Philosophy and Exegesis in the Enneads. The Wings of the Plotinean Soul in his reading of Plato’s Phaedrus”. In the present paper, we examine the role exegesis plays in the philosophy of the Enneads and, in particular, the way in which Plotinus interprets Plato. With this purpose we analyze, in the first place, some revealing passages of Porphyrius’ Life of Plotinus in order to understand, on the one hand, how late Greek thinkers conceived the exegetic endeavour and, on the other hand, the way in which plotinian philosophy was considered by his contemporaries. In the second section of this work, we examine the treatise IV 8 of the Enneads and try to show some peculiar aspects of Plotinus’ exegetic procedure as well as of his reading of Plato’s Phaedrus. / En el presente artículo, examinamos el papel de la exégesis en la constitución de la filosofía eneádica y, en particular, el carácter de la interpretación plotiniana de Platón. Para ello, en primer lugar, recurrimos al análisis de algunos pasajes reveladores de la Vida de Plotino porfiriana que nos permiten comprender, por una parte, la manera en que los tardoantiguos concebían la tarea exegética y, por otra, el modo en que la filosofía de Plotino era valorada por sus contemporáneos. A su vez, en la segunda sección del trabajo, nos abocamos al examen del tratado IV 8 de las Enéadas e intentamos poner de manifiesto algunos aspectos puntuales del proceder exegético plotiniano y del modo en que el neoplatónico lee el Fedro de Platón.

Robert A. Heinlein is a key figure in the development of American science fiction. What makes his contribution unique is his emphasis on philosophical speculation. Heinlein's program is based on rationality as a vital element to salvation. Although the importance of rationality is an aspect of many schools of philosophy particular value may be gained by comparing Heinlein's system with the philosophy of Plotinus. An examination of Heinlein's key works (Stranger in a Strange Land. The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress, Time Enough For Love, The Number of the Beast--. And various short stories I provides ample evidence to support the idea that the two systems are quite similar. Thus it becomes apparent that Heinlein presents a carefully considered world view which is particularly exemplified in his competent heroes, and in his concern for family, morality, and aesthetics.

L'objet de cette étude consiste à étudier la philosophie de Fârâbî et d'Avicenne, afin d'en dégager les pensées et les réflexions de ces deux philosophes en ce qui concerne l'esthétique. Nous avons essayé d'analyser plusieurs textes dans lesquels ils ont traité la notion de beauté. Cette analyse nous permettra de comparer l'esthétique de Fârâbî et d'Avicenne avec leurs principales origines, à savoir l'aristotélisme et le néoplatonisme. Ensuite, la présentation détaillée de leurs réflexions esthétiques nous montrera que leurs contributions aux sujets relatifs à la beauté, à la perfection, à la délectation esthétique, à l'imagination, etc. portent certaine originalité qui est le résultat d'une hybridation de deux grandes écoles philosophiques, à savoir l'aristotélisme et le néoplatonisme. / The aim of this thesis is to study the philosophy of Fârâbî and Avicenna, in order to identify the thoughts and reflections of these two philosophers in terms of aesthetics. We tried to analyze several texts in which they treated the notion of beauty. This analysis will compare the aesthetics of Fârâbî and Avicenna with their main origins, namely, Aristotelianism and Neoplatonism. Then, the detailed presentation of their aesthetic reflections shows us that their contributions to topics related to beauty, perfection, aesthetic pleasure, imagination, etc. bear some originality, which is the result of a hybridization of two great philosophical schools, namely Neoplatonism and Aristotelianism.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-25T19:20:44Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 CRE - Roberto Gallego.pdf: 763436 bytes, checksum: b22061de276f7d63a073dfe76b4d3236 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-11-06 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The aim of the present study is to explore the issue of salvation as proposed by Plotinus who was both a philosopher and a mystic, and the most noteworthy representative of the last period of Greek philosophy and also the experience of gnosis, an important religious movement that reached its climax in the first centuries of the Christian Era. Initially, the study sought to contextualize this theme within the historical framework in which the socalled Plotinus s antignostic polemic occurred, namely, during the Late Antiquity, when the notion prevailed that the earthly existence replete with suffering and privation would have to be transcended. The human being was but a stranger in the world that surrounded them and, therefore, should return to their spiritual homeland, their true ancestry. It was within this historical context that Plotinus s and the Gnostics doctrine on salvation took place. Although they converged on some of its aspects, there existed a profound divergence of views between them. This study also sought to outline the fundamental concepts behind confront systems. With regard to the Gnostics, the Sethian school was analyzed since it formulated two Gnostic treatises contained in the so-called Nag Hammadi Library , which were acknowledged and criticized by Plotinus: the Zostrianus and Allogenes. In addition, the study went on to examine the theme of salvation vis a vis the theories of cosmogony/cosmology, anthropogony/anthropology, and ethics of the Plotinian and Gnostic systems, especially the Sethian Gnostic texts. Lastly, the study focused on the salvationary aspects of both traditions, the role ascribed to man in the redemption process, and also the scope of salvation. As the basis for research, works by Brazilian and foreign commentators were resorted to, as well as primary sources such as Plotinus s Enneads and the Gnostic treatises held in the Nag Hammadi Library , mainly the aforementioned Zostrianus and Allogenes. The reason for undertaking this research lies in the fact that in Brazil there are few studies about the relationship between Plotinus and the Gnostics, and there are even fewer studies conducted in the spectrum of their soteriology. Therefore, the present research hopes to arouse the interest of Brazilians for the study of philosophical and religious construction addressing the fundamental issues of the human soul / O presente trabalho tem, como objetivo, estudar a problemática da salvação em Plotino - a um só tempo filósofo e místico, e o mais notável representante do último período da filosofia grega - e a gnose, um importante movimento religioso que conheceu o seu ápice nos primeiros séculos da era cristã. Inicialmente, buscou-se contextualizar tal temática no cenário histórico em que se deu a denominada polêmica antignóstica de Plotino , isto é, a Antiguidade Tardia, na qual prevaleceu a percepção de que a existência terrena, repleta de sofrimentos e carências, haveria de ser transcendida. O ser humano, um estrangeiro no mundo, deveria retornar à sua pátria espiritual, sua verdadeira origem. É, neste quadro histórico, que tem lugar a proposta de Plotino, bem como a dos gnósticos, acerca da salvação, que, embora se mostrem convergentes em alguns aspectos, divergem, profundamente, em outros. Em seguida, tratou-se de alinhavar os traços fundamentais dos sistemas em confronto, sendo que, com relação aos gnósticos, privilegiou-se a escola sethiana, autora de dois tratados, constantes da chamada Biblioteca de Nag Hammadi , conhecidos e criticados por Plotino: o Zostrianos e o Alógenes. Na seqüência, cuidou-se de examinar o tema da salvação à luz da cosmogonia/cosmologia, antropogonia/antropologia e ética, dos sistemas plotiniano e gnóstico, particularmente o gnóstico sethiano. Por último, enfocou-se o procedimento salvífico das duas tradições cotejadas, assim como o papel reservado ao homem no processo de redenção e, ainda, a abrangência da salvação. Recorreu-se, para a realização da pesquisa, a comentaristas nacionais e estrangeiros, bem como, na medida do possível, às fontes primárias, quais sejam, as Enéadas de Plotino e os tratados gnósticos, contidos na referida Biblioteca de Nag Hammadi , em especial os já mencionados Zostrianos e Alógenes. A justificativa para este trabalho reside no fato de que, no Brasil, não há muitos estudos acerca da relação entre Plotino e os gnósticos, e menos ainda, no campo específico das soteriologias respectivas. Desta forma, a pesquisa espera estimular, em nosso país, o interesse pelo estudo das construções filosófico-religiosas apontadas, que lidam com problemas fundamentais da alma humana

This thesis contrasts the Plotinean attitude towards transcendence at the cosmological level with that of certain Kabbalistic authors of the 13th-17th century. Special emphasis is placed on the different approaches taken by each of the two sides to addressing the origin of otherness. Following a brief introduction to the notion of the question of transcendence, the first major part (chapter II) is dedicated to an exploration of the Plotinean conception of metaphysical "descent" from the One to subsequent hypostases. The second major part (chapter III) focuses on Kabbalistic conceptions of the descent from the indefinite infinite to the finite (limited) realm. Finally, I attempt to illustrate the questions and concerns common to each of the two cosmologies. In so doing, I make use of semiotic concepts to clarify the contrast between the two models.

Several commentators make the claim that Augustine is not a systematic thinker. The purpose of this thesis is to refute that claim in one specific area of Augustine's thought, the metaphysical foundations underlying his solutions to the problem of evil. Through an exegetical examination of various works in which Augustine writes on evil, I show that his solutions for both natural and moral evil rely on a coherent metaphysical system, conceived of and expounded upon within a Platonically influenced Christian context.

My dissertation deals with the ethical philosophy of the Greek poet and Nobel Prize winner Odysseus Elytis (1911-1996). Responding to the "ethical turn" in literary scholarship, I scrutinize the notion of ethos and ethics, which permeates Elytis' writing, and its place in Elytis' poetic universe. Revolving around Elytis' "theory of analogies," this topic involves a number of diverse and complex literary dialogs, from Plato and Plotinus to German and Greek Romantics, forming part of an unwavering aesthetical and ethical worldview—an alternative cultural, spiritual, and political paradigm Elytis sought to establish. I often encountered little-noticed textual connections which show deeper background contacts, such as the permeating role of Platonism in the literary formation of many among these authors, or Elytis' reading of Friedrich Hölderlin which was at times surprisingly compatible with Heidegger's. I also argue that Elytis' reception of ancient philosophers and poets, such as Empedocles or Pindar, was often intrinsically connected with the ethical considerations of his times. The dissertation includes archival material from the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki and the Gennadius Library in Athens, which confirmed many of my hypotheses about Elytis' intellectual preoccupations. / The Classics

This thesis contrasts the Plotinean attitude towards transcendence at the cosmological level with that of certain Kabbalistic authors of the 13th-17th century. Special emphasis is placed on the different approaches taken by each of the two sides to addressing the origin of otherness. Following a brief introduction to the notion of the question of transcendence, the first major part (chapter II) is dedicated to an exploration of the Plotinean conception of metaphysical "descent" from the One to subsequent hypostases. The second major part (chapter III) focuses on Kabbalistic conceptions of the descent from the indefinite infinite to the finite (limited) realm. Finally, I attempt to illustrate the questions and concerns common to each of the two cosmologies. In so doing, I make use of semiotic concepts to clarify the contrast between the two models.

Much has been said about the influence of Plotinus, the Platonist philosopher, on the ideas of Augustine of Hippo, the Western Church Father whose writings had the largest impact on Western Europe in the Middle Ages. This thesis considers both writers’ ideas concerning matter, evil, and language. It then considers the way in which these writers’ ideas influenced their style of writing in the Enneads and the Confessions. Plotinus’ more straightforward negative attitude towards the material word and its relationship to the One ultimately makes his writing more academic and less emotionally powerful. Augustine’s more complicated understanding of the material world and its relationship to God results in a more mystical and more emotionally powerful style, which derives its effectiveness especially from its use of antithesis and the first and second person.

Several commentators make the claim that Augustine is not a systematic thinker. The purpose of this thesis is to refute that claim in one specific area of Augustine's thought, the metaphysical foundations underlying his solutions to the problem of evil. Through an exegetical examination of various works in which Augustine writes on evil, I show that his solutions for both natural and moral evil rely on a coherent metaphysical system, conceived of and expounded upon within a Platonically influenced Christian context.