
Published online:
24 January 2019
Published in print:
13 December 2018
Online ISBN:
9780191873607
Print ISBN:
9780198836339
Contents
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Introduction Introduction
-
1. Platonist principle pluralism vs. Platonist principle monism 1. Platonist principle pluralism vs. Platonist principle monism
-
2. Plotinus’ Co-ordination Argument and Aristotle’s first principle(s) 2. Plotinus’ Co-ordination Argument and Aristotle’s first principle(s)
-
3. The Co-ordination Argument and Plotinus’ principle monism 3. The Co-ordination Argument and Plotinus’ principle monism
-
The Dyad is not a first principle The Dyad is not a first principle
-
Platonic Forms are not first principles Platonic Forms are not first principles
-
-
Why can’t soul and prime matter be first principles? Why can’t soul and prime matter be first principles?
-
-
Conclusion Conclusion
-
Bibliography Bibliography
-
-
-
-
Chapter
Leaving Nothing to Chance: An Argument for Principle Monism in Plotinus
Get access
Pages
185–226
-
Published:December 2018
Cite
Christopher, Isaac Noble, 'Leaving Nothing to Chance: An Argument for Principle Monism in Plotinus', in Victor Caston (ed.), Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy, Volume 55, Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy (Oxford , 2018; online edn, Oxford Academic, 24 Jan. 2019), https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198836339.003.0005, accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
Abstract
Plotinus maintains that there is a single first principle, the One (or the Good), from which all other things derive. He is usually thought to hold this view on the grounds that any other thing’s existence depends on its participation in a paradigm of unity. This paper argues that Plotinus has a further, independent argument for adopting a single first principle, according to which principle pluralism is committed (unacceptably) to attributing good cosmic states of affairs to chance. This argument exhibits similarities to ancient design arguments, but is used to draw the more radical conclusion that there is only one non-derivative existent.
Subject
Ancient Philosophy
Collection:
Oxford Scholarship Online
Oxford Studies in Ancient Philosophy, Volume 55 First edition. Victor Caston (ed.) This chapter © Christopher Isaac Noble 2018. First published 2018 by Oxford University Press
You do not currently have access to this chapter.
Sign in
Personal account
- Sign in with email/username & password
- Get email alerts
- Save searches
- Purchase content
- Activate your purchase/trial code
- Add your ORCID iD
Purchase
Our books are available by subscription or purchase to libraries and institutions.
Purchasing informationMetrics
View Metrics
Metrics
Total Views
104
70
Pageviews
34
PDF Downloads
Since 10/1/2022
Month: | Total Views: |
---|---|
October 2022 | 9 |
November 2022 | 5 |
January 2023 | 7 |
February 2023 | 4 |
March 2023 | 11 |
April 2023 | 3 |
May 2023 | 4 |
December 2023 | 1 |
January 2024 | 5 |
February 2024 | 9 |
March 2024 | 5 |
April 2024 | 1 |
May 2024 | 4 |
June 2024 | 4 |
July 2024 | 3 |
August 2024 | 4 |
October 2024 | 7 |
November 2024 | 5 |
December 2024 | 1 |
January 2025 | 4 |
February 2025 | 2 |
March 2025 | 5 |
April 2025 | 1 |
Citations
Altmetrics
More from Oxford Academic
Get help with access
Institutional access
Access to content on Oxford Academic is often provided through institutional subscriptions and purchases. If you are a member of an institution with an active account, you may be able to access content in one of the following ways:
IP based access
Typically, access is provided across an institutional network to a range of IP addresses. This authentication occurs automatically, and it is not possible to sign out of an IP authenticated account.
Sign in through your institution
Choose this option to get remote access when outside your institution. Shibboleth/Open Athens technology is used to provide single sign-on between your institution’s website and Oxford Academic.
If your institution is not listed or you cannot sign in to your institution’s website, please contact your librarian or administrator.
Sign in with a library card
Enter your library card number to sign in. If you cannot sign in, please contact your librarian.
Society Members
Society member access to a journal is achieved in one of the following ways:
Sign in through society site
Many societies offer single sign-on between the society website and Oxford Academic. If you see ‘Sign in through society site’ in the sign in pane within a journal:
If you do not have a society account or have forgotten your username or password, please contact your society.
Sign in using a personal account
Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members. See below.
Personal account
A personal account can be used to get email alerts, save searches, purchase content, and activate subscriptions.
Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members.
Viewing your signed in accounts
Click the account icon in the top right to:
Signed in but can't access content
Oxford Academic is home to a wide variety of products. The institutional subscription may not cover the content that you are trying to access. If you believe you should have access to that content, please contact your librarian.
Institutional account management
For librarians and administrators, your personal account also provides access to institutional account management. Here you will find options to view and activate subscriptions, manage institutional settings and access options, access usage statistics, and more.