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Memory and the Soul’s Destiny in Plotinus

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Philosophy and Salvation in Greek Religion
This chapter is in the book Philosophy and Salvation in Greek Religion
Memory and the Soul’s Destiny in PlotinusLuc BrissonTranslated by Michael ChaseI. IntroductionTo speak of memory in Plotinus, one cannot restrict oneself to episte-mological considerations. Since the soul is and becomes what it remem-bers, memory has prolongations on the level of ethics. In a retributivesystem such as the one to which Plotinus adheres, the human soul,which can live separately from all earthly bodies, rises or descendsalong the scale of beings as a function of the quality of its previouslives, and therefore, in a Platonic context, of the knowledge it has ac-quired, knowledge which it retains in its memory and which makes itwhat it is. How, indeed, could a soul be rewarded or punished if ithas forgotten what it has done, and therefore does not know what itis? In this context, the soul’s salvation is inseparably linked to the exer-cise of memory.The starting point for any investigation on memory in Plotinus isTreatise41 (IV, 6),1to which Porphyry gave the titleOn sensation andmemory.It may be considered as an introduction to the long expositionOn difficulties concerning the soul, which Porphyry divided into three trea-tises, 27 (IV, 3), 28 (IV, 4) and 29 (IV, 5).2In these treatises, Plotinusattributes a central position to the question of memory, in a long centralsection that extends from the end ofTreatise27 (IV, 3), 25 to the begin-ning ofTreatise28 (IV, 4), 5. Plotinus’ interest in memory can be ex-plained by the two points that are at stake in this problem. Memory al-1 On this subject, see Pierre Marie Morel, who has provided an introduction,translation and annotation of Plotinus’Treatise41 (IV, 6)On sensation and mem-ory,inPlotin. TraitØs45–50, ed. Luc Brisson and Jean-François Pradeau (Paris:Flammarion, 2007).2 Luc Brisson has provided an introduction, translation, and annotation of Ploti-nus’TraitØs27–29, ed. Luc Brisson and Jean-François Pradeau (Paris: Flamma-rion, 2005b).

Memory and the Soul’s Destiny in PlotinusLuc BrissonTranslated by Michael ChaseI. IntroductionTo speak of memory in Plotinus, one cannot restrict oneself to episte-mological considerations. Since the soul is and becomes what it remem-bers, memory has prolongations on the level of ethics. In a retributivesystem such as the one to which Plotinus adheres, the human soul,which can live separately from all earthly bodies, rises or descendsalong the scale of beings as a function of the quality of its previouslives, and therefore, in a Platonic context, of the knowledge it has ac-quired, knowledge which it retains in its memory and which makes itwhat it is. How, indeed, could a soul be rewarded or punished if ithas forgotten what it has done, and therefore does not know what itis? In this context, the soul’s salvation is inseparably linked to the exer-cise of memory.The starting point for any investigation on memory in Plotinus isTreatise41 (IV, 6),1to which Porphyry gave the titleOn sensation andmemory.It may be considered as an introduction to the long expositionOn difficulties concerning the soul, which Porphyry divided into three trea-tises, 27 (IV, 3), 28 (IV, 4) and 29 (IV, 5).2In these treatises, Plotinusattributes a central position to the question of memory, in a long centralsection that extends from the end ofTreatise27 (IV, 3), 25 to the begin-ning ofTreatise28 (IV, 4), 5. Plotinus’ interest in memory can be ex-plained by the two points that are at stake in this problem. Memory al-1 On this subject, see Pierre Marie Morel, who has provided an introduction,translation and annotation of Plotinus’Treatise41 (IV, 6)On sensation and mem-ory,inPlotin. TraitØs45–50, ed. Luc Brisson and Jean-François Pradeau (Paris:Flammarion, 2007).2 Luc Brisson has provided an introduction, translation, and annotation of Ploti-nus’TraitØs27–29, ed. Luc Brisson and Jean-François Pradeau (Paris: Flamma-rion, 2005b).

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. Acknowledgments vii
  3. Abbreviations ix
  4. Contents xi
  5. Philosophy, Salvation, and the Mortal Condition 1
  6. Salvation for the Wanderer: Odysseus, the Gold Leaves, and Empedocles 29
  7. Self-Determination and Freedom: The Relationship of God and Man in Homer 59
  8. Parmenides’ Proem and Pythagoras’ Descent 85
  9. Ὁ Πλάτων παρωιδεῖ τὰ Ὀρφέως Plato’s Transposition of Orphic Netherworld Imagery 117
  10. The Eleusinian Mysteries in Pre-Platonic Thought: Metaphor, Practice and Imagery for Plato’s Symposium 151
  11. Plato’s Soteriology? 191
  12. From Politics to Salvation through Philosophy: Herodotus’ Histories and Plato’s Republic 217
  13. Rebirth Eschatology in Plato and Plotinus 243
  14. Memory and the Soul’s Destiny in Plotinus 289
  15. Between the Two Realms: Plotinus’ Pure Soul 313
  16. Iamblichus, Theurgy, and the Soul’s Ascent 343
  17. About the Contributors 357
  18. Bibliography 361
  19. Index of terms 387
Readers are also interested in:
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110276381.289

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. Acknowledgments vii
  3. Abbreviations ix
  4. Contents xi
  5. Philosophy, Salvation, and the Mortal Condition 1
  6. Salvation for the Wanderer: Odysseus, the Gold Leaves, and Empedocles 29
  7. Self-Determination and Freedom: The Relationship of God and Man in Homer 59
  8. Parmenides’ Proem and Pythagoras’ Descent 85
  9. Ὁ Πλάτων παρωιδεῖ τὰ Ὀρφέως Plato’s Transposition of Orphic Netherworld Imagery 117
  10. The Eleusinian Mysteries in Pre-Platonic Thought: Metaphor, Practice and Imagery for Plato’s Symposium 151
  11. Plato’s Soteriology? 191
  12. From Politics to Salvation through Philosophy: Herodotus’ Histories and Plato’s Republic 217
  13. Rebirth Eschatology in Plato and Plotinus 243
  14. Memory and the Soul’s Destiny in Plotinus 289
  15. Between the Two Realms: Plotinus’ Pure Soul 313
  16. Iamblichus, Theurgy, and the Soul’s Ascent 343
  17. About the Contributors 357
  18. Bibliography 361
  19. Index of terms 387
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