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Neoplatonism (also Neo-Platonism) is the modern term for a school of Hellenistic philosophy that took shape in the 3rd century, based on the teachings of Plato and some of his early followers. Neoplatonism took definitive shape with the philosopher Plotinus, who claimed to have received his teachings from Ammonius Saccas, a dock worker and philosopher in Alexandria. Neoplatonists considered themselves simply "Platonists", although they also wished to distinguish themselves from various earlier interpreters of Plato, such as the New Academy followers of skepticism like Arcesilaus and Cicero, Clitomachus, Carneades with its probabilistic account of knowledge. A more precise term for the group, suggested by the scholar John D. Turner, is orthodox (neo) Platonism. Gnosticism is a term created by modern scholars to describe a collection of religious groups, many of which thought of themselves as Christians, and which were active in the first few centuries AD.〔Filoramo, Giovanni (1990). ''A History of Gnosticism''. Blackwell. pp. 142-7〕 There has been considerable scholarly controversy over exactly which sects fall within this grouping. Sometimes Gnosticism is used narrowly to refer only to religious groups such as Sethians and Archontics who seem to have used the term ''gnostikoi'' as a self-designation, even though early Platonists and Ebionites also used the term and are not considered to be Gnostics. Sometimes it is used a little more broadly to include groups similar to or influenced by Sethians, such as followers of Basilides or Valentinius and later the Paulicians. Sometimes it is used even more broadly to cover all groups which heavily emphasized gnosis, therefore including Hermetics and Neoplatonists as well. This article discusses the relationship between Neoplatonism and Gnosticism. ==Platonic origins of the term "Gnostikoi"== ''Gnosis'' is a Greek word, originally used in specifically Platonic philosophical contexts. Plato's original use of the terms ''gnostikoi'' and ''gnostike episteme'' were in his text known as ''Politikos'' in Greek and ''Politicus'' in Latin (258e-267a). In this work, the modern name of which is the ''Statesman'', ''gnosis'' meant the knowledge to influence and control. ''Gnostike episteme'' also was used to indicate one's aptitude. In Plato's writings the terms do not appear to intimate anything esoteric or hidden, but rather express a sort of higher intelligence and ability akin to talent. Within the text of Politikos, the Stranger (the main speaker in the dialog) indicates that the best political leaders are those that have this certain "knowledge" indicative of a competency to rule. ''Gnosis'' therefore was a quality characteristic of the ideal attendee of the Platonic Academy, since high aptitude would be a necessary qualification to understand and grasp its teachings. Although the Greek stem gno- was in common use, "like many of the new words formed with ''-(t)ikos'', ''gnostikos'' was never very widely used and never entered ordinary Greek; it remained the more or less exclusive property of Plato's subsequent admirers, such as Aristotle, Philo Judaeus, Plutarch, Albinus, Iamblichus and Ioannes Philoponus. Most important of all in its normal philosophical usage ''gnostikos'' was never applied to the person as a whole, but only to mental endeavours, facilities, or components of personality."〔Layton, Bentley. "Prolegomena to the Study of Ancient Gnosticism" in The Social World of the First Christians: Essays in Honor of Wayne Meeks. ed L. Michael White and O. Larry Yarborough. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1995〕 Thus, if it really is true that some Christians referred to themselves as ''gnostikoi'', or "professed to be" ''gnostikoi,'' as Porphyry and Celsus (two pagans who wrote against Christianity), Clement of Alexandria, and Irenaeus claim, then this would be the novel coinage of a very distinctive moniker as opposed to a continuation of traditional usage. Further, it might well mark a self-designating proper name rather than merely a self-description. Indeed, it would have sounded like technical philosophical jargon at the time. In contrast, merely claiming to have or supply ''gnosis'' would have been a common claim in the 2nd century CE, unworthy of notice in many Christian and Hellenistic circles. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Neoplatonism and Gnosticism」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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