Η αθανασία της ψυχής κατά τον Πλωτίνο και η πολεμική του στους φιλοσοφικούς αντιπάλους του: Εννεάς IV 7[2]

Το παρόν πόνημα αποτελεί μία προσπάθεια προσέγγισης της πλωτινικής φιλοσοφίας σχετικά με την αθανασία της ψυχής υπό το πλαίσιο όχι τόσο στο ότι εστιάζει στα χαρακτηριστικά εκείνα τα οποία κάνουν την ψυχή να είναι αιώνια, ανώλεθρη και επομένως αθάνατη, όσο στον λόγο για τον οποίο γράφεται η πραγματεία Η αθανασία της ψυχής (Εννεάς ΙV 7). Υπό αυτή την έννοια, η παρούσα μελέτη αφορά την πολεμική του Πλωτίνου προς τους αντιπάλους του, βάλλοντας κατά εκείνων των προκατόχων του που υποστηρίζουν ότι η ψυχή είναι μία προέκταση του σώματος και μάλιστα άμεσα εξαρτώμενη από αυτό από τη μία πλευρά και από την άλλη, τη συμβατότητα μιας θεωρίας «περί αθανασίας της ψυχής» με την ιστορική πραγματικότητα του 3ου αιώνα μ.Χ. της οποίας μέρος της είναι ο φιλόσοφος. Τόσο τα χαρακτηριστικά της ψυχής, όσο και η απόδειξη της αθανασίας της και άρα της οντολογικής σχέσης της με το Εν και τον Νου αποτελούν καίριας σημασίας και συνάμα τη βάση επάνω στην οποία εδράζεται το όλο εγχείρημα: την υποβάθμιση του υλικού στοιχείου και την οντολογική αναβάθμιση της ψυχής ως φέρουσα την ζωή στο αισθητό κόσμο.The present work is an attempt to approach the philosophy of Plotinus regarding the immortality of the soul in the context not so much that it focuses on those characteristics that make the soul eternal, indestructible and therefore immortal, as in the reason for which the Ennead IV 7 is written. In this sense, the present study concerns Plotinus’ polemic towards his opponents, opposing those of his predecessors who argue that the soul is an extension of the body and indeed directly dependent on it on the one hand and on the other, the compatibility of a theory "about the immortality of the soul" with the historical reality of the 3rd century AD, of which the philosopher is a part. Both the characteristics of the soul, as well as the proof of its immortality and thus of its ontological relationship with Hen and Nous are of key importance and at the same time the basis on which the whole project is based: the degradation of the material element and the ontological upgrade of soul as bringing life to the sensible world

Catheter Ablation of Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Ventricular Tachycardia

Α 57-year-old female with repetitive monomorphic ventricular tachycardia was referred for an electrophysiological study. ECG during sinus rhythm was normal. ECG during tachycardia revealed a left bundle branch block (LBBB) pattern with inferior axis suggestive of an outflow tract tachycardia (Fig. 1). Structural heart disease was excluded. Transthoracic echocardiography and coronary angiography were unremarkable. The tachycardia was easily induced by atrial pacing (Fig. 2). This was suggestive of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (c-AMP) triggered activity as the pathophysiological basis of the arrhythmia. Activation mapping revealed the earliest activity at the posteroseptal region of the right ventricular outflow tract. A systolic pre-potential was recorded in this area, which is rarely seen in these type of arrhythmias (Fig. 3)... (excerpt

Catheter Ablation of Ventricular Extrasystoles Originating from the Left Coronary Cusp

We describe the case of a 55-year-old man with frequent premature ventricular extrasystoles displaying inferior axis and positive QRS concordance in precordial leads. The arrhythmia was successfully ablated from the left coronary cusp. The electrocardiographic and electrophysiological characteristics of this arrhythmia are discussed

Prediction of atrial fibrillation development and progression: Current perspectives

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in clinical practice. Several conventional and novel predictors of AF development and progression (from paroxysmal to persistent and permanent types) have been reported. The most important predictor of AF progression is possibly the arrhythmia itself. The electrical, mechanical and structural remodeling determines the perpetuation of AF and the progression from paroxysmal to persistent and permanent forms. Common clinical scores such as the hypertension, age ≥ 75 years, transient ischemic attack or stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and heart failure and the congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥ 75 years, diabetes mellitus, stroke/ transient ischemic attack, vascular disease, age 65-74 years, sex category scores as well as biomarkers related to inflammation may also add important information on this topic. There is now increasing evidence that even in patients with so-called lone or idiopathic AF, the arrhythmia is the manifestation of a structural atrial disease which has recently been defined and described as fibrotic atrial cardiomyopathy. Fibrosis results from a broad range of factors related to AF inducing pathologies such as cell stretch, neurohumoral activation, and oxidative stress. The extent of fibrosis as detected either by late gadolinium enhancement-magnetic resonance imaging or electroanatomic voltage mapping may guide the therapeutic approach based on the arrhythmia substrate. The knowledge of these risk factors may not only delay arrhythmia progression, but also reduce the arrhythmia burden in patients with first detected AF. The present review highlights on the conventional and novel risk factors of development and progression of AF

Inflammatory Response and Congestive Heart Failure Following Extensive Left Atrial Ablation

A case of a patient with persistent atrial fibrillation and normal left ventricular systolic function who developed acute heart failure symptoms after a procedure of extensive left atrial ablation is presented and possible aetiologies are being discussed