Metaphysics in the Roman Empire: Plotinus as a Mystic by W.T. Stace (Pre Read)

Plotinus (204—270) is considered to be the founder of Neo-Platonism. Taking his lead from his reading of Plato, Plotinus developed a complex spiritual cosmology involving three foundational elements: the One, the Intelligence, and the Soul. It is from the productive unity of these three Beings that all existence emanates, according to Plotinus. The principal of emanation is not simply causal, but also contemplative.

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Please read in advance Chapter 5 of this book The Teachings of the Mystics (the relevant PDF pages for a printer are 112 to 125).

Walter Terence Stace (1886 – 1967) was a British civil servant, educator, public philosopher and epistemologist, who wrote on Hegel, mysticism, and moral relativism. He worked with the Ceylon Civil Service from 1910 to 1932, and from 1932 to 1955 he was employed by Princeton University in the Department of Philosophy.

He is most renowned for his work in the philosophy of mysticism, and for books like Mysticism and Philosophy (1960) and Teachings of the Mystics (1960).

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This group examines the history of Metaphysics by looking primarily at European thinkers in chronological order. Great effort is made to include lesser known thinkers whose thought has historical significance. We will occasionally examine non-European metaphysics too to provide context and comparison.

After concluding our historical overview of Western Metaphysics, we focus on oral and pre-Modern societies.

Other meetings in the History of Metaphysics series:

October 18, Schopenhauer
October 24, Why does the Universe exist?
November 1, Aztec Metaphysics
November 8, Feminism and Metaphysics
November 15, Zhuangzi
November 22, Emerson
November 29, Pyrrho and Buddhism
December 6; African Cosmology
December 13, The Greeks and The Irrational