The system I'm putting forward starts with a few fundamental assertions made about the One/the Absolute, which is indeed maintained to be Absolute, which is essentially that which is totally universal (non-particular) and without privation. This is necessary for a foundational metaphysical principle, because if there is something external to it (which is the only... Continue Reading →
The Stoics are wrong in thinking that it is the Soul which, on reaching her perfection, begets Intelligence. How could that which is in potential pass into actualization unless there were some principle that effected the transition? Ennead 5.9 Plotinus herein argues against something arising from its total lack, while totally correct — this astute... Continue Reading →
In Concerning Fate, Plotinus targets both Stoic, Materialist and Astrological conceptions of causality. His argument against materialism is sound, that being the impossibility of the arrangement of atoms to form order in themselves, independent of an ordering agent, and the impossibility of such arrangements producing character in themselves over simply expressing that character. That being... Continue Reading →
One faulty implication of Plotinus' here is that he maintains a principle distinction and truly duality between soul and body, rather than a monic dynamic. He holds that matter is merely fashioned by, and presumably possessed by soul, and is therefore maintained as a composite of matter and form until the soul departs (being the unifying principle between form and matter, a glue) and the matter disintegrates.
Plotinus believes beauty is recognition of soul expressed in the body, or form expressed within matter, given things can be recognized as more or less beautiful, he maintains soul can express itself in matter to greater or lesser degrees — he believes this is possible because he maintains form and the stuff of matter to couple as a composite, ugliness he explains, is something of a failure of the stuff of matter to cohere to the form.
Breaking Nous 