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What is Neoplatonism?

Let's Talk Religion・47 minutes read

Neoplatonism, a philosophical school that influenced various religions and Western thought, is a continuation of Platonism focusing on the concept of the One from which everything emanates, leading to a journey inward to detach from bodily desires and ascend to higher realms. While the founder Platinus emphasized individual perfection through self-realization, later neoplatonists like Iamblicus and Proclus integrated ritualistic practices and divine assistance for spiritual ascension, enriching Neoplatonism with religious elements and more complex philosophical structures.

Insights

  • Neoplatonism, a philosophy from late Antiquity, influenced major religions and thought systems, emphasizing the concept of the One as the source of all emanations, leading to a journey inward towards the noetic world to achieve mystical union and perfection.
  • While Neoplatonism originated as a continuation of Plato's teachings, it evolved through figures like Platinus, Porphyry, Iamblicus, and Proclus, who introduced theological elements, ritualistic practices, and complex metaphysical structures, diverging from Plotinus' simpler approach and emphasizing the importance of divine assistance for spiritual ascension.

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  • What is Neoplatonism?

    A philosophical school influencing Christianity, Islam, and Western thought.

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Summary

00:00

Influential Neoplatonism: Philosophy, Mysticism, and Origins

  • Neoplatonism is a philosophical school that emerged in late Antiquity, heavily influencing Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Western thought.
  • The category of mysticism is largely based on neoplatonism's language and symbolism.
  • A collaborative project on neoplatonism involves various scholars exploring its connections with Kabbalah, Gnosticism, and cognitive science.
  • Neoplatonism is a continuation of Platonism, building on Plato's teachings.
  • The term "neoplatonism" is a modern label; ancient adherents did not use it.
  • Neoplatonism is viewed as a late stage of development within the Platonic tradition.
  • Neoplatonism is not a uniform school; its thinkers can differ significantly.
  • Neoplatonism was innovative and distinct from earlier forms of Platonism.
  • Neoplatonism originated in the third century with Platinus, considered its founder.
  • Platinus, a prominent philosopher, lived an ascetic life, attracting a diverse group of students and displaying spiritual powers.

15:54

Plato's Unwritten Doctrines and Neoplatonism Explained

  • Plato's interest in the world of forms is evident in dialogues like Parmenides, considered his most complex metaphysical dialogue.
  • Plato's esoteric side is highlighted by the concept of Unwritten Doctrines, representing his deepest ideas, influenced by Pythagoreanism.
  • Aristotle affirmed the existence of Plato's Unwritten Doctrines, hinting at their connection to Pythagorean ideas.
  • Neoplatonism, following Plato's dialogues and Unwritten Doctrines, incorporates elements from Plato, Aristotle, and Stoicism.
  • Neoplatonism is a significant philosophy, culminating Hellenic philosophy, emphasizing different levels of reality.
  • The core of Neoplatonism is the concept of the One, beyond description or understanding, from which everything emanates.
  • The first emanation from the One is the Nous, a consciousness containing all knowledge in a unified way.
  • The Nous, identified with the world of forms, is considered God, contemplating itself and the One.
  • The soul, emanating from the Nous, creates the physical world, existing as a copy of the world of forms.
  • Neoplatonism involves a journey inward to detach from bodily desires, contemplate the higher self, and ascend to the intellectual and noetic worlds.

31:43

Journey to the Noetic: Neoplatonism Explained

  • The noetic world presents a worldview where the external world is within the mind or consciousness, with mind being the prior principle.
  • Neoplatonists emphasize leaving the body to ascend towards the higher, more perfect world of the noetic.
  • The journey of the soul into higher realms occurs inwardly, not upward into a heavenly world, delving into the depths of the self where the noetic and the one exist.
  • The concept of the undescended self, a true part always in the noetic, is a core teaching of Platinus, though later neoplatonists like Iamblicus and Proclus disagreed.
  • Platinus describes the experience of returning from the noetic to the body, feeling united with the divine and situated within it.
  • The goal of becoming the one, a state of perfection achieved by the most accomplished souls, involves a total disappearance of the self and a mystical union with the noetic.
  • The encounter with the one involves shedding everything until one is utterly nothing, alone with the alone, in a state of absolute bliss.
  • The journey from the one back to the one, inhaling and exhaling, involves a mystical union with the one, accompanied by absolute bliss.
  • Platinus, a significant figure in neoplatonism, was succeeded by Porphyry, who incorporated more religious aspects into the philosophy, leading to the development of theology in later neoplatonism.
  • The later neoplatonists, like Iamblicus and Proclus, focused on theology, calling upon the gods through rituals to elevate oneself, contrasting with Platinus' belief in individual perfection through self-realization.

47:10

Neoplatonists integrate religion for spiritual ascension.

  • Theorists like Iamblicus believed in the necessity of divine assistance for spiritual ascension to higher realms, outlining ritualistic practices for salvation.
  • Greek and Roman gods were viewed as representations of different facets of the cosmic world, with figures like Iamblicus and Proclus integrating religious elements more deeply into Neoplatonism.
  • While Plotinus kept his philosophy somewhat separate from religion, later Neoplatonists like Iamblicus and Proclus intricately wove religious systems into their Neoplatonic frameworks.
  • Neoplatonists like Proclus presented a more structured and elegant Neoplatonic worldview compared to Plotinus, who maintained a simpler approach.
  • Iamblicus introduced a complex system with multiple levels of the One and intellects, contrasting Plotinus' straightforward One-Soul structure.
  • Later Neoplatonists diverged from Plotinus by advocating for a metaphysics with more independent parts and rejecting the idea of an undescended self, emphasizing the need for divine aid and ritualistic practices for spiritual elevation.
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