The Pattern and the Image in Plotinus: Rethinking Plato’s Conflict with the Poets

Abstract

This paper presents parallels between Plato's and Plotinus' understanding of the notion of an image within the context of the arts and cosmology. It argues for the rejection of the widespread cliché according to which Plotinus was an advocate of the arts transgressing against Plato's banishment of the poets from the polis and his condemnation of the arts as μίμησις μιμήσεως. This simplification distorts the doctrines of both philosophers which are in fact very close to each other. Plato as well as Plotinus distinguished two types of images depending on their paradigm. On the one hand, both philosophers recognise images which imitate the sensibles and have a detrimental impact on soul. On the other hand, they are also aware of potentially beneficial images which have the intelligible as their paradigm. In this sense, the mere fact that something imitates something else cannot justify any critique of the arts or of anything else. In fact, the whole cosmos is an image, imitating the Intellect as much as it can making it thus the most beautiful living being. Understanding this was for Plotinus a crucial aspect of being faithful to the heritage of Plato. This can be shown in his debate with the Gnostics whose despising of the sensible cosmos Plotinus considered dull and arrogant.