(Example) Plotinus's Enneads establishes a triadic hierarchical structure that both preserves divine transcendence and provides a pathway for the soul’s liberation through philosophical contemplation and ethical refinement. Body Paragraphs:
Contextualize The Enneads as a series of lectures organized by Porphyry. The Enneads
Defined not as a positive force, but as the absence or privation of good, arising from the furthest reach of emanation into matter. Analyze how the soul ascends through virtue and dialectic
Analyze how the soul ascends through virtue and dialectic. Conclusion: Summarize how Plotinus reconciles unity with multiplicity. Highlight his lasting influence on Western (Augustine) and
The supreme, transcendent, and indescribable source of all existence.
Highlight his lasting influence on Western (Augustine) and Near-Eastern philosophy.
To help you narrow down the focus of your paper, which of these topics sounds most interesting to you? The Soul's ascent (ethics/spirituality) The problem of evil The influence of Plotinus on later philosophers