Neoplatonism

About this book

Although Neoplatonism has long been studied, until recently many had dismissed its complex system of ideas as more mystical than philosophical. Fresh research, however, has provided a new perspective on this highly influential school of thought, which flourished in the pagan world of Greece and Rome through late antiquity. Pauliina Remes's lucid, comprehensive, and up-to-date introduction reassesses Neoplatonism's philosophical credentials, from its founding by Plotinus (204-70 C.E.) through the closure of Plato's Academy in 529. She explores the teachings of leading Neoplatonists such as Prophyry, Iamblichus, Proclus, Simplicius, and Damascius, as well as less-well-known thinkers, and situates their ideas alongside intellectual movements of the time including classical Platonism, Stoicism, Gnosticism, Judaism, and Christianity. She also considers Neoplatonism's enduring legacy in the history of philosophical thought, providing a gateway to its ideas for contemporary readers. -- from back cover.