The Arguments for Emanation: Plotinus as Rational Philosopher

Dissertation, University of Georgia (1989)
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Abstract

The purpose of this work is to demonstrate that Plotinus has arguments in the Enneads which support his doctrine of emanation. The secondary literature dealing with this philosopher exhibits conflicting opinions regarding emanation and a general consensus that Plotinus was "irrational" with respect to this doctrine. ;This study attempts to dispel that notion by drawing a distinction between "rational" as meaning "possessing conceptual clarity" and "rational" as meaning "argued for." The suggestion is that one may show that Plotinus did argue for a certain very abstractly defined ontological dependency. ;The arguments for the Plotinian hierarchy of reality demonstrates that entities need unity in order to exist. This necessary unity comes from the One in some manner other than creation. This is emanation. ;The methodology of this study involves setting forth arguments from the Enneads for each level of the Plotinian hierarchy of reality and demonstrating that these arguments point to the need for emanation. These arguments are referred to as "implicit" arguments for emanation. There are also several explicit arguments for emanation in the Enneads. These are also discussed. ;The conclusion of this study is that Plotinus does argue for emanation, both implicitly and explicitly. The explicit arguments are attempts at demonstrating the metaphysical necessity of emanation due to the character of the One. These arguments are judged to be relatively weak. ;However, the implicit arguments are much stronger. These arguments are couched within the arguments for the hierarchy of reality and assert an epistemological necessity. We can know, based upon the existence of unified entities, that something like emanation is needed. These arguments involve what might be called a "transcendental" premise. We must realize that emanation is a necessary condition for the existence of unified entities. However, even without the acceptance of this transcendental premise and thus the conclusions of Plotinus, it seems only reasonable to claim that Plotinus does argue for emanation

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