Plotinus on the Appearance of Time and the World of Sense : A Pantomime

Plotinus (c.205-70) was a Neoplatonist philosopher, his work posthumously published by Porphyry and divided into six books, nine tractates each, called the "Enneads". In this book, Majumdar makes a valuable addition to the literature on his work, especially "Ennead III.7"(45)11-13 - in particular explaining Plotinus' cosmology using the genus-species model of soul, coordinating the literature on the appearance of time and the cosmos with that on the larger issue of Plotinian "emanation" and examining the role of tolma and the restless nature of soul in this conjoint appearance. This book investigates Plotinian "emanation," its laws of poiesis (contemplative making) and the roles of nature, matter, logos, (rational formative principle) and contemplation and highlights the subtler details of Plotinus' cosmology by disentangling conceptual issues about the nature of soul and self ("we") and their impact on the process of generation of time and the cosmos. Contents......Page 6 Preface......Page 8 1. Introduction......Page 10 Part I: The Hermeneutic Scene......Page 20 2. Truth, Method, and Originality......Page 22 3. Heritage and Legacy......Page 36 Part II: The Architectonic Scene......Page 50 4. Edifice of Soul......Page 52 Hypostasis Soul and World Soul......Page 53 Genus-Species Structure: Consubstantiality and Holism......Page 56 Levels of Individuation of Souls......Page 59 Differences among Souls......Page 63 Levels of Discursion in Soul......Page 65 5. Levels of Self......Page 70 Tacit Presence of Self......Page 72 Existential Trajectory of Self......Page 74 Interior Range of Self......Page 78 “Emanation” and Laws of Poiesis......Page 86 Procession from the One......Page 91 Logos......Page 96 Contemplation......Page 99 Demiurge, Nature, and the Sequence in which Nature and Matter Appear......Page 106 The Matter of the Sense-World and its Appearance......Page 116 Part III: The Cosmological Scene......Page 124 8. The Making of the World of Sense in the Enneads......Page 126 Intellect Makes through Parts of Soul......Page 127 Intellect Makes through Soul and Nature......Page 134 Intellect Makes through “Every Soul”, Purified “Man”, Soul, World Soul, or Directly......Page 141 How the Ensouled Body arises from Matter – a Sketch......Page 146 9. Conjoint Appearance of Time and the World of Sense (III.7(45).11)......Page 150 Time – Fore-Life, Rest, and Genesis......Page 151 The Role of Soul......Page 160 What the “We” means in the Enneads......Page 174 The Nature of “We” in III.7(45).11......Page 178 How “We” make Time in III.7(45).11......Page 182 11. Tolma, Polupragmatic Nature – Historical Roots and the Noetic Level......Page 192 Historical Antecedents......Page 193 Tolma and Otherness of Intellect......Page 197 12. Tolma, Polupragmatic Nature, Unquiet Power, and the Descent of Soul in III.7(45).11......Page 208 Polupragmatic Nature and Unquiet Power of Hypostasis Soul......Page 210 Polupragmatic Nature of World Soul......Page 218 Polupragmatic Nature and Tolma of Individual Souls......Page 223 13. Pantomime......Page 234 Select Bibliography......Page 236 B......Page 240 G......Page 241 N......Page 242 P......Page 243 S......Page 244 T......Page 245 V......Page 246 Contents 6 Preface 8 1. Introduction 10 Part I: The Hermeneutic Scene 20 2. Truth, Method, and Originality 22 3. Heritage and Legacy 36 Part II: The Architectonic Scene 50 4. Edifice of Soul 52 Hypostasis Soul and World Soul 53 Genus-Species Structure: Consubstantiality and Holism 56 Levels of Individuation of Souls 59 Differences among Souls 63 Levels of Discursion in Soul 65 5. Levels of Self 70 Tacit Presence of Self 72 Existential Trajectory of Self 74 Interior Range of Self 78 6. The Logic of Poiesis 86 “Emanation” and Laws of Poiesis 86 Procession from the One 91 Logos 96 Contemplation 99 7. Demiurge, Nature, and Matter 106 Demiurge, Nature, and the Sequence in which Nature and Matter Appear 106 The Matter of the Sense-World and its Appearance 116 Part III: The Cosmological Scene 124 8. The Making of the World of Sense in the Enneads 126 Intellect Makes through Parts of Soul 127 Intellect Makes through Soul and Nature 134 Intellect Makes through “Every Soul”, Purified “Man”, Soul, World Soul, or Directly 141 How the Ensouled Body arises from Matter – a Sketch 146 9. Conjoint Appearance of Time and the World of Sense (III.7(45).11) 150 Time – Fore-Life, Rest, and Genesis 151 The Role of Soul 160 10. The Nature and Role of the Self (“We”) in III.7(45).11 174 What the “We” means in the Enneads 174 The Nature of “We” in III.7(45).11 178 How “We” make Time in III.7(45).11 182 11. Tolma, Polupragmatic Nature – Historical Roots and the Noetic Level 192 Historical Antecedents 193 Tolma and Otherness of Intellect 197 12. Tolma, Polupragmatic Nature, Unquiet Power, and the Descent of Soul in III.7(45).11 208 Polupragmatic Nature and Unquiet Power of Hypostasis Soul 210 Polupragmatic Nature of World Soul 218 Polupragmatic Nature and Tolma of Individual Souls 223 13. Pantomime 234 Select Bibliography 236 Index 240 A 240 B 240 C 241 D 241 E 241 F 241 G 241 H 242 I 242 L 242 M 242 N 242 O 243 P 243 Q 244 R 244 S 244 T 245 V 246 In this book, Majumdar investigates Plotinian "emanation," its laws of poiesis and the roles of nature, matter, logos and contemplation. She highlights the subtler details of Plotinus' cosmology by disentangling conceptual issues about the nature of soul and self and their impact on the process of generation of time and the cosmos