

Gemistus Pletho

Gemistus Pletho (born c. Georgius Gemistos (or Plethon, Pletho) in Greek Γεώργιος Πλήθων Γεμιστός, (c 1355–died 1452) remained the preeminent scholar of Neoplatonic philosophy in the Eastern Roman Empire. He introduced his understanding and insight into the works of Neoplatonism during the failed attempt to reconcile the East-West schism at the council of Florence. The East-West Schism, or the Great Schism, divided medieval Christendom into Eastern (Greek and Western (Latin branches which later became known as the The Council of Florence (originally Council of Basel) was an Ecumenical Council of Bishops and other ecclesiastics of the Roman Catholic Church At Florence Pletho met Cosimo_de'_Medici and influenced the latter's decision to found a new Platonic Academy there. Cosimo di Giovanni de' Medici (September 27 1389 &ndash August 1 1464 was the first of the Medici political dynasty de facto rulers of An academy ( Greek Ἀκαδημία is an institution of higher learning research or honorary membership Cosimo subsequently appointed as head Marsilio Ficino, who proceeded to translate all Plato's works, the Enneads of Plotinus, and various other Neoplatonist works into Latin. Marsilio Ficino ( Latin name Marsilius Ficinus; October 19 1433 - October 1 1499) was one of the most influential humanist The Six Enneads, sometimes abbreviated to The Enneads or Enneads, is the collection of writings of Plotinus, edited and

Early Christian and Medieval Neoplatonism

Main article: Christianity and Neoplatonism

Central tenets of Neoplatonism, such as the absence of good being the source of evil, and that this absence of good comes from human sin, served as a philosophical interim for the Christian theologian Augustine of Hippo on his journey from dualistic Manichaeism to Christianity. Neoplatonism was a major influence on Christian theology throughout Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages in the West notably due to (1 St Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Theology is the study of a god or the gods from a religious perspective Dualism denotes a state of two parts The word's origin is the Latin duo, "two". Manichaeism (in Modern Persian fa-Arab آیین مانی Āyin e Māni; Chinese zh 摩尼教 was one of the major Gnostic Religions originating When writing his treatise 'On True Religion' several years after his 387 baptism, Augustine's Christianity was still tempered by Neoplatonism, but he eventually decided to abandon Neoplatonism altogether in favor of a Christianity based on his own reading of Scripture. For the processor see Intel 80387. Events By Place Roman Empire The widowed Emperor Theodosius I Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Etymology According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word bible is from Latin biblia, traced from the same word through Medieval Latin and Late Latin

Many other Christians were influenced by Neoplatonism, especially in their identifying the Neoplatonic One, or God, with Jehovah. Yahweh|God in Abrahamic religions Jehovah is an English reading of, the most frequent form of the Tetragrammaton, the name of God in the Hebrew Bible, in The most influential of these would be Origen, the pupil of Ammonius Saccas and the fifth-century author known as Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, (whose works were translated by John Scotus in the 9th century for the west) and proved significant for both the Eastern Orthodox and Western branches of Christianity. Origen ( Greek: Ōrigénēs, or Origen Adamantius, ca 185–ca Ammonius Saccas ( 3rd century AD) was a Greek Philosopher from Alexandria who was often referred to as one of the founders of Neoplatonism. Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite, also known as Pseudo-Denys, is the anonymous theologian and philosopher of the late 5th to early 6th century whose Corpus Areopagiticum The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Neoplatonism also had links with Gnosticism, which Plotinus rebuked in his ninth tractate of the second Enneads: "Against Those That Affirm The Creator of The Kosmos and The Kosmos Itself to Be Evil" (generally known as "Against The Gnostics"). Gnosticism (γνώσις gnōsis, Knowledge) refers to a diverse Syncretistic Religious movement consisting of various Belief systems The Six Enneads, sometimes abbreviated to The Enneads or Enneads, is the collection of writings of Plotinus, edited and

Due to their belief being grounded in Platonic thought, the Neoplatonists rejected gnosticism's vilification of Plato's demiurge, the creator of the material world or cosmos discussed in the Timaeus. Demiurge (the Latinized form of Greek demiourgos, δημιουργός, literally "public or skilled worker" from demos Although Neoplatonism has been referred to as orthodox Platonic philosophy by scholars like Professor John D. Turner, this reference may be due in part to Plotinus' attempt to refute certain interpretations of Platonic philosophy, through his Enneads. The Six Enneads, sometimes abbreviated to The Enneads or Enneads, is the collection of writings of Plotinus, edited and Plotinus believed the followers of gnosticism had corrupted the original teachings of Plato.

Despite the influence this 'pagan' philosophy had on Christianity, Justinian I would hurt later Neoplatonism by ordering the closure of the refounded School of Athens. Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus ( Greek: Φλάβιος Πέτρος Σαββάτιος Ιουστινιανός; known in English as Justinian I or For the Raphael painting see The School of Athens The Academy (Ἀκαδήμεια was founded by Plato in ca ^[13] In the Middle Ages, Neoplatonist ideas influenced Jewish thinkers, such as the Kabbalist Isaac the Blind, and the Jewish Neoplatonic philosopher Solomon ibn Gabirol, who modified it in the light of their own monotheism. Rabbi Yitzhak Saggi Nehor רַבִּי יִצְחַק סַגִּי נְהוֹר also known as Isaac the Blind, (c Solomon ibn Gabirol, also Solomon ben Judah ( שלמה בן יהודה אבן גבירול, Shelomo ben Yehuda ibn Gevirol; أبو أيوب سليمان Neoplatonist ideas also influenced Islamic and Sufi thinkers such as al Farabi and Avicenna. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Sufism ( تصوّف - taṣawwuf, Persian: صوفی‌گری sufigari, Turkish: tasavvuf, Urdu: تصوف TemplateInfobox Muslim scholars --> Abū Nasr Muhammad ibn al-Farakh al-Fārābi ( Nastaliq:) or Abū Nasr al-Fārābi TemplateInfobox Muslim scholars --> ( Persian /ابو علی الحسین ابن عبدالله ابن سینا (born Neoplatonism survived in the Eastern Christian Church as an independent tradition and was reintroduced to the west by Plethon. Georgius Gemistos (or Plethon, Pletho) in Greek Γεώργιος Πλήθων Γεμιστός, (c

Renaissance Neoplatonism

In western Europe, Neoplatonism was revived in the Italian Renaissance by figures such as Nicholas Cusanus, Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, Marsilio Ficino, the Medici, Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli and later Giordano Bruno. The Italian Renaissance began the opening phase of the Renaissance, a period of great cultural change and achievement in Europe that spanned the period from the end of the 14th Count Giovanni Pico della Mirandola ( February 24, 1463 - November 17, 1494) was an Italian Renaissance Philosopher. Marsilio Ficino ( Latin name Marsilius Ficinus; October 19 1433 - October 1 1499) was one of the most influential humanist Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni Two biographies were published of him during his lifetime One of them by Giorgio Vasari, proposed that he was the pinnacle of all Giordano Bruno (1548 – February 17, 1600) was an Italian Philosopher best-known as an early proponent of Heliocentrism and Platonism in the Renaissance was a major force in European cultural life. Platonism underwent a revival in the Renaissance, as part of a general revival of interest in Classical antiquity.

Cambridge Platonists

In the seventeenth century in England, Neoplatonism was fundamental to the school of the Cambridge Platonists, whose luminaries included Henry More, Ralph Cudworth, Benjamin Whichcote and John Smith, all graduates of Cambridge University. The Cambridge Platonists were a group of Philosophers at Cambridge University in the middle of the 17th century (between 1633 and 1688 Henry More ( October 12 1614 &ndash September 1, 1687) was an English Philosopher of the Cambridge Platonist school Ralph Cudworth (1617&ndash June 26, 1688) was an English Philosopher, the leader of the Cambridge Platonists. Benjamin Whichcote (1609 - 1683 British Establishment and Puritan divine Provost of King's College Cambridge, and leader of the John Smith (1618ᇈ was an English educator born at Achurch, Northamptonshire. The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University) located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the Coleridge claimed that they were not really Platonists, but "more truly Plotinists": "divine Plotinus", as More called him. Samuel Taylor Coleridge ( 21 October 1772 &ndash 25 July 1834) was an English Poet, Critic and philosopher

Modern Neoplatonism

In the essay "Inner and Outer Realities: Jean Gebser in a Cultural/Historical Perspective", Integral philosopher Allan Combs claims that ten modern thinkers can be called Neo-Platonists: Goethe, Schiller, Schelling, Hegel, Coleridge, Emerson, Rudolf Steiner, Carl Jung, Jean Gebser and the modern theorist Brian Goodwin. This article is about the integral movement in philosophy and psychology Allan Combs is a Consciousness researcher neuropsychologist, and systems theorist. ˈjoːhan ˈvɔlfgaŋ fɔn ˈgøːtə (in English generally ˈgɝːtə 28 August 1749 22 March 1832 was a German writer Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller krɪstɔf friːtʁɪç fɔn ʃɪləʁ/ʃɪlɐ (10 November 1759 9 May 1805 was a German Poet, Philosopher Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling ( January 27, 1775 – August 20, 1854) later von Schelling, was a German Philosopher Samuel Taylor Coleridge ( 21 October 1772 &ndash 25 July 1834) was an English Poet, Critic and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 25 1803 &ndash April 27 1882 was an American essayist philosopher poet and leader of the Transcendentalist movement in the early 19th century Rudolf Steiner ( 25 February 1861 – 30 March 1925) was an Austrian philosopher literary scholar educator artist playwright Jean Gebser ( August 20, 1905 &ndash May 14, 1973) was a prodigy, a student Brian Carey Goodwin (1931 is a Canadian Mathematician and a Biologist, a Professor Emeritus at the Open University and a key founder of a branch of mathematical He sees these thinkers as participating in a tradition that can be distinguished from the empiricist, rationalist, dualist and materialist Western philosophical traditions[1]. In Philosophy, empiricism is a theory of Knowledge which asserts that knowledge arises from Experience. In Epistemology and in its broadest sense rationalism is "any view appealing to Reason as a source of knowledge or justification" (Lacey 286 Dualism denotes a state of two parts The word's origin is the Latin duo, "two". The Philosophy of materialism holds that the only thing that can be truly proven to exist is Matter, and is considered a form of Physicalism. Western philosophy is a term that refers to philosophical thinking in the Western or Occidental world, as distinct from Eastern or Oriental philosophies

Other notable modern Neoplatonists include Thomas Taylor, "the English Platonist," who wrote extensively on Platonism and translated almost the entire Platonic and Plotinian corpora into English, and the Belgian writer Suzanne Lilar. Thomas Taylor ( 15 May 1758 - 1 November 1835) was an English translator and Neoplatonist the first to translate into English Suzanne Baroness Lilar ( Née Suzanne Verbist (b Ghent, 21 May 1901 - d

The Druze, a religious community found primarily in Lebanon, Israel, and Syria, incorporate neoplatonic concepts into their beliefs. The Druze ( Arabic: درزي derzī or durzī, plural دروز durūz) are a religious community found primarily in Syria, Lebanon ^[14]

See also

• Antiochus of Ascalon
• Atticus (c. 175)
• Plutarch of Chaeronea
• Julian the Apostate
• Brethren of Purity
• Origen
• Peripatetics
• Asclepigenia
• Neoplatonism and Gnosticism
• Syrianus

Further reading

• The London Philosophy Study Guide offers many suggestions on what to read, depending on the student's familiarity with the subject: Post-Aristotelian philosophy
• Ruelle, an edition of On First Principles, (Paris, 1889)
• Whittaker, The Neo-Platonists, (Cambridge, 1901)
• Cambridge Companion to Plotinus. Antiochus (Άντίοχος ὁ Ἀσκαλώνιος of Ascalon, (lived c Atticus ( ca 175) was an ancient philosopher All of what is known of him comes from fragments of his book preserved in Eusebius ' Preparatio Evangelica Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus ( Greek: Μέστριος Πλούταρχος c Flavius Claudius Julianus, known also as Julian or Julian the Apostate (331 or 332 to 26 June 363) was Roman Emperor (Caesar The Brethren of Purity ( Arabic اخوان الصفا Ikhwan al-Safa; also translated as Brethren of Sincerity) were a mysterious Origen ( Greek: Ōrigénēs, or Origen Adamantius, ca 185–ca The Peripatetics were members of a school of philosophy in Ancient Greece. Asclepigenia (fl 430 – 485) was an Athenian Philosopher and Mystic. Neoplatonism (also Neo-Platonism) is the modern term for a school of Hellenistic philosophy that took shape in the 3rd century AD, based Syrianus (Συριανός was a Greek Neoplatonist Philosopher, and head of Plato 's Academy in Athens, succeeding his Ed. L. P. Gerson (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996)
• Neoplatonic Philosophy. Introductory Readings. Trans. and ed. by John Dillon and Lloyd P. Gerson, (Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co. , 2004)

References

External links

• Neoplatonism entry at the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
• Prometheus Trust
• International Society for Neoplatonic Studies
• Christian Platonists and Neoplatonists: Historical and Modern

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain. The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (IEP is a free Online encyclopedia on philosophical topics and philosophers founded by James Fieser in 1995 The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911 is a 29-volume reference work that marked the beginning of the Encyclopædia Britannica The public domain is a range of abstract materials &ndash commonly referred to as Intellectual property &ndash which are not owned or controlled by anyone

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