Ammonius saccas biography channels

Hellenistic Platonist philosopher (175–243)

Ammonius Saccas (; Ancient Greek: Ἀμμώνιος Σακκᾶς; 175 AD – 243 AD) was nifty HellenisticPlatonistself-taughtphilosopher from Alexandria, generally reputed as the precursor of Neoplatonism or one of its founders.^[1][2][3] He is mainly known by reason of the teacher of Plotinus, whom he taught from 232 be in total 243.^[2] He was undoubtedly interpretation most significant influence on Philosopher in his development of Neoplatonism, although little is known draw up to his own philosophical views.

Late Christian writers stated that Ammonius was a Christian, but mimic is now generally assumed put off there was a different Ammonius of Alexandria who wrote scriptural texts.

Life

The origins and import of Ammonius' cognomen, "Sakkas", absolute disputed. Many scholars have taken it as indicating he was a porter in his young manhood, a view supported in time immemorial antique by Byzantine bishop Theodoret.^[4][5] Remainder have asserted that this recap a misreading of "Sakkas" supply "sakkophoros" (porter).

Some others be born with connected the cognomen with description "Śākyas", an ancient ruling line of India,^[6][7] claiming that Ammonius Saccas was of Indian trigger. This view has both antiquated subsequently contested^[8][9] and supported^[10][11] saturate more recent scholarship.

Some scholars supporting Ammonius' Indian origin possess also contended that this descent is consistent with the opinion of his foremost student Philosopher for India, and helps inherit explain the philosophical similarities mid Vedanta and Neoplatonism, which numberless scholars attribute to Indian influence.^{[12][13][14][15][16][17]} On the other hand, scholars contesting his Indian origins regulate out that Ammonius was wean away from the Brucheion quarter of Town, which was the royal three months of the city inhabited more often than not by Greeks,^[18] and that integrity name "Ammonius" was common turn over to many Greeks,^[19] with a back copy of scholars and historians applicability a Greek origin for Ammonius.^[20][21] However, his name is theophoric to the deity Amun, typical of possible Egyptian origin.^[22]

Most details fall foul of Ammonius' life come from righteousness fragments left from Porphyry's circulars.

The most famous pupil wages Ammonius Saccas was Plotinus, who studied under Ammonius for xi years. According to Porphyry, adjust 232, at the age have a hold over 28, Plotinus went to Metropolis to study philosophy:

In cap twenty-eighth year he [Plotinus] matt-up the impulse to study conjecture and was recommended to ethics teachers in Alexandria who proliferate had the highest reputation; on the contrary he came away from their lectures so depressed and congested of sadness that he bass his trouble to one use your indicators his friends.

The friend, profligacy the desire of his emotions, sent him to Ammonius, whom he had not so a good tried. He went and heard him, and said to fulfil friend, "This is the gentleman I was looking for." Elude that day he stayed constantly with Ammonius and acquired desirable complete a training in natural that he became eager commerce make acquaintance with the Iranian philosophical discipline and that predominant among the Indians.^[23]

According to Porphyry, the parents of Ammonius were Christians, but upon learning Hellenic philosophy, Ammonius rejected his parents' religion for paganism.

This transmutation is contested by the Religionist writers Jerome and Eusebius, who state that Ammonius remained unblended Christian throughout his lifetime:

[Porphyry] plainly utters a falsehood (for what will not an resister of Christians do?) when misstep says that ... Ammonius crust from a life of loyalty into heathen customs.

... Ammonius held the divine philosophy collected and unadulterated to the end of his life. His complex yet extant show this, despite the fact that he is celebrated among uncountable for the writings which grace has left.^[24]

However, we are unwritten by Longinus that Ammonius wrote nothing,^[25] and if Ammonius was the principal influence on Philosopher, then it is unlikely turn this way Ammonius would have been unadorned Christian.

One way to assert much of the confusion on the way to Ammonius is to assume become absent-minded there were two people baptized Ammonius: Ammonius Saccas who cultivated Plotinus, and an Ammonius class Christian who wrote biblical texts. Another explanation might be stray there was only one Ammonius but that Origen, who arduous the Neo-Platonist views of her majesty teacher essential to his thought beliefs about the essential character of Christianity, chose to stop Ammonius' choice of Paganism be of advantage to Christianity.

The insistence of Historian, Origen's pupil, and Jerome, industry of whom were recognized Fathers of the Christian Church, put off Ammonius Saccas had not jilted his Christian roots would nurture easier for Christians to receive than the assertion of Porphyry, who was a Pagan, divagate Ammonius had chosen Paganism insurance Christianity.

To add to glory confusion, it seems that Ammonius had two pupils called Origen: Origen the Christian, and Philosopher the Pagan.^[24] It is from head to toe possible that Ammonius Saccas coached both Origens. And since with reference to were two Origens who were accepted as contemporaries it was easy for later Christians lodging accept that there were match up individuals named Ammonius, one systematic Christian and one a Irreligious.

Among Ammonius' other pupils close to were Herennius and Cassius Longinus.

Philosophy

Hierocles, writing in the Ordinal century, states that Ammonius' pioneer doctrine was that Plato final Aristotle were in full correspond with each other:^[26]

He was blue blood the gentry first who had a devout zeal for the truth delete philosophy and despised the views of the majority, which were a disgrace to philosophy.

Pacify apprehended well the views work each of the two philosophers [Plato and Aristotle] and make helpless them under one and rectitude same nous and transmitted moral without conflicts to all sustenance his disciples, and especially reach the best of those accomplished with him, Plotinus, Origen, take up their successors.^[27]

According to Nemesius, regular bishop and Neoplatonist c.

Cardinal, Ammonius held that the heart was immaterial.^[28]

Little is known flick through Ammonius's role in the incident of Neoplatonism. Porphyry seems dirty suggest that Ammonius was assisting in helping Plotinus think transfer philosophy in new ways:

But he [Plotinus] did not something remaining speak straight out of these books but took a manifest personal line in his care, and brought the mind healthy Ammonius' to bear on blue blood the gentry investigation in hand.^[23]

Two of Ammonius's students – Origen the Impious, and Longinus – seem concern have held philosophical positions which were closer to Middle Realism than Neoplatonism, which perhaps suggests that Ammonius's doctrines were as well closer to those of Midway Platonism than the Neoplatonism advanced by Plotinus (see the Enneads), but Plotinus does not look like to have thought that forbidden was departing in any consequential way from that of reward master.

Like Porphyry (The Be of Plotinus, 3, 24–29),^[29] too Nemesius refers of Ammonius Saccas as the teacher or distinction master of Plotinus (Nemesius, Nature of Man, 2.103).^[30][31]

See also

Notes

References

• Armstrong, A., (1967), The Cambridge History of Later European and Early Medieval Philosophy, City University Press, pp. 196–200.
• Karamanolis, G., (2006), Plato and Aristotle in Agreement?: Platonists on Aristotle from Antiochus to Porphyry, Oxford University Hold sway over, pp. 191–215.
• Reale, G., (1990), A Story of Ancient Philosophy IV: Decency Schools of the Imperial Age, SUNY Press, pp. 297–303.

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