Plotinus the Master and the Apotheosis of Imperial Platonism

William H. F. Altman

doi:10.5771/9781666944402

Summary

Unlike other recent studies, Plotinus the Master and the Apotheosis of Imperial Platonism is critical of Plotinus, and in particular of his version of Platonism, here described as “Imperial.” It is in contrast with Plato—a teacher whose dialogues challenge his students to think for themselves—that William H. F. Altman presents Plotinus as a master, who uses a seductive form of rhetoric throughout the Enneads to persuade his disciples to ignore his self-contradictions and decontextualized quotations from Plato while instead regarding his spiritual experiences, combined with a gift for the creative synthesis of previous thinkers, as the principal basis of their faithful and uncritical allegiance. While setting Plotinus in the context of the Roman Empire and his own critique of the Gnostics, this book grapples throughout with his current and virtually uncritical reception.

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Bibliographic data

Copyright year: 2024
ISBN-Print: 978-1-6669-4439-6
ISBN-Online: 978-1-6669-4440-2
Publisher: Lexington, Lanham
Language: English
Pages: 444
Product type: Book Titles

1. Contents No access
2. 1. Notes No access
1. Notes No access
1. Section 1. Teachers and Masters No access
2. Section 2. The Exegete of the Platonic Revelation No access
3. Section 3. Platonic Exegesis §1: Theaetetus 176a8–b2 No access
4. Section 4. Plotinian Exegesis §1: 4.8 No access
5. Section 5. Defending the Master No access
6. Section 6. Between Apollonius and Julian §1: Returning to the Cave No access
7. Section 7. Plotinus and Plato’s Ion No access
8. Notes No access
1. Section 1. Three Portraits of the Master in Porphyry’s Life of Plotinus No access
2. Section 2. The Master’s Favorite Disciple No access
3. Section 3. Plotinian Exegesis §2: Longinus, Concerning the End (20.68–76) No access
4. Section 4. Between Apollonius and Julian §2: Pythagoras Reborn No access
5. Section 5. Longinus, [Longinus], and Anti-Imperial Platonism No access
6. Section 6. Platonic Exegesis §2 (R. 509b1–9) No access
7. Section 7. The Other Side of Porphyry’s Life of Plotinus No access
8. Notes No access
1. Section 1. The Apologetic Moment in the Interpretation of Porphyry’s Life of Plotinus No access
2. Section 2. “A Text Worthy of Plotinus” No access
3. Section 3. The Reason Why No access
4. Section 4. Between Apollonius and Julian §3: Praising the Pagan Wise Man No access
5. Section 5. Plotinian Exegesis §3: 5.5 No access
6. Section 6. Platonic Exegesis §3: (R. 506d7–507a5) No access
7. Section 7. Richard Harder and the Großschrift No access
8. Notes No access
1. Section 1. In Defense of Dualism No access
2. Section 2. Nag Hammadi No access
3. Section 3. Gnosticism as Anti-Imperial Platonism No access
4. Section 4. Platonic Exegesis §4: Timaeus 28b2–c2, Republic 517a8–b6, Laws 945e2–946a1 No access
5. Section 5. Between Apollonius and Julian §4: Solar Theology No access
6. Section 6. Plotinian Exegesis §4: 2.9 No access
7. Section 7. Mazurism No access
8. Notes No access
1. Section 1. Between Apollonius and Julian §5: “The End of Paganism” No access
2. Section 2. Mazur and Hadot No access
3. Section 3. Hadot’s Plotinus No access
4. Section 4. Platonic Exegesis §5: Sophist 248e7–249a3 No access
5. Section 5. The Real Plato? No access
6. Section 6. Plotinian Exegesis §5: 6.7 No access
7. Section 7. The Revival of Plotinus: Why Now? No access
8. Notes No access
1. Section 1. Between Reading and Misreading: Apollonius and Julian §6 No access
2. Section 2. Interpretive Sophistry No access
3. Section 3. Why Plato’s One is not the Idea of the Good No access
4. Section 4. Plotinus the Demiurge No access
5. Section 5. Platonic Exegesis §6: Parmenides 143a4–9 No access
6. Section 6. The Pre-Existent “Stuff” of 6.6 No access
7. Section 7. Plotinian Exegesis §6: 6.6 No access
8. Notes No access
1. Section 1. Plotinus Orator No access
2. Section 2. Between Apollonius and Julian §7: Philostratus and Eunapius No access
3. Section 3. Dispositio No access
4. Section 4. Cosmos as Prophet and the Pagan Holy Man No access
5. Section 5. Plotinian Exegesis §7: 4.7.10 No access
6. Section 6. Platonic Exegesis §7: Letters 312e1–313a6 No access
7. Section 7. πειθοῦς δημιουργός No access
8. Notes No access
Bibliography No access Pages 405 - 430
Index No access Pages 431 - 442
About the Author No access Pages 443 - 444