Plotinus

Founder of Neoplatonism, whose metaphysics described the One, Intellect, and Soul.

Chronology: 205 – 270

Origins & Early Life

Plotinus (; Ancient Greek: Πλωτῖνος, Plōtînos; c. 204/5 – 270 AD) was an ancient Greek philosopher, born and raised in Roman Egypt. He is widely regarded by modern scholars as the founder of Neoplatonism. Plotinus was a student of the self-taught philosopher Ammonius Saccas, who belonged to the Platonic tradition.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Historians in the 19th century coined the term "Neoplatonism" to describe Plotinus and his philosophy. This philosophical tradition was vastly influential during late antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance. In his metaphysical writings, Plotinus described three fundamental principles: the One, the Intellect, and the Soul. His works have inspired generations of pagan, Jewish, Christian, Gnostic, and early Islamic metaphysicians and mystics. His ideas shaped metaphysical works, particularly his work on duality of the One.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

These ideas later influenced several mainstream theological concepts within different religions. == Early life == Plotinus' student and biographer Porphyry records in his Life of Plotinus that Plotinus died at the age of sixty-six at the end of the second year of the reign of the Roman emperor Claudius II (269/70 AD), and therefore calculates that...

Source: Wikipedia