Plotinus or The Glory of Ancient Philosophy by Joseph Moreau -- A Review

13 September 2023

Plotinus or The Glory of Ancient Philosophy by Joseph Moreau – A Review

I recently finished reading Plotinus or The Glory of Ancient Philosophy by the French philosopher Joseph Moreau.  I’m not familiar with Moreau.  Partly that is because, from what I have seen doing a quick online search, his books are in French with very few translations, and the translations I spotted are in German.  So I don’t have a grasp of Moreau’s overall output. 

Moreau’s book on Plotinus was translated by Robert K. Clark, another scholar I am not familiar with.  It was published this year by The Prometheus Trust.  As far as I can tell, at this time the book is only available from Prometheus Trust related sites such as the trust itself or Kindred Star Books in the U.S.  I didn’t see it, as of this writing, at amazon or other online book vendors.

Here are a few comments:

1.  I very much like it that the book is centered on Plotinus.  The book takes Plotinus’s thought as its starting point and then unpacks this great structure according to Moreau’s understanding.  It is clear to me that Moreau is hugely enthusiastic about Plotinus and has nothing but positive things to say about his insights.  I find this refreshing; to find someone else who is as uplifted by Plotinus as I am, was itself uplifting.

2.  Having said that, it should be noted that this book is not for beginners and probably not for those who are not thoroughly versed in Plotinus and Plato.  In short, it is an advanced book.  Moreau does not spend time, for example, explaining the basic structure of the hypostases; rather Moreau assumes the reader already has that kind of knowledge.  And this applies to other facets of Plotinus’s philosophy as well.

3.  The book is heavily footnoted, often with long passages in Greek.  For readers who know Greek this will be helpful. 

4.  Moreau’s singular focus on Plotinus is illuminated by comparisons to other philosophers and philosophical positions such as Spinoza, Malebranche, and others.  But Moreau always evaluates these other philosophers through a Plotinian lens, to give the reader a clearer focus on the precise vision of Plotinus. 

In addition, there are frequent references to Plato and Aristotle that securely situate Plotinus in the Platonic tradition.  Fortunately, there is no yammering about Neoplatonism and the glossary of terms does not even list that word; I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to see someone present Plotinus without indulging in that conjured, foundationless, perspective.

5.  The book is structured to mimic the divine ascent as presented in the Platonic tradition.  It starts with a chapter on ‘Ancient Cosmology’ with sections about the World in which we dwell.  Beginning in Chapter IV the book moves on to the Intelligible, or what I like to call the Noetic.  In Chapter VI we begin to move ‘Beyond Intellect.’  Beginning in Chapter IX there is an extended discussion on the nature of the Soul that includes many aspects of the complex life of the soul, including Soul and Nature, Soul and Intellect, Soul and Materiality, Soul and Time, Soul and the Body.  Chapter XV is about Spiritual Purification.  And the book concludes in Chapter XVI on the Unitive Vision, with a ‘Conclusion’ on The One and the Good.  That’s a lot to cover in 201 pages, but Moreau manages to do it.

With regard to the chapters on the Soul, it is worth pointing out that Moreau’s writing accepts the Plotinian view that the soul is always intimately connected with, and permeated by, the higher hypostases.  For example, Moreau writes, “The presence of the absolute in our soul, whether it remains hidden at the root of our intelligence, or reveals itself, beyond all mediation, to supra-intellectual vision, does not therefore exclude the transcendence of the One, of the First Principle, forever beyond thought and being” (page 193).

6.  One shortcoming, from my perspective, is that the book does not discuss asceticism as such, or the foundational asceses as presented in dialogues like Phaedo.  Moreau does reference Phaedo frequently and notes that “the role of reflection is, indeed, to free the soul from dependence on the body” (page 166).  But Platonism as an ascetic discipline in which asceticism is foundational does not seem to me to be securely presented.  Perhaps this is because Moreau’s primary purpose is elsewhere; meaning that his purpose might primarily be intellectual clarity, though he stresses the significance of transcending nous.

My intuition is that at this time it is very difficult for people, even for those who have a very positive view of Platonism and Plotinus, to acknowledge the foundational ascetic teachings of the Platonic tradition.  In modernity, renunciation in one’s life is looked at as highly eccentric, and most often thought of as some kind of mistake which modernity has overcome.  As I have mentioned, I am not familiar with Moreau’s writings, so I can’t say for sure what the reason is for what I consider to be an oversight.

7.  A second caveat is that Moreau seems to be concerned, at times, with the Dual – Non-Dual distinction that is a topic of discussion in contemporary Western spirituality.  It is my view that this dichotomy did not concern Platonism in the Classical World and because of that it is unlikely that Plotinus speaks to this topic.  I have posted before that it is my view that it is possible to interpret Platonism as a Non-Dual tradition because in this view there is only one completely real presence; the Good, the One, and the Beautiful.  On the other hand, it is possible to interpret Platonism as a Dualistic tradition because it sees materiality as something to overcome and leave behind, rather than something that is illusory, or something that can be transformed in the service of Non-Dual realization.  Again, personally, I don’t think Platonism fits within the frame, and the terms, of this debate.  But this point is not a primary focus of Moreau’s presentation; it is only mentioned in scattered asides.  So I don’t think it interferes with the overall flow of the book or the many excellent points made therein.

8.  This book is a joyous celebration of Plotinus, his vision, and his presence in our world.  It is a kind of hymn to the teachings of Plotinus.  It is good to have such a celebratory volume to inspire us on our own journey.