Plotinus on Individuation : A Study of Ennead V. 7 [18]. Text, Translation, and Commentary

Abstract

New translation and first running commentary in English of Plotinus’s V. 7 [18].

No other Neoplatonic text has sparked as much debate as Ennead V. 7 [18] of Plotinus, ‘On the question of whether there are also Forms of individuals’. In this text, Plotinus is believed to postulate the existence of Forms of individuals alongside the traditional Platonic Forms of genera and species. If so, Plotinus stands as the sole figure in Platonism to advocate this problematic theory. Regrettably, most research on V. 7 [18] has focused solely on the Forms of individuals, overlooking other interesting aspects. This book demonstrates how Plotinus reconciles transmigration and biological heredity within his metaphysics of individuality, addressing a longstanding challenge for ancient philosophers from Pythagoras on. Plotinus’ theory of individuation represents a significant innovation in ancient thought. Plotinus on Individuation offers a comprehensive assessment of V. 7 [18], providing a new translation and the first running commentary in English.

Filling an important void, this book enriches the scholarship on Plotinus and contributes considerably to the growing interest in Plotinus’ natural philosophy and the natural philosophies of the Neoplatonists in general.