Plotinos: Complete Works, v. 2: In Chronological Order, Grouped in Four PeriodsPlotinus
Philosophy
Plotinos: Complete Works, v. 2: In Chronological Order, Grouped in Four Periods
Plotinus
Plotinus
a determinate place, be present to things which are in a place, and
could at all be present in the sense in which we have explained it.
Reason forces us, therefore, to admit that the universal (Being) must,
precisely because it does not occupy any place, be entirely present
to the things to which it is present; and, since it is present to the
universe, be entirely present to each thing; otherwise, one part of it
would be here, and another there; consequently, it would be divisible,
it would be body. How otherwise could one divide the ("Being")? Is it
its life that shall within it be divided? If it be the totality of the
(being) that is life, no part of it would be that. Or will somebody
try to divide the Intelligence, so that one of its parts be here,
and the other there? In this case, neither of the two parts would
be intelligence. Or will the (Being) itself be divided? But if the
totality be the (Being), no one part of it would be that. It might be
objected that the parts of the bodies are still bodies themselves. But
that which is divided is not the body (as such), but a certain body
of a certain extent; now each of its parts possesses the form that
causes it to be named body; while the form not only does not have some
particular extension, but even any kind of extension at all.
THE UNITY OF BEING DOES NOT EXCLUDE THE EXISTENCE OF OTHER BEINGS.
4. How can there be a plurality of essences, intelligences and soul,
if essence be one? The essence is one everywhere; but its unity does
not exclude the existence of other (beings), which may be said to
conform thereto. It is so also with the unity of the intelligence, and
of the soul, although the Soul of the universe be different from the
particular souls.
ESSENCE IS DIVISIBLE IF THEREBY NOT DIMINISHED.
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