Book contents
- The New Cambridge Companion to Plotinus
- Other Volumes in the Series of Cambridge Companions
- The New Cambridge Companion to Plotinus
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Contributors
- Acknowledgements
- Porphyry’s Arrangement of the Enneads
- Abbreviations of Other Ancient Works and Authors
- Introduction
- Part I Historical Context
- 1 Plato and Aristotle in the Enneads
- 2 Plotinus, Gnosticism, and Christianity
- 3 From Plotinus to Proclus
- 4 The One as First Principle of All
- Part II Metaphysics and Epistemology
- Part III Psychology
- Part IV Natural Philosophy
- Part V Ethics
- Bibliography
- Index Locorum
- Index
- Other Volumes in the Series of Cambridge Companions (continued from page ii)
2 - Plotinus, Gnosticism, and Christianity
from Part I - Historical Context
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 May 2022
- The New Cambridge Companion to Plotinus
- Other Volumes in the Series of Cambridge Companions
- The New Cambridge Companion to Plotinus
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Contributors
- Acknowledgements
- Porphyry’s Arrangement of the Enneads
- Abbreviations of Other Ancient Works and Authors
- Introduction
- Part I Historical Context
- 1 Plato and Aristotle in the Enneads
- 2 Plotinus, Gnosticism, and Christianity
- 3 From Plotinus to Proclus
- 4 The One as First Principle of All
- Part II Metaphysics and Epistemology
- Part III Psychology
- Part IV Natural Philosophy
- Part V Ethics
- Bibliography
- Index Locorum
- Index
- Other Volumes in the Series of Cambridge Companions (continued from page ii)
Summary
When Plotinus began his teaching career after moving from Alexandria to Rome in 245 ce, he was faced with the task of defending the correctness of his views not only against the teachings of rival philosophical schools, such as those of the Stoics, Peripatetics, and Epicureans but also against the popular religious movements of his day, chief among them Christianity and Gnosticism. We do not know whether his audience, comprised of people from a range of professional backgrounds, such as doctors, literary critics, and aspiring statesmen, would have included any Christians. But in all likelihood, he would have come into contact with proponents of the new faith at some point during his life.1
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The New Cambridge Companion to Plotinus , pp. 41 - 64Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2022
- 2
- Cited by