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Article
The Essential Functions of a Plotinian Soul
Rhizai: Journal for Ancient Philosophy and Science
  • Damian Caluori, Trinity University
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2005
Abstract

In reading Plotinus one might get the impression that the essential functions of a Plotinian soul are very similar to those of an Aristotelian soul. Plotinus talks of such vegetative functions as growth, nurture and reproduction. He discusses such animal functions as sense perception, imagination and memory. And he attributes such functions as reasoning, judging and having opinions to the soul. In Plotinus' Psychology, Blumenthal bases his whole discussion of the soul on an analysis of these functions. He concludes that Plotinus 'saw the soul's activities as the functions of a series of faculties which were basically those of Aristotle' (Blumenthal (1971), 135).

Publisher
East-West Publishers
Citation Information
Caluori, D. (2005). The essential functions of a Poltinian soul. Rhizai: Journal for Ancient Philosophy and Science, 2, 75-93.