The Notion of That Which Depends on Us in Plotinus and Its Background (Philosophia Antiqua)

265 Pages·2008·1.32 MB·English

by  Erik Eliasson

2008021.Eliasson.prelims.Proef3.14-5-2008:13.38,page1.
The Notion of That Which Depends On Us
in Plotinus and Its Background
2008021.Eliasson.prelims.Proef3.14-5-2008:13.38,page2.
Philosophia Antiqua
A Series of Studies on Ancient Philosophy
PreviousEditors
J.H. Waszink†
W.J. Verdenius†
J.C.M. Van Winden
Editedby
K.A. Algra
F.A.J. De Haas
J. Mansfeld
C.J. Rowe
D.T. Runia
Ch. Wildberg
VOLUME113
2008021.Eliasson.prelims.Proef3.14-5-2008:13.38,page3.
The Notion of
That Which Depends On Us
in Plotinus and Its
Background
By
Erik Eliasson
LEIDEN•BOSTON
2008
2008021.Eliasson.prelims.Proef3a.14-5-2008:16.33,page4.
Thisbookisprintedonacid-freepaper.
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Eliasson,Erik.
ThenotionofthatwhichdependsonusinPlotinusanditsbackground/byErikEliasson.
p.cm.--(Philosophiaantiqua;v.113)
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ISBN978-90-04-16614-1(hardback:alk.paper)1.Plotinus.2.Ethics,Ancient.I.Title.
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2008021.(Brill:19872)Eliasson.00_Prelims.Proef3.14-5-2008:13.34,page-5.
CONTENTS
Abbreviations .......................................................... ix
Acknowledgements .................................................... xi
ChapterOne.Introduction ........................................... 1
1.1. Thesubjectofthepresentstudy ................................. 1
1.2. Thehistorical-philosophicalcontextofthesubject ............. 3
1.3. Whyaterminologicalapproach issuitable forthesubject...... 14
1.4. Outlineofthepresentstudy...................................... 17
1.5. Limitationsofthepresentstudy.................................. 18
ChapterTwo.Plotinus:PreliminaryRemarks........................ 21
2.1. Anoverviewoftheoccurrencesof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)νintheEnneads...... 21
2.2. Threesignificant featuresoftheaccountof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)νin
Ennead VI.8........................................................ 26
2.3. Previous scholarshiponthenotionof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)νinPlotinus...... 27
2.3.1. Thefreedominterpretation ............................... 28
2.3.2. Thefreechoiceinterpretation............................. 31
2.3.3. Thefreewillinterpretation................................ 34
2.3.4. Thefreeactioninterpretation............................. 35
2.3.5. Theself-determinationinterpretation .................... 37
2.4. Conclusions ....................................................... 42
ChapterThree.AristotleandtheEarlyCommentators............. 45
3.1. Aristotle’snotionof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)ν...................................... 47
3.1.1. Theinclusiveandexclusive notionsof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)ν........... 48
3.1.2. Theinclusiveandexclusivenotionsofaction ............ 49
3.1.3. Atentativeontologyofτ(cid:8)(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)ν........................ 52
3.1.4. Thenotionof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)νappliedtointernalstates ......... 57
3.1.5. ConclusionsconcerningAristotle’snotionof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)ν.... 60
3.2. Thenotionof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)νinAspasius’InEN ....................... 61
3.3. Thenotionof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)νintheAnonymous’InENII–V.......... 65
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vi contents
3.4. Thenotionof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)νinAlexanderofAphrodisias ............ 72
3.4.1. Arecentinterpretation ofthenotionof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)νin
AlexanderofAphrodisias.................................. 76
3.5. ConclusionsconcerningAristoteliannotionsof (cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)ν........ 79
ChapterFour.Stoics................................................... 81
4.1. Thenotionof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)νinChrysippus............................ 82
4.1.1. Arecentinterpretation ofChrysippus’notionof(cid:2)(cid:3)’
(cid:4)μ(cid:5)ν ......................................................... 84
4.1.2. Interpretation ofthesourcesofChrysippus’notionof
(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)ν ..................................................... 87
4.1.3. ConclusionsconcerningChrysippus’notionof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)ν . 95
4.2. Seneca’s notionofinnostrapotestate ............................... 97
4.3. Musonius’notionof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)ν .....................................106
4.4. Epictetus’notionof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)ν......................................109
4.5. MarcusAurelius’ notionof (cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)ν..............................114
4.6. ConclusionsconcerningStoicnotionsof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)ν...............116
ChapterFive.MiddlePlatonists ......................................119
5.1. Abriefoverviewofthesources...................................119
5.2. AnoteonthePlatonicsourcestoMiddle-Platonistnotionsof
(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)ν ............................................................123
5.3. Thenotionof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)νinPhiloofAlexandria...................126
5.4. Thenotionof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)νinPlutarch ...............................130
5.5. ThestandardMiddle-Platonistnotionof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)ν...............141
5.5.1. Thenotionof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)νinAlcinous’Didascalicus...........142
5.5.2. Thenotionof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)νinPs.-Plutarch’sDefato ...........149
5.5.3. Thenotionof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)νinNemesiusofEmesa’s De
naturahominis................................................153
5.5.4. ThenotionofinnostrapotestateinCalcidius’In
Timaeum.....................................................155
5.5.5. ThenotionofinnobisinApuleius’ DePlatone............159
5.5.6. Thenotionof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)νinMaximusofTyre’s Orations ....162
5.6. ConclusionsconcerningMiddle-Platonistnotionsof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)ν ..166
ChapterSix.PlotinusReconsidered ..................................169
6.1. Plotinus’notionof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)νoutsideEnnead VI.8.................170
6.1.1. Onfate (III.1[3]).............................................171
6.1.2. Onwell-being (I.4[46]).......................................180
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contents vii
6.1.3. Onprovidence I(III.2[47])....................................182
6.1.4. Conclusions ................................................184
6.2. Plotinus’notionof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)νinEnnead VI.8 ......................187
6.2.1. ABriefOutlineofEnnead VI.8............................188
6.2.2. Thenotionappliedtothelevelofindividual souls.......190
6.2.2.1. Criticismofanunsatisfactorycommon
attribution ofτ(cid:9)(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)νtowish((cid:10)(cid:11)(cid:12)λησις)......190
6.2.2.2. Afirstrevisedknowledge-condition forthe
definitionof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)ν:generalnormative
knowledge .........................................192
6.2.2.3. Therevised attributionofτ(cid:9)(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)νtowish
((cid:10)(cid:11)(cid:12)λησις) ..........................................195
6.2.2.4. Asecondrevisedknowledge-condition forthe
definitionof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)ν:rationalknowledge of
whysomethingisright............................199
6.2.2.5. Thenotionof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)νexplainedaswhat
happensfromaself-determinedprinciple ((cid:18)ρ(cid:20)(cid:21)
α(cid:23)τε(cid:25)(cid:11)(cid:12)σι(cid:11)ς) .......................................200
6.2.2.6. Thenotionof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)νinaction..................201
6.2.2.7. Conclusions........................................204
6.2.3. ThenotionappliedtoIntellect............................206
6.2.4. ThenotionappliedtotheOne............................211
6.2.5. Conclusionsconcerningtheapplication ofthenotion
todifferent levels...........................................214
6.3. Generalconclusionregarding thenotionof(cid:2)(cid:3)’(cid:4)μ(cid:5)νinthe
Enneads.............................................................215
ChapterSeven.Conclusions ..........................................217
Bibliography ...........................................................223
Index ...................................................................241
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