Starting the Enneads

Enneads 1.1

Welcome to the first post from The Plod, an irregular subsection of this newsletter. In The Plod, I’ll be writing informally about major works of philosophy I’m reading. Expect short notes and observations rather than fleshed out thoughts.

In 2025, I am reading three major works: Plotinus’ Enneads, Hegel’s Phenomenology of Spirit, and Spinoza’s Ethics. That gives me four months to read each one, perhaps re-read it, and consult secondary literature. I’m starting the year with the Enneads.

The Plod is available to paid subscribers – if you pay to subscribe to Commonplace Philosophy then it is already included – and if you’d like access to the full post, you can use this link to get 20% off an annual subscription. That offer ends today, January 3, by the way.