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, Eyjolfur 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.

About the Author

Eyjolfur K. Emilsson is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Oslo, Norway. He is the author of Plotinus on Sense-Perception (1988), Plotinus on Intellect (2007) and (with Steven K. Strange) of a translation and commentary, Plotinus: Ennead VI.4 and VI.5: On the Presence of Being, One and the Same, Everywhere as a Whole (2015). He has published numerous articles on Plotinus and other ancient philosophers and translated Plato's Republic and other Platonic dialogues into Icelandic.

Reviews

'[A] general introduction to Plotinus that is pleasant to read and very well informed, by a specialist who has written a great deal on Plotinus. ... The exposition is clear, the argumentation rigorous, and no important Plotinian passage has been overlooked. This makes the book an invaluable resource. ... This is an important book that brings to the surface the merits and the weaknesses of an interpretation that is tending to become standard in a context in which philosophy is no longer a way of life, but a university discipline.' - Luc Brisson, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews

'The beauty of this book lies in the way that Emilsson guides the reader through both the intellectual background and legacy of the greatest philosopher of late antiquity. By engaging Plotinus in argument, Emilsson brings the Enneads to life, revealing a system behind unsystematic exposition, exposing philosophical reason where there is an apparent dogma.' - Pauliina Remes, Uppsala University, Sweden

'This is a reliable and readable introduction to Plotinus, from one of the leading scholars of his thought. It offers a level of detail that is unusual in an introductory volume, as well as engaging with the most recent secondary literature. It thus offers a good orientation for students, while also being of interest to seasoned readers of the Enneads.' - Peter Adamson, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany

Book Information
ISBN 9780415333498
Author Eyjolfur K. Emilsson
Format Paperback
Page Count 410
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 780g