Plotinos: Complete Works, v. 1: In Chronological Order, Grouped in Four PeriodsPlotinus
Philosophy
Plotinos: Complete Works, v. 1: In Chronological Order, Grouped in Four Periods
Plotinus
Plotinus
If the Soul were a body, then would the division of this body
necessarily produce the multitude of souls, and this essence would be
different in its different parts. Nevertheless, as this essence would
be homogeneous, the souls (between which it would divide itself) would
be similar to each other, because they would possess a single identical
form in its totality, but they would differ by their body. If the
essence of these souls consisted in the bodies which would serve them
as subjects, they would be different from each other. If the essence
of these souls consisted in their form, they would, in form, be but
one single form; in other terms, there would be but one same single
soul in a multitude of bodies. Besides, above this soul which would be
one, but which would be spread abroad in the multitude of bodies, there
would be another Soul which would not be spread abroad in the multitude
of bodies; it would be from her that would proceed the soul which
would be the unity in plurality, the multiple image of the single Soul
in a single body, like a single seal, by impressing the same figure
to a multitude of pieces of wax, would be distributing this figure
in a multitude of impressions. In this case (if the essence of the
soul consisted in her form) the soul would be something incorporeal,
and as she would consist in an affection of the body, there would be
nothing astonishing in that a single quality, emanating from a single
principle, might be in a multitude of subjects simultaneously. Last,
if the essence of the soul consisted in being both things (being
simultaneously a part of a homogeneous body and an affection of the
body), there would be nothing surprising (if there were a unity of
essence in a multitude of subjects). We have thus shown that the soul
is incorporeal, and an essence; we must now consider the results of
this view.
HOW AN ESSENCE CAN BE ONE IN A MULTITUDE OF SOULS IS ILLUSTRATED BY
SEED.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account