Intelligible Matter

Abstract

The concept of matter is in many ways central to Plotinus, who portrays it as negativity, indefiniteness, and unlimitedness, as a deficiency that has nothing of itself and thus cannot be affected. However, in Ennead II.4, he also famously introduces the notion of intelligible matter. This chapter argues, first, that the notion of intelligible matter plays an important role not only in Plotinus’ earlier treatises but also throughout the entire corpus of his works; second, that bodily matter and intelligible matter are necessarily related as different yet inseparable; and third, that intelligible matter is not only represented by the indefinite dyad and constitutes the primary indefiniteness of the thinking of the intellect, but is also connected with the imagination and thus with geometrical objects.