Library

Plotinos: Complete Works, v. 2 In Chronological Order,...

THE SOUL DOES NOT USE DISCURSIVE REASON EXCEPT WHILE HINDERED BY THE OBSTACLES OF THE BODY.

Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition Plotinus and Guthrie, Kenneth Sylvan
Open passage
18. Does the soul ratiocinate before entering upon the body, and after having left it? No: she reasons only while in a body, because she is uncertain, embarrassed and weakened. To need to reason in order to arrive at complete knowledge always betrays weakening of intellect. In the arts reasoning occurs only when the artist hesitates before some obstacle. Where there is no difficulty in the matter, art masters it, and produces its work instantly.

Source attribution

Plotinos: Complete Works, v. 2 In Chronological Order, Grouped in Four Periods, Project Gutenberg eBook #42931

THE DESCENDING GRADUATIONS OF EXISTENCE. THE SOUL CAN REASON INTUITIONALLY WITHOUT RATIOCINATION.