Théodicée plotinienne, théodicée gnostique / / par Denis O'Brien.

• Superior document: Philosophia antiqua, v. 57
• Author: O'Brien, Denis, 1936-.
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden ;, New York : : E.J. Brill,, 1993.
• Year of Publication: 1993
• Language: French; English
• Series: Philosophia Antiqua 57.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (117 pages).
• Other title: Preliminary material /; AVERTISSEMENT /; INTRODUCTION: PLOTIN POLÉMISTE /; LA DESCENTE DE L’AME /; LA GÉNÉRATION DE LA MATIÈRE /; PÉCHÉ ET GÉNÉRATION /; GÉNÉRATION ET «ILLUMINATION» /; CONCLUSIONS: L’AME ET LA MATIÈRE /; L’AME ET LA MATIÈRE : PROBLÈMES D’INTERPRÉTATION /; LA MATIÈRE, SON ORIGINE, SA NATURE: ERREURS DANS LA THÈSE DE H.-R. SCHWYZER /; LES SENS DIVERS DU « MAL » : INCOHÉRENCES DANS LA TERMINOLOGIE DEJ.M. RIST /; TEXTE GREC ET TRADUCTION FRANÇAISE DES PRINCIPAUX PASSAGES CITÉS DU TRAITÉ « CONTRE LES GNOSTIQUES » (ENNÉADE II 9 [33]) /; AUTEURS MODERNES /; AUTEURS ANCIENS /; INDICATIONS RELATIVES AUX CITATIONS DES ENNÉADES /; RÉSUMÉ /; ENGLISH SUMMARY: THE THEORY OF EVIL IN PLOTINUS AND THE GNOSTICS /; DU MÊME AUTEUR /; PHILOSOPHIA ANTIQUA /
• Bibliography: Includes bibliographical references.
• ISBN: 9004320776
• ISSN: 0079-1687
• Hierarchical level: Monograph
• Statement of Responsibility: par Denis O'Brien.

Plotinus' fiercely polemical treatise Against the Gnostics has proved peculiarly resistant to modern methods of criticism. So much so, that historians of philosophy frequently end up attributing to Plotinus himself the very beliefs which Plotinus attempts to demolish in his criticism of the Gnostics. Denis O'Brien attempts to unravel this paradox by showing that, in earlier treatises of the Enneads , Plotinus puts forward a theory of the generation of matter by soul, which he then takes for granted in his attack on the Gnostics. This leads to a wholly new understanding of Plotinus' 'theodicy' and of the way in which Plotinus himself conceived of his relation to the Gnostics. Denis O'Brien's analysis should highlight tired commonplaces and support the view that a consistent and original philosophy underlies the complexities and obscurities of the text of the Enneads .