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Plotinus' Impact on Augustine's Philosophy

The document discusses Plotinus' influence on Augustine. Plotinus founded Neoplatonism and his ideas about God's absolute transcendence and the Trinity may have inspired Augustine. Plotinus' view that all things originate from a simple, transcendent Good or God also aligned with Augustine's ideas.

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2 views2 pages

Plotinus' Impact on Augustine's Philosophy

The document discusses Plotinus' influence on Augustine. Plotinus founded Neoplatonism and his ideas about God's absolute transcendence and the Trinity may have inspired Augustine. Plotinus' view that all things originate from a simple, transcendent Good or God also aligned with Augustine's ideas.

Uploaded by

First year Class
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Plotinus’ Influence to Augustine

If there is someone who left so much impact on Augustine’s philosophical

pursuit, he is none other than Plotinus. He was not a Christian but his writings and his

life are undeniable proofs his spiritual and moral ideals. His doctrine on God’s absolute

transcendence could be the inspiration of Augustine to delve more about the mysteries

of the nature of God.

Plotinus is the founder of Neoplatonism. It was through Neoplatonist thought

that led Augustine to leave Manicheaism and skepticism. According to Plotinus, the

first substantial principle of all that is the One or the Good which is also termed as God.

In this philosophical idea, Augustine came up with his idea about the Trinitarian God.

According to Plotinus, the One which is God is simple and the source of all things. The

One is transcendent; encompassing all that is, incomprehensible and ineffable. The Good

existed even before all things came to be since all beings owe their existence to the One.

Another influence of Plotinus to Augustine is epistemology which his idea of Divine

Illumination. Since the One is the principle of all things, therefore it is through the One

that an individual attains illumination or grasp of knowledge.

It seems that Augustine became the polisher of Plotinus’ philosophical thought

by Christianizing his ideas about the Good and the Divine Illumination. Plotinus became

the foundation of Augustine’s school of thought which eventually guided him along his

quest for the fullness of truth.

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