Introduction

Abstract

This is primarily a contribution to the search for the sources of the philosophy of Plotinus and, in connection with it, an investigation of some aspects of the survival (or revival) of the problems indicated in the title of the book viz. monopsychism, mysticism, and meta-consciousness, as they come to light on the occasion of such a search. The term ‘monopsychism’ needs no explanation. However, as used in the title of this book, it is meant to cover not only what can legitimately be so called, i.e. the doctrine that all souls are ultimately one, but also what could be called mononoism or solmentalism or unitas intellectus, i.e. the doctrine teaching that there is only one voũς (the translation of this term will be discussed in the text of the book) common to all men. Though these two doctrines are obviously closely related, they are not identical as pluiality of souls and unicity of voũς are not mutually exclusive.