Plotinos

Plotinus was an influential ancient Greek philosopher, often considered the founder of Neoplatonism. Born in Egypt around 204 or 205 CE, he spent much of his philosophical career in Rome. His teachings were primarily transmitted through his student Porphyry, who compiled and edited his works into the Enneads. Plotinus's philosophy centers on the concept of "The One," an ineffable, transcendent principle from which all reality emanates.

According to Plotinus, The One is the ultimate source of existence, beyond being and thought. From The One emanates Intellect (Nous), which contains the Forms or Ideas. Following Intellect, Soul is generated, which further animates the material world. The goal of human life, as Plotinus saw it, is the ascent of the soul back to The One through philosophical contemplation and purification, a process that culminates in a mystical union or ecstasy.

His work draws heavily on Plato, but he reinterprets Platonic ideas in a systematic and metaphysical framework. Plotinus's thought had a profound impact on subsequent philosophical and religious traditions, including Christian, Jewish, and Islamic mysticism and philosophy. His emphasis on transcendence, emanation, and the purification of the soul resonated with many thinkers throughout history, making him a pivotal figure in the development of Western metaphysics.