Plotinus on the Homonymy of Life

Riccardo Chiaradonna

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Chapter 16 Plotinus on the Homonymy of Life

于New Essays on the Platonic Tradition

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Riccardo Chiaradonna

Riccardo Chiaradonna
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类型:: 章节

Page Range:: 312–330

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004751149_017

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Abstract

This article examines Plotinus’ conception of life (zōē) as a fundamentally homonymous item that structures his metaphysics. The analysis shows how life constitutes a distinct mode of being proper to incorporeal substances (Intellect and soul), in contrast to its merely derivative occurrence in bodies. Building on Kalligas’ application of Owen’s A/B predicate distinction, the study shows how life functions as an A-predicate—a categorial property of intelligible reality as such—rather than as a B-predicate tied to the content of specific Forms. While eternal life (Intellect) and temporal life (soul) exist in a hierarchical relationship, Plotinus rigorously maintains their homonymous character, rejecting any notion of generic unity. This insistence preserves the fundamental discontinuity between ontological levels and distinguishes Plotinus’ position from later Neoplatonists who sought to mediate between synonymy and homonymy. The article also explores how bodily life is merely an imitation of authentic life, highlighting Plotinus’ doctrine of vertical causation and his critical engagement with Aristotle’s theory of synonymy and predication. Close readings of key passages from Enneads III.7 and VI.7 elucidate these conceptual distinctions.

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New Essays on the Platonic Tradition

In Honour of Paul Kalligas

丛编： Studies in Platonism, Neoplatonism, and the Platonic Tradition, 卷： 35

Cover New Essays on the Platonic Tradition

ISBN:: 9789004751149

出版社:: Brill

印刷出版日期:: 26 Feb 2026

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Chapter 16 Plotinus on the Homonymy of Life

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New Essays on the Platonic Tradition

In Honour of Paul Kalligas

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