The Problem of Evil in the Contemporary Studies of Plotinus' Philosophy

The article gives a critical review of research studies of the 20th and 21th centuries dedicated to the problem of evil in Plotinus' philosophy. The changes in the approach to this topic are explored. It is shown that first studies had more descriptive than critical character. Then, due to the works of John Rist and Denis O'Brian the situation has changed: despite obvious contradictions seen in the texts of Plotinus (what is the cause of evil: matter or soul?), the scholars started looking for a one consistent doctrine of evil's emergency. Common tendency of all contemporary studies is defined to demonstrate that evil-matter is a result not of the World Soul, but of the individual souls. Due to this interpretation the difficulties related to theodicy in Plotinus' system were removed.