Plotinus

<p>Plotinus  was a <a href="/facts/Ancient_Greek_philosophy/LWEkp8JX">Greek</a> <a href="/facts/Platonism/0mvr2x2p">Platonist</a> <a href="/facts/Philosopher/Hyvzc54m">philosopher</a>, born and raised in <a href="/facts/Roman_Egypt/P1wkcTmv">Roman Egypt</a>. Plotinus is regarded by modern scholarship as the founder of <a href="/facts/Neoplatonism/Tyq4uTG0">Neoplatonism</a>. His teacher was the self-taught philosopher <a href="/facts/Ammonius_Saccas/Wgq3NVa9">Ammonius Saccas</a>, who belonged to the <a href="/facts/Platonism/0mvr2x2p">Platonic tradition</a>. Historians of the 19th century invented the term "neoplatonism" and applied it to refer to Plotinus and his philosophy, which was vastly influential during <a href="/facts/Late_antiquity/sPTl0dyD">late antiquity</a>, the <a href="/facts/Middle_Ages/RqzEKB9v">Middle Ages</a>, and the <a href="/facts/Renaissance/4D9Bc6KU">Renaissance</a>. Much of the biographical information about Plotinus comes from <a href="/facts/Porphyry_(philosopher)/uyF9xTXq">Porphyry</a>'s preface to his edition of Plotinus' most notable literary work, <i><a href="/facts/The_Enneads/mAS78H0s">The Enneads</a></i>. In his <a href="/facts/Metaphysics/fSFt6SHe">metaphysical</a> writings, Plotinus described three fundamental principles: <a href="/facts/Henology/ma4jBLD2">the One</a>, <a href="/facts/Nous/hvSmlHNB">the Intellect</a>, and the Soul. His works have inspired centuries of <a href="/facts/Paganism/JaWTHBtJ">pagan</a>, <a href="/facts/Jewish_philosophy/tyN7LKx5">Jewish</a>, <a href="/facts/Christian_philosophy/Tbbcl5yv">Christian</a>, <a href="/facts/Gnosticism/gVGVzaAN">Gnostic</a>, and <a href="/facts/Early_Islamic_philosophy/q5begGMk">early Islamic</a> metaphysicians and <a href="/facts/Mysticism/3Rfb7zEd">mystics</a>, including developing precepts that influence mainstream theological concepts within religions, such as his work on duality of the One in two metaphysical states.
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Plotinus