Ethics for an “Amphibian” Soul: The Plotinian Self in its Metaphysical Environment

Abstract

In this paper, I concern myself with the dual-life structure of human souls in Plotinus, and I delve into its normative orientation for individual conduct from the standpoint of his metaphysics of the One. For Plotinus as for most Hellenistic philosophers, metaphysics, theory of knowledge, psychology, and ethics mutually implicate one another. Plotinus’ discourse on the human psychē is grounded on his understanding of the nature of things, on ontology, or better yet, in his case, on “henology,” and this is tied to normative guidelines on how human beings ought to behave during their embodied existence. By analyzing his treatise “On the Descent of the Soul into Bodies” (IV.8 [6]), especially chapter 4, 31–35, I aim to explicate the overall tenets of Plotinus’ amphibian soul with reference to his metaphysical scheme and in tandem with his ethical commitments. In brief, I take the view that by elaborating on the “amphibious” structure of human souls, one may to be able to acquire a better understanding of the interplay between Plotinus’ metaphysics, psychology, and ethics.